S5000 EXPECTED TO LAP UNDER 2 MINUTES DESPITE POWER SHORTAGE

The S5000 machines have been dealt an 85-horsepower deduction as the V8 powered open-wheel machines are over the power to weight ratio limit for the legendary Mount Panorama Circuit, however in qualifying are expected to lap in under two minutes.

Motorsport Australia rules mandate that all FIA Grade 3 circuits including the Bathurst track, must meet a power to weight requirement of 2 kilograms per horsepower.

As a result, the power has been reduced from 560 to 475bhp for the weekend’s action, despite this on old tyres reigning S5000 Australian Drivers’ champion Joey Mawson set a 2m 00.8s time in practice.

If it stays dry, category development manager Chris Lambden is confident of breaking past the 2m barrier in qualifying.

“Absolutely,” he said when asked by AUTO ACTION if he thought it was possible. “There is a new tyre gain with these tyres, it’s not as massive as in some categories, but I would certainly expect someone to go under two minutes in qualifying.

“It is a bit of a pertinent landmark kind of a time, but in the back of my mind is that in the normal spec that would be 1m 55s.

“We have to live with it for now, the modern motor sports governing situation is very much based around risk management.

“We have to try and deal with that, as a racer, I’m a bit disappointed that we weren’t here with full power, because I think it would have been terrific, but that’s what we’ve got to live with.”

He explained to AA how the power reduction has been applied and is coming into effect at higher rpm.

“In a modern engine it’s very simple, you can do it electronically,” he said. “In our case it’s been a case of reducing the openness of the throttle, it’s not getting full throttle at high rpm.

“It’s electronically reducing the throttle opening to something less than 100% at high rpm.

“It was all done on a dyno to achieve what needed to be done and it is simply all electronic and it was done to all the cars on Monday and that’s when the teams became aware of the situation.”

Lambden expressed that the car is running at the maximum power to weight ratio level for the circuit but hopes that in the future the S5000 machines can return with more power.

“My disappointment is there was no allowance for the fact that we have significantly reduced the speed in the car, bar, it’s moderate aero and endurance tyre that we use,” Lembden said.

“That to my mind was a major is a major contribution to the category and I would hope in the future, we might be able to negotiate a sensible compromise.

“Under the current rules, if we work on the aero and soft tyres, we could read 15 seconds a lap faster.”

Japanese driver Yoshiaki Katayama is undertaking the final day of the mandatory 72 hours of self isolation for international arrivals. He will join the field for Race 1 tomorrow.

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