Jones not a fan of live pit lane order
The four-car Brad Jones Racing stable will not be split apart by the live pit lane order but Brad Jones is still not a fan of it.
With pit stops not taking place at the Melbourne SuperSprint, the live pit lane order will roll into action when compulsory stops return at the Taupo Super400 next month.
It will be the first glimpse to see how the new rule change for 2024 will impact the racing and strategy game.
After dominating the start of the season Triple Eight will return to its familiar advantage of servicing its cars in front of everyone else ahead of Penrite Racing, Team 18 and Matt Stone Racing, who are all ahead of reigning champions Erebus Motorsport.
Brad Jones Racing battled at Albert Park and as a result slipped from fifth to ninth.
But critically, despite the #8 and #14 team sitting ninth and the #4 and #96 squad being placed 12th in the teams championship, the four-car team will not be separated in the lane.
Jones confirmed this and also his displeasure of the rule change after a tough time at the Australian Grand Prix.
“They are all together but I did not vote for the live pit order,” Jones told AUTO ACTION.
“I did not like it and have always felt the pit lane order is based on the job you did the year before.
“I am not a big fan at all.”
The Melbourne SuperSprint also saw the Supercars paddock get the rare treatment of being a support category to not just Formula 1, but also Formula 2 and Formula 3.
Until this year Supercars enjoyed its own pit lane prior to the Formula 1 garages but in 2024 the Formula 2 teams utilised the garages.
The likes of BJR and the other 10 teams operated out of makeshift garages on a makeshift surface and during on track sessions personnel were at both the tent and pit lane.
If Supercars renews its contract to continue racing at the Australian Grand Prix, Jones believes improvements need to be made.
“I think it can be done a bit better,” Jones said of the paddock.
“This was our first swing at it and we definitely need more help from the AGPC.
“Supercars will need to work through that and make it better for us if we come back in the future.”
Taupo Super400 pit lane order
Garages Team
1/2 Triple Eight Race Engineering
3/4 Penrite Racing
5/6 Team 18
7/8 Matt Stone Racing
9/10 Erebus Motorsport
11/12 Walkinshaw Andretti United
13/14 Tickford
15/16 PremiAir Nulon Racing
17/18 Brad Jones Racing #8/#14
19/20 Brad Jones Racing #4/#96
21/22 Dick Johnson Racing
23/24 Blanchard Racing Team
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