Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Adelaide circuit tweak tipped to cause Supercars 'chaos'

Changes to the Adelaide street circuit will create "chaos" during this weekend's Supercars races, according to leading driver Lee Holdsworth

The circuit has been reprofiled through the Turn 6 and 7 complex, the biggest change involving the wall on the exit of seven being moved right up to the exit kerb.

The change is a response to the controversy during qualifying last year, when Shane van Gisbergen escaped any penalty for using the large strip of asphalt between the exit kerb and the wall.

The new positioning of the wall leaves no room for error, with tyres held in place by a conveyor belt right on the kerb.

The corner is still creating controversy, a number of drivers concerned about concertina-style pile-ups if one car gets buried in the tyres.

Weight was added to that theory by James Golding's innocuous nudge during Thursday evening's practice session, which left his GRM Holden stranded despite there being no serious damage.

According to Tickford driver Holdsworth, it is a recipe for chaos.

"I see it as being a major drama over the weekend," he said.

"The problem with what we've got now, the idea was great, but what it will create is chaos.

"If someone goes in there, we saw it in Super2 [practice] and in our session with Golding, if you hit that wall it sucks you in and spits you back out or stops you dead. Someone following closely is going to run up your arse and create a concertina.

"Certainly on the opening lap everyone goes side-by-side through [Turns] 6 and 7, and that won't be possible now. The guy on the outside will be in the fence and then it's back into the traffic.

"It's going to create plenty of dramas."

DJR Team Penske driver Fabian Coulthard agreed that the corner could create problems, but said the tyre wall should be shortened rather than moved back to its original position well outside of the corner.

"I don't think we've seen a red flag for that corner before," he said.

"If the tyres weren't quite as long, I don't think it would be as much of a drama. They go down from the exit of [Turn] 7 for quite a way. Maybe we could shorten that up a little bit.

"I think what they've tried to achieve is good. The racing will be better.

"It will definitely create potentially a passing opportunity. It's created a driver corner now, so you're going to have to drive out of 7 whereas before you could just run out over the kerb and it didn't matter.

"We don't want to lose that, but I think the way the tyres are, how the belt gets rippled, and it's now sort of leaning over more than what it was when we started. As the race goes on, that's going to get worse."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article What to watch for in the 2019 Supercars season
Next article Adelaide Supercars: McLaughlin leads Whincup in first qualifying

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe