WARNING SYSTEM FOR BATHURST

Supercars will introduce warning system for Bathurst – Photo: LAT

AN IN-CAR driver warning system will debut in Supercars at the Bathurst 1000 next month and then become a permanent safety feature.

By BRUCE NEWTON

The system has already been trialled this year without the lights being visible to the drivers.

It is the same package as the one used at the Bathurst 12-hour this year.

It was introduced at Mount Panorama in the wake of a horrendous collision in 2018 between Ash Walsh and John Martin that ended the event early.

The warning system is linked in to race control to alert drivers to the status of the track.

“We’ll have yellow flag, green flag, red flag, safety car and blue flags,” explained Supercars head of motorsport Adrian Burgess.

“If we can save one accident or a life across the top of the mountain then it’s paid for itself.

“Safety is one of our utmost concerns at every track but clearly the nature of across the top of the mountain at Bathurst makes it worth the cost of the exercise just for that race.”

A potential secondary positive of the system will be more accurate and timely information to drivers on safety car status, potentially eliminating issues such as

Jamie Whincup’s 2015 Bathurst penalty that cost him a shot at victory – and his repeat offence at Pukekohe just last weekend.

“We’ll be able give drivers more accurate information from race control and messages we can put on the dash,” Burgess confirmed.

Only a section of the package will debut at Bathurst as Supercars awaits an updated timers that will add further capability from the end of the year.

“When we have that then they will work hand in glove, give the driver more information, give race control better information and quicker communication to the car.”

The drivers will view the system via a second shift light module or on the dash.

Meanwhile LED panels, also tested in 2019, will be up and running for the 2020 season.

But the exact functionality they will be capable of hasn’t been locked down. Possible inclusions are the capability for the race number to change colour during qualifying signifying how speedy the lap is.

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