THE summer holiday is over and it’s time to get back down to business for the V8 Supercars Championship, with the 2015 season set to get underway at this weekend’s Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
The demanding street circuit presents a major challenge for both drivers and teams, the first proper hit-out for some at the beginning of a new year.
The weekend’s format will see three 30-minute practice sessions and two qualifying sessions packed into Friday’s schedule, meaning teams will need to be on the ball in the morning to get their cars right for when it counts in the afternoon.
Saturday’s track action kicks off with a practice session, ahead of two 39-lap races in the afternoon.
The short sprints, including a compulsory pit stop, will encourage drivers to push hard as they can’t rely on strategy to move up places. However, they will need to temper their aggression as they can’t afford to put too much wear on their tyres as they will need their rubber to be in top shape for Sunday’s track action.
The Sunday starts with a qualifying session, followed by a top 10 shootout, then the final 250-kilometre race of the weekend.
The longer race is as much a test of driver endurance as car performance. Any lack of fitness will be shown up by the gruelling 78-lap race, especially if the weather is hot. A lapse in concentration carries a high price at a circuit lined with concrete walls. Anyone who can keep out of trouble and keep the leaders in sight will have a chance at victory.
TYRES
Drivers will get five sets of brand new, hard compound Dunlop tyres to use across the weekend. In addition to that, they can use two sets of used, pre-marked tyres in Friday’s practice sessions, plus four sets of wet-weather tyres.
FUEL
Races 1 and 2: Each car will need to complete one compulsory pit stop during Saturday’s shorter races, and change a minimum of two tyres. With cars unable to do the full 39-lap distance on a tank of United E85 fuel, refuelling will also occur during the pit stops. How much fuel they start the race with, and therefore how much fuel they need to put in during the pit stop, is up to each team’s individual strategy.
Race 3: Each car will need to put in a set amount of fuel (called ‘fuel drop’) over the course of their pit stops during the Sunday race. Last year the mandatory fuel drop was 140 litres, which meant every car needed to complete at least two pit stops. As with Saturday’s races, teams can choose how much fuel they want to start the race with.
KERB HOPPING
A sensor sits on the inside of the apex kerb at the Senna Chicane to stop drivers from using too much of it and short-cutting the corner. Penalties apply for drivers who trip the sensor.
Practice and qualifying: If a driver trips the sensor, that lap time will not count.
Race: Drivers get four chances. The third time they trip the sensor in a single race, they will be shown the ‘bad sportsmanship’ flag. On the fourth time, they will be given a pit lane penalty.
