V8 Supercars has reinstated its 2013 restart procedure following a decision to scrap the controversial ‘AZ’ restart system.
The safety car restart procedure, which will come into force at the ITM 500 Auckland, will see the field line up behind the Safety Car in single file before the Safety Car returns to the pitlane.
The ‘AZ’ system was introduced this year with the leader only permitted to accelerate within a designated zone on the main straight, but after a multi-car accident that took five cars out of contention at the Clipsal 500 and saw Jason Bright roll his Team BOC Holden, the procedure was sharply criticised by the drivers.
Changes including lengthening the Acceleration Zone and increasing the speed at which the cars formed for restart were made to the restart system ahead of the Tyrepower Tasmania 400 in March, but it was agreed the risk of damage and additional workload for teams was still too great.
V8 Supercars Commission member and Jack Daniel’s Racing driver Todd Kelly said the AZ procedure was a great spectacle but was problematic as a driver.
“It is a shame though, when it did work it looked great with the cars spreading either side of the queue on the jump,” Kelly said.
“The problem was whether it’s an overlap or passing rule prior to the control line, more often than not there will be someone that doesn’t get the jump causing the car behind to brake and, in turn, cause issues.”
