The V8 Supercar drivers will push for the electronic kerb-hopping sensors around the Sydney Olympic Park street circuit to be removed prior to Saturday’s qualifying session after the system dominated proceedings during Friday practice.
Drivers spent the opening day of running trying to lap quickly without triggering the sensors in the Turn 2/3 and 6/7 chicanes, with each infringement voiding the time recorded at the end of the corresponding lap.
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As has been the case at past events where the sensors have been used, inconsistency was the main complaint from the drivers, who are subsequently expected to collectively request that the system be deactivated at a meeting with officials this evening.
“I think that we’ll end up turning them off tonight which is probably a good thing because in my opinion you don’t need them,” commented Jamie Whincup, who set the fastest time of the day in Practice 4.
“It’s really tough. Our cars love kerbs but at the street tracks you need chicanes to slow the cars down, and we need to protect the cars on the backs of the kerbs as well.
“I think we’ve slowly improved it (the electronic system) but there’s certainly a little bit more to go.”
Canning the system following practice would mark a repeat of the situation that occurred both at last year’s Sydney Telstra 500 and during last month’s Armor All Gold Coast 600.
Ford Performance Racing’s Will Davison described the decision to attempt to re-introduce the system this weekend as “disappointing” after what occurred last year.
“We switched them off last year and the kerbs are the same,” he said.
“The kerbs serve their purpose. They’re very big so you can’t use too much of them anyway.
“It (the sensor system) is very inconsistent. On my quickest lap I set it off and didn’t use much at all. Then I used three times as much on the next lap and nothing happened.
“It’s hard in the car. You’re meant to be millimetre perfect and at the moment you don’t know what to do.
“Normally you’re driving around the whole time thinking about set-up but we spent two sessions driving around seeing how much kerb you can use in each corner.
“Hopefully we can have a talk about it tonight and come to a resolution.”
IRWIN Racing Ford driver Lee Holdsworth was one of the most frustrated with the system having seen seven of his day’s total 17 hot laps taken away.
It is ridiculous to be honest, we have been through this so many times at this track and other street circuits,” he said.
“You can only take so much kerb whether there is a sensor there or not. Then you damage your car or it stuffs your lap anyway. I don’t see the point in them and it ruins the racing.”
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