Knockout qualifying tweaked for Tasmania SuperSprint

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

Saturday, May 20

Sunday, May 21