V8 Supercars has confirmed that there will be two compulsory pitstops in each leg of the Sydney 500 after an application from Erebus Motorsport to repeat the Gold Coast’s fuel drop method was knocked back.
Compulsory pitstops have been seen at the Adelaide, Sandown and Bathurst events this year in an attempt to minimise the disadvantage of higher fuel consumption for the Nissan and Mercedes entries.
A minimum in-race fuel drop was used in place of a CPS number on the Gold Coast, and will be mandated for all fuel races outside of the Pirtek Enduro Cup next year.
The drop was touted prior to the Gold Coast as a more equitable way of levelling the playing field as it ensures that the stationary fill-time is the same across all cars.
A submission from Erebus to have the fuel drop implemented for Sydney was, however, denied by V8 Supercars on the grounds that there was not enough time to instigate the system prior to the event.
The method used on the Gold Coast required scrutineers to repeatedly measure and calculate the fuel dispensed via an external tube added to the fuel rigs.
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It is said that a more streamlined process will be introduced next year in order to minimise the possibility of human error causing discrepancies.
V8 Supercars general manager for motorsport, Damien White, confirmed to Speedcafe.com that time was a limiting factor ahead of this week’s Sydney event.
“There are operational difficulties in ensuring accuracy of the fuel drop,” he said.
“The processes applied at the Gold Coast couldn’t be finalised in the timeline provided.
“V8 Supercars has a method that we will be adopting for 2014 that provides a 100 percent reliable and fool-proof method of ensuring the fuel drop as mandated is complied with.”
Erebus general manager Ross Stone expressed his frustration with the decision against the fuel drop.
“The fuel drop worked very well on the Gold Coast and proved that it levelled the playing field,” he told Speedcafe.com.
“The compulsory pitstops are all well and good but they do nothing to help the stationary time disadvantage, which is a major problem.
“V8 Supercars needs to be more proactive when it comes to these things because it was always going to be an issue for Sydney.
“We reacted and put in our submission within the communication guidelines provided, so it’s really frustrating to end up with this outcome.”
Erebus does not hold a seat on the V8 Supercars Commission that rules on such issues, although has recently been added to the meetings as an observer.
The compulsory stops in Sydney are not allowed to be completed until the sixth lap in order to ensure that teams cannot take advantage of a Safety Car instigated by an early incident
Even the more frugal Holdens and Fords are expected to need two stops to complete the journey regardless of the CPS requirement, unless the race is punctuated by extensive Safety Car periods.
Meanwhile, a draft of the 2014 regulations sent to teams earlier this month confirmed that V8 Supercars currently has no intention to deliver any economy-levelling solution for the Pirtek Enduro Cup next year.
Analysis of consumption rates across the Holden, Ford, Nissan, Mercedes and new Volvo engines during the early part of the year will likely determine whether that position will be reviewed.
Fuel consumption parity dominated discussion leading into this year’s endurance races and included the controversial trialling of a 70 percent fuel blend during Race 27 at Winton, which was won by Nissan’s James Moffat.
