A range of changes have been introduced to the V8 Supercars 2013 race format. The season comprises of a variety of race formats and tyre allocations designed to mix up the racing order and provide fans with lots of exciting drama.
Sprint races make up most of the rounds and range in distance between 60 km and 250 km (37.3 – 186.4 mi), while three rounds form the V8 Supercars Endurance Cup (“enduros”) – the Sandown 500, the Bathurst 1000 and the Gold Coast 600.
Endurance races are much longer in distance, typically 500 km or 1000 km in length. Regulations for these events call for two drivers per car, the regular series driver plus a co-driver. Teams cannot pair their regular V8 Supercars drivers in the same entry, but must find non-championship drivers to share driving duties. A change in regulations for 2013 enables teams to select drivers to compete across all three endurance events and run the same co-driver in all three or in any combination they choose.
Every round includes some form of practice and qualifying as well as the actual races. However, only the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000 incorporate warm-up sessions.
2013 Formats
For 2013 the regulations have received something of a shake-up with V8 Supercars Commission announcing a switch to shorter sprint races and a move away from fuel and tyre strategies, in a bid to add a ‘pure racing’ element to the sport and intensify the excitement.
Six rounds – the Tasmania 360, the Perth 360, the SKYCITY Triple Crown, the Coates Hire Ipswich 360, Winton 360 and the Phillip Island 360 – feature a new “60/60 Super Sprint” format and a pair of independent 120 km races – see below.
Three sprint rounds – the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, the Townsville 400 and the Sydney 500 and all three endurance rounds retain their race formats as used in 2012 and still feature re-fuelling – see below.
Tasmania Microsoft Office 365, Chill Perth 360, SKYCITY Triple Crown, Coates Hire Ipswich 360, Winton 360, Phillip Island 360
Races
Saturday’s 60/60 Super Sprint is a 120 km race split into two 60 km halves and separated by a 15-minute ‘half time’ break.
The second 60 km half features a side-by-side rolling start. The lead drivers must only accelerate in a designated zone past the start-finish line.
There is no re-fuelling in either of the two races. Championship points and podium results are only awarded for the second 60 km race.
Two separate 120 km races then take place on Sunday. Again, these races do not include re-fuelling. Championship points and podium results are awarded for both of the two 120 km races.
Qualifying
For five of Saturday’s 60/60 Super Sprint events, a regular 20-minute qualifying session determines the starting grid for the first 60 km race.
The result of the first 60 km race then sets the starting grid for the second-half 60 km race.
In addition, the SKYCITY Triple Crown – also features a “Top-Ten Shootout“. Here, the top ten fastest drivers in qualifying each get one lap to set their fastest possible time. This lap-time is then used to determine their starting position for the first race.
Grid positions for each of Sunday’s two independent 120 km races are decided by two separate 15-minute qualifying sessions.
Practice
Each round includes four practice sessions. The first two practice sessions are reserved for the 14 drivers in the bottom half of the championship standings. The first 30 minutes of the opening practice session at the Coates Hire Ipswich 360 and the Winton 360 is reserved for each team’s nominated endurance co-driver. If an endurance driver is unavailable, the car will remain in pit lane for the first 30 minutes.[hr]
Clipsal 500 Adelaide, Townsville 400, Sydney 500
Races
The Clipsal 500 Adelaide comprises of two x 250 km races, the Townsville 400 two x 200 km races, and the Sydney 500 two x 250 km races, as per 2012. These are the only sprint rounds with re-fuelling and tyre changes during the races. Fuel capacity for sprint rounds is 75 litres.
Qualifying
Qualifying for the all three rounds consists of one x 20 minute qualifying session and a “Top-Ten Shootout” on Saturday to determine the grid for the first race and one x 20 minute qualifying session on Sunday to set the grid for the second race.
