New Safety Car rule introduced to V8s
The new Holden and Ford Pedders Course Cars that will be at every V8 Supercars meeting
Lapped cars in the V8 Supercars Championship Series now have a better chance to regain their lost lap in certain Safety Car periods.
In the past, if a Safety Car was deployed and the leader pits at the same time, which ever car the Safety Car picked up first, all cars would form the queue behind them – regardless if they were the new leader or a lapped car.
The new rule will see the race leader promoted to the front of the queue, with any lapped car between the Safety Car and the race leader allowed to drive past the Safety Car and rejoin the back of the field.
V8 Supercars’ chief steward Steve Chopping told Speedcafe.com.au that the new rule will reduce confusion, but it won’t guarantee that those cars being allowed through will be able to reach the back of the queue before the restart.
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“Previously, once the train was formed, if anyone pitted, including the leader out of that train, there would be no change in the order,” he said.
“This new rule only allows for lapped cars or cars close to going down a lap to get on the back of the train.
“But because of the delay in going the Safety Car, we wouldn’t hold up the race to enable them to necessarily get on the rear of the train, they might be somewhere else on the circuit when racing recommences.”
In related news, V8’s new Course Cars were unveiled at Abu Dhabi last week, with Pedders announced at the official sponsor of the two Course Cars – one Ford and one Holden.