Supercars drivers baulk at pitlane closure
LEADING Supercars drivers including Scott McLaughlin have baulked at moves to close pitlane during the safety car period despite chaotic scenes in the season opener in Adelaide.
Supercars will trial closing the pits during a safety car at next month’s Phillip Island Supersprint round in a bid to ease congestion and avoid a repeat of the Adelaide 500 debacle.
The trial was proposed at last December’s Supercars Commission and confirmed this week.
However, series leader McLaughlin of Ford and Holden star Shane van Gisbergen weren’t so sure about the move becoming permanent despite Adelaide’s “pretty wild” incident.
In Sunday’s final 250km race, the pitlane exit was blocked after Nissan veteran Rick Kelly ploughed into Ford star Chaz Mostert as most teams scrambled in pitlane during the sole safety car period.
McLaughlin’s concern was that a pitlane closure would cause more headaches as teams try to work out new race strategies for fuel and tyre stops. “It (Adelaide) was pretty wild. We always talk about it (pitlane closure) but it makes it quite complicated for everyone,” McLaughlin, who swept the season opener’s two races, said.
Supercars have opted to trial the closure at Phillip Island due to the track’s narrow pitlane.
IndyCar and NASCAR in the US use the pitlane closure rule for safety cars.
Van Gisbergen wasn’t convinced Supercars should follow NASCAR’s lead. “You could close it like they do in NASCAR but it changes the dynamic of the racing,” he said.
“Every pit stop will be as early as possible so you don’t get caught by the pitlane being closed.
“There’s probably things we can do make it safer with wider pitlanes but the racing we got with pitlane being open was good (in Adelaide).”