Strategy Guide: The possible Adelaide race strategies
The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship concludes at the world-famous Adelaide Parklands Circuit, which will be headlined by two 250km, 85-lap races.
Kerbs, chicanes, straights, 90-degree corners, and that Turn 8. It's a massive challenge, and while the fastest way home is having the fastest car, drivers must keep their heads amid gruelling conditions.
Like the Gold Coast, set-up is a compromise between softness to absorb bumps and kerbs, and stiffness for change of direction through the 90-degree corners at the end of the lap.
It's a low degradation surface, and while race stints are around 26 laps, drivers can manage wear and get up to 40 laps.
Supercars.com explains the keys to strategy for the two 78-lap races, and the fastest way to the finish.
What tyres do we have?
Dunlop’s Soft tyre compound, used in Surfers Paradise, is back. Each car will have 28 Soft tyres (seven sets) for qualifying and the races. Each car also has 24 (six sets) wet weather tyres for the weekend.
Expected strategies
Drivers are required to complete a minimum of two compulsory stops, and will take on approximately 21 seconds of fuel across both stops.
On the Gold Coast, teams minimised fuel taken at the first stop to gain or maintain track position, and also open up the potential to take the longer stop under a later Safety Car.
Teams will likely stay out until around laps 23 to 30, and expect cars to undergo four-tyre stops. However, some could change two tyres to gain track position.
Last year, race strategy was dictated by fuel drop requirement. Safety Cars didn't impact strategy in either race, with the leaders completing 27- to 30-lap first stints, and 22- to 25-lap second stints.
One standout last year came from Broc Feeney, who pitted early and jumped three cars after starting 11th.
The critical lap is 28 to get home on fuel, with the maximum fuel tank range 50 laps.
#1 | #2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
a | Lap | 20 | 52 |
b | Lap | 26 | 52 |
c | Lap | 30 | 54 |
Key
#) Pit stop count
a) Early first stop
b) Equal stints
c) Long first stint
Safety Car probability
There is a 71 percent probability of Safety Cars in Adelaide, and an average of 1.3 Safety Cars per race in the last 10 years. There was one Safety Car across both races last year.
What about the weather?
Saturday will be scorching hot, so drivers must have cooling systems activated. The northerly wind brings hot dry weather, and despite the heat, there is a chance of showers on both race days.
