Tyre warming headache for Winton

A slick Winton track and cold weather loom to give drivers and teams an ice cream headache.

The Pizza Hut Winton SuperSprint will be the first round at Winton since 2019.

The Dunlop Super Soft will make its second appearance as a sole compound in 2022.

It comes after the tyre was solely used at Symmons Plains in March.

Cool temperatures at Winton will offer a challenge for drivers as they aim to maximise tyres.

Each driver will be limited to five sets of the Super Soft tyre for the beginning of Saturday qualifying onwards.

Cars generate tyre heat by cornering; thankfully, the quick-fire Winton circuit offers drivers a chance to keep the tyres warm.

The Super Soft has been introduced to add action to racing at circuits that traditionally produce low degradation.

The softest tyre is designed to be consistently quick, but is expected to have a shorter life span.

Regardless, those who manage to keep their tyres in a good operating window will be able to keep themselves in the hunt.

Dating back to 2012, 18 of the last 19 Winton race winners have started fourth or higher.

“Deg should be okay this weekend,” Tickford engineer Sam Potter told Supercars.com.

“The hardest thing will be getting tyre temp in qualifying.

“The sessions are short, so you can’t afford to give away time.

“Sunday morning especially, with those early qualifying sessions, it’ll be a challenge.”

The Supercars action kicks off on Saturday morning with dual half-hour practice sessions.

Three-part ARMOR ALL Qualifying will determine the grid for the first of three 110-kilometre sprint races.

Each race will feature a mandatory stop for at least two tyres.

Cars will hit the track for Practice 1 on Saturday at 8:50am local time.

Pizza Hut Winton SuperSprint tickets are on sale now.