{"id":484064,"date":"2026-02-16T17:30:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T17:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/484064\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T17:30:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T17:30:18","slug":"major-curveball-for-supercars-pre-season-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/484064\/","title":{"rendered":"Major curveball for Supercars\u2019 pre-season test"},"content":{"rendered":"

SUPERCARS has struck trouble inside 48 hours of its all-in pre-season test getting underway.<\/p>\n

V8 Sleuth has learnt that damage to the Sydney Motorsport Park track surface at Turn 8 has forced urgent works.<\/p>\n

That has prompted Supercars to shift its Wednesday test day onto SMP\u2019s shorter 2.8km Druitt Circuit layout.<\/p>\n

Multiple sources have confirmed the change of plans.<\/p>\n

There has been a suggestion that Supercars might even consider splitting the test day in two, using the Druitt Circuit on Wednesday morning and the standard 3.93km Gardner layout on Thursday night. V8 Sleuth is awaiting verification of this prospect; otherwise a full Wednesday on Druitt looms.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Druitt variation zigs left from Turn 4 to more or less straight-line its way onto the exit of what is the Gardner Turn 8.<\/p>\n

Imagery obtained by V8 Sleuth (per above and below) indicates resurfacing has been completed from the approach of Turn 8 to all the past the hairpin\u2019s exit.<\/p>\n

Coincidentally, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the only time the ATCC\/Supercars Championship has ever raced on what is now known as the Druitt Circuit.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s expected racing will unfold as planned on the Gardner Circuit across Friday to Sunday.<\/p>\n

Given the restrictions on testing which prohibit main game running unless for new-car shakedowns, rookie\/evaluation days or category-led parity work, there are several teams which are yet to turn a lap in 2026.<\/p>\n

They include Grove Racing, Tickford Racing, PremiAir Racing and the Blanchard Racing Team.<\/p>\n

The only other all-in test this season will be the post-event day at Queensland Raceway in August.<\/p>\n

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