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The MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint will be run over four races around Albert Park, which already makes it an oddity on the calendar, but then there is also the lopsided schedule.
With Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3 given track time priority, most of the Supercars action is packed into the Thursday alone; specifically, two practice sessions, a pair of qualifying sessions, and Race 3 of the weekend.
Rolling out of the truck – which will then be parked in the outfield, some way away from the infield paddock set-up – has therefore been identified by Hill as crucial.
The #4 Tyrepower Camaro pilot also picked tyre life as a key to success, given there are no compulsory pit stops, in races as long as 105km, and the soft compound has been allocated for Albert Park.
“I’m feeling more confident in the car now and I think the team is going in a really good set-up direction, so I hope it converts to speed at the Grand Prix,” he said.
“The Grand Prix is a bit of an outlier in our championship in terms of format. We have a huge Thursday schedule and if you don’t roll out strong, it can be a bit of a nightmare. But I am rolling in a bit more comfortable compared to where I was last year.
“It’s going to be challenging that Supercars isn’t in the pit lane this year.
“[For example] Simple things like the set-up patch we use, which takes me back to the Carrera Cup days where we had to go try and find a solid bit of ground due to the temporary flooring of the marquees. The team is going to be faced with a whole lot of challenges we are not normally faced with.
“MSR is very professional, though. I have no fears that either of our cars will be lacking for anything before they hit the track.
“Due to this unique format, tyres will be something we will have to manage with the four qualifying sessions and races we will contest.
“Having a fast car will be the priority, but how the team and myself deal with these unique challenges is also going to have a big impact on the result.”
Hill has had little downtime since before his second full season in the Repco Supercars Championship started.
He drove the IRC (nee: MARC) which MSR fielded in the Bathurst 12 Hour, then bolted out of the blocks at the Bathurst 500, earning a Top 10 Shootout debut and finishing fifth in Race 1 of the season.
A start line tangle in Race 2 ultimately saw Car #4 finish 23rd that day, but it was repaired and dispatched to Hill’s home town for the inaugural Canberra Festival of Speed on the following weekend.
“It’s been a super busy start to the year,” he said.
“We had the Bathurst 12 Hour and the 500 back-to-back, but I think it turned out to be quite beneficial.
“I rolled out feeling quite sharp for the 500, which was always the reason why we went to the effort to do the 12 Hour.
“The car was fast, I felt good and I came away with a personal best weekend. There was a little blemish on Sunday, but we’re not going to let that get us down.
“I wanted to be part of the Canberra Festival of Speed and when it was the weekend after the Bathurst 500 it worked out great.
“The Matt Stone Racing crew was able to get the car down there and we ticked a lot of boxes in a short space of time.
“We did appearances with Canberra Airport and Supaglass ahead of a big presence at the Festival of Speed, which turned out to be an awesome event with a big turnout.
“It was well worth the effort.”
The Melbourne SuperSprint takes place from March 21-24.
