A proposal to essentially revert to 2023 Safety Car rules received unanimous support in this morning’s Commission meeting, which is said to have lasted just 18 minutes.
Team owners supported dumping the electronically monitored 80km/h slowdown that was first introduced last year, as well as the slow zones trialled at The Bend.
Supercars and Motorsport Australia officials are instead set to crack down on drivers speeding through double-waved yellow flag areas under Safety Car.
That issued had triggered the introduction of the procedure that required all cars to slow to 80km/h within 15 seconds of a Safety Car being called.
Safety Car rules will be updated to align with the FIA International Sporting Code, stating drivers must “slow and be prepared to stop” under double yellows.
Drivers who are deemed to have failed to do so will be referred to the stewards and subject to penalty, such as a pit lane drive through.
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Supercars’ rule change proposal put to the Commission also noted that yellow flag rules had not been appropriately enforced previously.
Supercars CEO James Warburton said on Wednesday that the proposal had been formulated following feedback from teams, drivers and officials.
The slow zone procedure trialled during practice at The Bend proved highly unpopular due to its complexity and drew fears it would be dangerous at Bathurst.
Jamie Whincup crashed into the back of teammate Scott Pye during a trial in Saturday morning practice having misjudged the point at which the slow zone began.
The slow zone system was an attempt at lessening the impact of the 80km/h slowdown on race strategies – an issue that hit the spotlight following last month’s Ipswich event.
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