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The two teams, currently holding the first and second garages from pit exit, were twice spotted negotiating around stops during Sunday’s 200-kilometre race in New Zealand.
The first occasion was on lap 20 when Will Brown pitted from the lead and Matt Payne pitted from second.
Having started the lap almost two-seconds apart, T8 asked if Brown could drive through the Grove Racing bay to have a straight entry to the T8 bay, a request that was denied.
When the pair both stopped on lap 41, however, the same request was approved given there was more than 10 seconds between them, Brown driving through the bay – and past the Grove mechanics, who were already set up – on his way into his own bay.
“The general rule of thumb is, you help each other out unless it’s going to cost you,” Dutton told Speedcafe.
“So when I went up to ask those guys, ‘okay what’s the gap between them?’, the gap on track on track was two seconds, but they must have had a ripper in-lap because [Payne] was right on [Brown’s] tail as they came in.
“So it was at that point we both said ‘no, he’s got to go around’, because he was going to compromise them and you don’t ask that and you don’t expect that, and nor should either team give that. So that was the right call on that one.
“And then the next one, when they could let us through, they did.
“And same thing with us. After every stop we pack up ultra quickly, and even half way through pack up you’ll hold your lines to make sure they get a nice straight launch. So you are helping your neighbours.”
The negations came as pit etiquette was in the spotlight, following a frantic first round of stops on Saturday that saw multiple cars blocked, while Walkinshaw Andretti United had a delay to its set-up for Chaz Mostert’s first stop on Sunday due traffic in the lane.
While there had been predictions that the new-for-2024 live pit lane order could lead to some confusion during stops, Dutton believes all teams should be able to work together.
“You want to beat each other with the speed of the wheel stop and so on,” he said.
“And part of the working together like that is not just the performance side, but the safety side. We did the same with Dick Johnson Racing last year.
“No matter who is there, everyone, you hope, works together. It’s just what happens in the Supercars pit lane.
“You’d expect the same treatment and we would give the same treatment. You never want to get to the point where that doesn’t happen. We don’t envisage that happening.”
