Knockout qualifying tweaked for Tasmania SuperSprint

  • Repco Supercars Championship
  • |
  • 11/05/2023
  • By James Pavey

Knockout qualifying at next weekend’s NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint will look a bit different.

The grid will be set for Saturday’s Race 10 by three-part ARMOR ALL Qualifying.

Knockout qualifying returned in Perth, with the session split into three 15-minute segments. From Tasmania, Q3 is now 10 minutes long, with Q1 and Q2 remaining at 15 minutes.

A reduction of five minutes means drivers have less time to set a lap, although there is no major risk given lap times are under 60 seconds.

The 2.4km Symmons Plains lap offers the shortest lap time of the season. Last year, Shane van Gisbergen clocked a new lap record of a 50.4840s.

Unlike Perth, the Tasmania round will see Supercars on track on Saturday and Sunday only.

Two 30-minute sessions will precede Race 10 qualifying, before the first 42-lap race of the weekend.

Like Perth, however, each driver will have seven sets of tyres at their disposal at the start of the weekend.

Two sets will be handed back prior to qualifying and race, leaving five sets from Race 10 qualifying onwards.

Sunday's sprint grids will be set by single qualifying sessions, with the action concluding with two more 42-lap sprints, Races 11 and 12, on Sunday May 21.

Supercars will be supported by the Tassie Tin Tops, Porsche Challenge, Formula Ford and Aussie Race Cars.

Tickets for the event are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.

NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint: Session times

All times AEST

Friday, May 19

Time Category Session
1035-1055 Tassie Tin Tops Practice
1105-1130 Porsche Challenge Practice 1
1140-1200 Formula Ford Practice 1
1210-1230 Aussie Race Cars Practice
1240-1305 Porsche Challenge Practice 2
1305-1315 Supercars Demonstration
1320-1340 Tassie Tin Tops Qualifying
1350-1410 Formula Ford Practice 2
1420-1440 Aussie Race Cars Qualifying
1450-1510 Porsche Challenge Qualifying
1510-1520 Supercars Demonstration
1530-1545 Formula Ford Qualifying
1600-1730 Supercars Track Walk

Saturday, May 20

Time Category Session
0825-0845 Formula Ford Race 1
0900-0930 Supercars Practice 1
0935-0945 Supercars Demonstration
0950-1010 Tassie Tin Tops Race 1
1020-1040 Aussie Race Cars Race 1
1055-1125 Supercars Practice 2
1125-1135 Supercars Demonstration
1140-1205 Porsche Challenge Race 1
1215-1235 Formula Ford Race 2
1255-1310 Supercars Q1 Race 10
1315-1330 Supercars Q2 Race 10
1335-1345 Supercars Q3 Race 10
1345-1355 Supercars Demonstration
1405-1430 Aussie Race Cars Race 2
1440-1505 Porsche Challenge Race 2
1550 Supercars Race 10 (42 laps)

Sunday, May 21

Time Category Session
0840-0900 Aussie Race Cars Race 3
0915-0935 Tassie Tin Tops Race 2
0950-1005 Supercars Qualifying Race 11
1015-1030 Supercars Qualifying Race 12
1030-1040 Supercars Demonstration
1045-1110 Formula Ford Race 3
1120-1140 Aussie Race Cars Race 4
1150-1230 Porsche Challenge Race 3
1230-1240 Supercars Demonstration
1305 Supercars Race 11 (42 laps)
1420-1430 Supercars Demonstration
1435-1455 Tassie Tin Tops Race 3
1500-1515 Supercars Demonstration
1550 Supercars Race 12 (42 laps)

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