Startline chaos causes damage
15 Mar 2015
A number of teams suffered reasonable damage after today's starting crash at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.
The rolling start procedure, unique to the showcase event, saw a sizeable accident at the beginning of the 12-lap sprint, the weekend's final race.
Leader Mark Winterbottom had control of the pack and could choose when to jump once in the acceleration zone. For the first three races, he pounced immediately, but in today's final run, chose to wait - while Prodrive stablemates, further back in the pack, were deemed to have jumped the start.
David Reynolds and Andre Heimgartner were penalised for going early, aschaos ensued behind with Craig Lowndes, Jason Bright, Marcos Ambrose, Will Davison and Nick Percat failing to finish the race after sustaining damage. James Moffat was also caught up, but managed to get back out.
Percat and Ambrose's cars had to be recovered from the circuit - but despite what is around a five-day turnaround to be ready for the next Championship race in Tasmania, both teams will be ready.
DJR Team Penske has a NASCAR style rolling chassis plan - Ambrose raced the car from last year's Sydney 500, with his Clipsal 500 car already prepped back at the Queensland workshop. It was scheduled to run in Tasmania, and team manager Swartwout said they will rotate chassis every race meeting.
"The car took quite a big hit on the front end, obviously it got all the body panels and some of the sub-structure. Not sure about the radiator," Swartwout told v8supercars.com.au."We've had a heavy weekend.
"There's another car back at the workshop. [We'll rotate] every race - it keeps mileages in check and it's easier on the guys as well."
Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport is beginning work tonight at its Melbourne workshop to ensure Percat's Commodore - which finished as high as ninth in race three - is ready for Tasmania.
"The front of it is only panel and carbon, nothing important; the rear of it is a bit bigger and it's moved some crucial points in the rear ... and also damaged some of the rear rail," team boss Barry Hay told v8supercars.com.au.
"The points in the rear member, that's what's hurt us the most. The rear suspension's done, but what the rear suspension's done moving around is what has caused all the damage. And I think we hurt the transaxle.
"So it's not ideal - expensive."
Hay said the team would do what they do best: "work harder and longer than everyone else, and we'll be sweet".
While Lowndes, Bright and Davison suffered damage that ultimately meant they were unable to finish, all will be fine for Tasmania.
The Red Bull Commodore suffered broken steering, the team BOC Commodore broke the front splitter and chassis rail extension, and the Erebus E63 had reasonable front and rear damage.
