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
Mark Walker (administrator)
A vastly experienced Motorsport Public Relations operator, journalist, commentator and photographer, Mark brings his unique angle to The Race Torque in both words and imagery. As well as serving as our key photographer on the ground at major events around Australia (and overseas), Walker will often chime in with his unique and pin-point sharp viewpoint of the racing world via the keyboard too.
