SUPERCARS REVEAL AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX FORMAT

Supercars reveal Australian Grand Prix format – Photo: Supplied

Headlined by the first Supercars event to be fought out for championship points, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation along with representatives from each support class has announced the structure of each at the March event.

Supercars will be joined by the Australian GT Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and a new addition, the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trofeo – Asia Pacific.

Apart from the introduction of championship points, the drivers will also battle for the inaugural Larry Perkins Trophy.

“I’m very delighted that the team at the Grand Prix and Supercars have selected my name to be on this trophy,” said former Formula 1 and Supercars driver Perkins. “I’ve always enjoyed watching the Supercars here and now with the championship points to watch them all fighting out there I think it’s going to be fantastic.”

Supercars will hold two 30-minute Thursday Practice session ahead of two 10-minute Qualifying sessions for the opening pair of races. Friday’s action consists of the final two 10-minute Qualifying sessions, then a 60-minute, 132km (25 lap) twilight race.

A 13 lap Sprint Race opens Saturday’s proceedings with another 60-minute twilight race concluding the day’s schedule. Sunday’s 13-lap Sprint Race will proceed the Australian F1 Grand Prix.

Each 60-minute race will feature compulsory pit stops and will return back to standing starts, which pleases Nissan driver Rick Kelly.

“I think it’s a great thing because I think there was one or two of those drivers, who took advantage of that rolling start and went a bit early,” Kelly said. “It’s a much fairer set-up that’s for sure.”

“The tyre around here will be different to what we raced on this year and it will certainly provide some great racing, but more so in our category it’s so close that passing opportunities are very difficult so the pit stops gives us a chance to change our strategy compared to those that we’re racing and get a bit more happening.”

Joining Kelly were Garry Rogers Motorsport driver Garth Tander and DJR Team Penske’s Fabian Coulthard. The introduction of championship points is a massive positive for the event according to Tander.

“It’s a fantastic honour to be racing for championship points,” Tander said. “Every year we come here and there’s always talk about whether we’re trying hard, there’s no doubt when we’ve raced here in the past we’ve always tried to win races and put on the best possible show.”

Fresh off a spectacular final round, outgoing Supercars CEO James Warburton is confident that the racing will be as good as ever when the class hits Albert Park in March.

“From a format point of view and if you look at our category – the season just gone – to come down to the last lap of the last race of the championship just shows what an insanely competitive bunch of people we are and what an incredible global touring car product that we have,” enthused Warburton.

Australian GT will hold its season opener in support of the Australian Grand Prix, while the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia will hold its second round and joining both returning support categories will be the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trofeo – Asia Pacific.

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