Compulsory pit stops implemented for enduros

The V8 Supercars Commission has mandated a compulsory number of stops for the Sandown and Bathurst long distance races, to minimise the impact of fuel economy variations throughout the field.

The Commission has met today and decided the rules applied at last year's endurance races would be repeated, with four stops mandated at the Wilson Security Sandown 500, seven at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, and a requirement to use 550mm of fuel at the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600, with usage based on the measuring tube on the fuel towers.

The V8 Supercars Commission decided that mandating pit stops would ease an issue many teams faced across the Pirtek Enduro Cup, and fell in line with the structure of Sunday races run this season, which have all had minimum fuel drops that ensure teams are required to add the same amount of fuel in pit lane over a race.

"The technical department assessed the available data and determined a variation in fuel usage of as much as 13 per cent from the best to worst at some circuits, so V8 Supercars endorsed the request made by the teams and the compulsory pit stops have been mandated by the Commission," Director - Sport and Operations Damien White said.

The Wilson Security Sandown 500 kicks off the long distance races this weekend.