The Supercars Safety Car at the Gold Coast 500. Image: InSyde Media
Supercars has reacted to criticism following an Ipswich Super440 in which a mid-race Safety Car allowed a trio of drivers to complete two pit stops and emerge ahead of the field.
The revised system was debated at the Supercars Commission on Thursday and has now been ratified for trial at The Bend following input from Motorsport Australia.
Supercars has summarised the new procedure as follows.
“When an incident occurs, all cars will immediately reduce speed to 80km/h by engaging their Safety Car limiter,” it explained
“Pit Lane will close during this phase, with exceptions only for cars already committed to pit entry or those with damage, punctures, or in need of fuel.
“The field will remain at 80km/h for at least one lap to allow response crews to be deployed safely and ensure all drivers can clearly see the incident location.
“Once Race Control is satisfied, racing will resume at full speed across the circuit – except in the Slow Zone where the incident occurred, which will remain at 80km/h until declared clear and the pit lane will open.
“This ensures only the affected sector is neutralised, while the rest of the track remains live for racing and the teams individual race strategies aren’t impacted.”
Speedcafe has confirmed that a physical Safety Car will still be deployed under this process, coinciding with the deactivating of the speed limiters and opening of pit lane.
Although there is no guarantee of a Safety Car being called during the 500km race, it’s expected the system will be trialled during practice.
“This trial is about ensuring safety for officials and competitors while also maintaining the spectacle for fans,” Supercars Chief Motorsport Officer Tim Edwards said.
“We listened to our fans, worked closely with our teams, and the Commission has acted decisively to plan this trial at The Bend.”