Practice
The Clipsal 500 Adelaide and the Sydney 500 include four practice sessions. The first two practice sessions are reserved for the 14 drivers in the bottom half of the championship standings. At the Townsville 400, there is a dedicated additional driver practice session (usually the endurance co-driver) at the start of the day, followed by two sessions for the primary driver and/or co-driver, and the final two for the primary driver only.[hr]
ITM400 and Austin 400
Races
The ITM400 Auckland and the Austin 400 feature four 100km sprint races – two on Saturday and two on the Sunday.
There will be no pitstops for refueling at the ITM400 Auckland. The Austin 400 features compulsory pitstops for tyre changes – but not refueling – in all four races.
The winner of the ITM 400 Auckland V8 Supercars meeting will win the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.
Qualifying
Grid positions will be determined by two 15-minute qualifying sessions for each race and a “Top-Ten Shootout” on Saturday and a further two 15-minute qualifying sessions for each race and a “Top-Ten Shootout” on Sunday.
Practice
Both rounds include four practice sessions with all drivers eligible for all sessions.[hr]
Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000, Gold Coast 600
Races
Regulations for these events call for two drivers per car, the regular series driver plus a co-driver. Teams cannot pair their regular V8 Supercars drivers in the same entry, but must find non-championship drivers to share driving duties.
A change in regulations for 2013 enables teams to select drivers to compete across all three endurance events and run the same co-driver in all three or in any combination they choose.
Teams are now no longer required to field an overseas co-driver at the Gold Coast 600 and have the choice whether to field an Australian driver or international co-driver to partner their regular driver. The change came about with the announcement that the Gold Coast 600 will join the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000 to form the V8 Supercars Endurance Cup.
The Sandown 500 comprises of one x 500 km race, the Bathurst 1000 one x 1000 km race and the Gold Coast 600 two x 300 km races over two days, as per 2012.
All require mandatory pit stops for tyres, fuel and driver changes (fuel capacity for the endurance rounds is 120 litres). Brake and pad changes are also permitted.
The Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000 require the co-drivers to complete a compulsory minimum of 54 laps, and no driver can exceed 107 laps.
The Gold Coast 600 requires that co-drivers do a minimum of 34 laps in each of the two races.
Qualifying
Qualifying for the Sandown 500 comprises of one x 20 minute qualifying session and two x 60 km ‘Qualifying Races‘.
The 20 minute qualifying session on Saturday is open to any driver and the results set the grid positions for the first ‘Qualifying Race’.
Co-drivers compete in the first ‘Qualifying Race’ with the order in which they finish setting the grid for the second ‘Qualifying Race’ which is contested by the regular drivers. Both ‘Qualifying Races’ do not include pit-stops.
The finishing position of the second ‘Qualifying Race’ determines the grid order for the main race.
Qualifying for the Bathurst 1000 comprises of one x 40 minute qualifying session and a “Top-Ten Shootout” to set the starting order.
Qualifying for the Gold Coast 600 comprises of one x 30 minute qualifying session and a “Top-Ten Shootout” to determine the grid order for Saturday’s race and one x 30 minute qualifying session to set the starting order for Sunday’s race.
Practice
Each round includes four practice sessions, except the Bathurst 1000 which has five. The first two practice sessions are reserved for the 14 drivers in the bottom half of the championship standings and endurance co-drivers.
Warm-Up
Every round includes some form of practice and qualifying as well as the actual races. However, only the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000 incorporate warm-up sessions.[hr]
MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge – Australian Grand Prix (non-championship round)
Races
This stand-alone non-points-paying event features four sprint races. Two on Friday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Each race will be 12 laps in length and each includes a compulsory pitstop for a four-tyre change.
The winner of the MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge is the driver with the highest number of points across the four races.
Qualifying
Thursday’s 30 minute qualifying session determines the starting slots for Race One.
Where everyone finishes Race one determines the line-up for Race Two and the result of that race then sets the starting grid for Race Three on Saturday.
Then in Sunday’s final race – Race Four – the grid positions are based on the points accumulated across Races One, Two and Three.
Practice
There are two x 30 minute practice sessions on Thursday. These are open to all drivers.