News Mark Walker February 11, 2020 (Comments off) (699)

BREAKING DOWN THE 2020 SUPERCARS SEASON

There’s plenty to unpack ahead of another massive Supercars season in 2020! Here are some of the key points and changes probably worth knowing…

WORDS: Mark Walker

New Control Dampers – front and rear from Supashock presented with Pedders branding – three sets for the year per REC (although sets can be shared within a team, and damaged units can be replaced after approval), minimum 5,000km (not necessarily consecutive) before sent back to Supashock for servicing. Reduced bump and rebound adjustments available, limiting the number of tuning tools available to the teams and drivers.

New aerodynamics on both cars, the ZB Holden Commodore and Ford Mustang GT, all with the aim of lowering downforce by 12 percent. The Mustang’s rear wing has been moved forward and lower, both cars have the same wing angle (between seven to 13 degrees), both have identical Gurney flaps on the wing and boot, both have shallower front diffusers, the Holden has a longer under tray, while the Mustang has a rounder profile on the front brake ducts. The Nissan Altima has been relegated to Super2 status.

New LED position panels on the front and sides of the cars, as trialled last year, and used at the Bathurst 12 Hour.

A maximum of three engines for the year – 4,000km before the seals can be broken and major rebuilds can be completed. The penalty for not completing the required 4,000km is 10 grid spots. Non-sealed engines can be used for testing or ride days.

28 sets of front brake rotors per car for the season.

A new venue – Hampton Downs in New Zealand joins the calendar in place of Pukekohe Park. It will require the same transmission drop gear ratio as used at Albert Park, Barbagallo, Gold Coast, Symmons Plains and Townsville.

Wildcards are eligible for all events, except the AGP, Townsville, and Hampton Downs, due to space and logistics reasons. Two spots are available at Adelaide, Symmons Plains, Barbagallo, Hidden Valley, The Bend, Gold Coast, Sandown and Newcastle, with four available at Winton, SMP and Bathurst.

Super2 Wildcards are only eligible for Perth, Winton and Darwin.

All of the one-driver races have a 105% qualifying cut-off, 107% for the Enduro Cup.

Practice Formats

2x 30min

AGP

1x 45min, 2x 30min

Adelaide, Symmons Plains, Hampton Downs, Barbagallo, Winton, Townsville, Hidden Valley, SMP, Gold Coast, Sandown, Newcastle

3x 45min, 2x 30min, 1x20min

The Bend

6x 60min, 1x 20min

Bathurst

Extra 1x 30min for additional drivers

Winton, SMP

Qualifying Formats

Format 1 – all in qualifying

AGP 4x 10min qualifying sessions, Bathurst 40min with a Top Ten Shootout, Gold Coast 20min with Top Ten Shootouts both days.

Format 2 – knockout qualifying

Symmons Plains, Barbagallo, Winton, SMP, Sandown.

Format 3 – knockout with Top Ten Shootout

Adelaide, The Bend, Newcastle.

Format 2 Saturday, Format 3 Sunday

Hampton Downs, Townsville, Darwin,

Parc ferme conditions are in play for both races at Symmons Plains, Winton and Sandown, as well as the Sunday races at Barbagllo and SMP, where teams cannot touch the car between qualifying and the race.

Gone is the Race for the Grid, as per previous runnings of the Sandown 500.

Race Formats

2x 250km races

Adelaide, Newcastle

Two compulsory pit stops, 140L fuel drop, 2 tyres changed.

2x 200km races

Symmons Plains, Hampton Downs, Hampton Downs, Barbagallo, Winton, Townsville, Darwin, SMP, Sandown

All of the 200km races feature two compulsory pit stops with a minimum 120L fuel drop, zero tyres required.

1x 500km race

The Bend

Three compulsory pit stops for tyres and/or fuel.

1x 1000km race

Bathurst

Seven compulsory pit stops for tyres and/or fuel.

2x 300km races

Gold Coast

Two compulsory pit stops for tyres and/or fuel.

4x 100km races

AGP

The Albert Park event has a bespoke format with four 100km races following on from four 10-minute-long qualifying sessions, with each race requiring a compulsory pit stop for four tyres.

Night Races

Saturday at Barbagallo, SMP and the Gold Coast

Tyres

Hard Tyres

Adelaide, Hampton Downs, The Bend, Bathurst

Soft Tyres

Symmons Plains, Barbagallo, Winton, Townsville, Hidden Valley, SMP, Gold Coast, Sandown, Newcastle

Hard and Soft Tyres

AGP

For the Enduro Cup events, teams are allowed eight pre-marked tyres, and four pre-marked tyres for every other event bar-Hampton Downs.

Super2 Season

15-minute practice for rookies only in Adelaide

Adelaide – 3x 30min races

Symmons Plains – 2x 40min races

Townsville, SMP, Sandown – 2x 30min races

Bathurst – 2x 125km races

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