Garry Rogers backs rolling starts

V8 Supercars stalwart and team boss Garry Rogers supports the decision to run rolling starts at the Australian Grand Prix support races, despite lap one carnage at Albert Parkon Sunday.

The double file rolling start is unique to the Formula One Rolex Australian Grand Prix support races, providing the short races a point of different from the Championship events. The format was used in the Championship in 2013 for that year's 60/60 Saturday format, when resuming from a 'half time' break in a race, and did not cause any major incidents.

Although some drivers were not pleased with chaos caused from confusion in Sunday's rolling start, Rogers believes there's no problem utilising the format and described the final start as "interesting" noting it was the partner PRA cars that jumped early, before leader Mark Winterbottom chose to accelerate.

"My thoughts are these provide great excitement with very close door to door racing as the cars negotiate the first few corners," the team boss wrote of the rolling starts in his post-event report.

"The naysayers suggest they result in too many crashes, but I genuinely believe that the drivers would adapt to this type of start and I also believe following a safety car the restart should also be conducted in this side by side manner."

The Wilson Security-backed GRM Volvos avoided carnage in the final race, but Scott McLaughlin was caught at the weekend's first start, receiving a tap and dropping back in the field and then struggling to climb to the front at the hard to pass circuit.

For Rogers, it just emphasised how crucial it is to be at the right end of the field.

"I would be kidding to say that not only myself, but the whole team were a little disappointed with the result," he wrote.

"It just reiterates the importance of not getting back in the pack in Supercar racing, if you do, the fight to move forward requires both bravery and driving ability as the cars are so evenly matched."

Compared to the weekend's main event, Rogers could only take away positives for the V8 Supercars Championship.

"Watching the F1 cars over the weekend only highlighted how good our category is," he wrote.

"The gap we have between 20 plus cars is the same F1 have between the first three. I certainly don't question for one minute the skill F1 drivers possess, but I also have no doubt that the machinery has a lot more to do with the result than it does in Supercar racing.

"I have no doubt that if you put our best driver (Whincup) in the slowest car he would still finish at least mid pack. On the other hand if you put [AGP winner Lewis] Hamilton in a current Marussia I think he would certainly still be down the back."

Though the team would have preferred a better start to the season, Rogers always draws on the positives, looks forward and ensures everyone in the team learns from their mistakes, whether they are minor or major.

He congratulated Prodrive Racing (Australia) on the clean sweep of the event as well as praising Chris Pither on a solid drive after standing in for an injured David Wall.

GRM has anopen day scheduled this weekend, with workshop doors open from 10am to 2pm. Fans can meet Rogers, McLaughlin, Wall and the team, as well as getting a great look behind the scenes. Click here for more information on the team's website.