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Bathurst practice format tweaked

05 Oct 2019
Late change to new split Saturday sessions
2 mins by James Pavey
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Teams will get an extra chance to simulate race runs and pitstops on Saturday at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, thanks to a late schedule tweak.

As confirmed last month, Saturday’s action has undergone a shake-up this year, with the usual 60-minute, late-morning final practice split in two.

A 30-minute session (Practice 6) is scheduled for 9:40am and a second for 12:10pm (Practice 7), ahead of the ARMOR ALL Top 10 Shootout at 5:05pm.

Supercars elected to split the session in order to reduce the traditional gap between final practice and the Shootout.

While Practice 7 was slated to be for co-drivers only, it has now been opened to all drivers following feedback from teams.

Traditionally, teams focus largely on one-lap speed during the Thursday and Friday sessions, before turning to race runs on Saturday.

Allowing both drivers also opens up the options of undertaking full practice pitstops, including driver changes, during Practice 7.

It’ll also enable those in the Shootout to run one-lap qualifying simulation runs with their lead drivers, should they wish to do so.

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As previously reported, this year’s Bathurst schedule changes are headlined by a new start time for the race on Sunday, moved back to 11:30am.

That move has been made to ensure the race finishes closer to the prime time television window.

Full Supercars schedule - Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000

Thursday9:55am - Practice 1, 60 minutes12:45pm - Practice 2 (co-drivers only), 60 minutes4:00pm - Practice 3, 60 minutes

Friday8:25am - Practice 4 (co-drivers only), 60 minutes11:05am - Practice 5, 60 minutes4:00pm - Qualifying, 40 minutes

Saturday9:40am - Practice 6, 30 minutes12:10pm - Practice 7, 30 minutes5:05pm - Top 10 Shootout

Sunday8:20am - Warm Up, 20 minutes11:30am - Race, 161 laps

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