Supercars Commission agrees to flexible pre-season test program
Supercars and its Teams have voted in support of a reworked testing program that will allow for flexibility and fairness for all 25 Championship entries.
At a Commission meeting held this week, Teams voted in favour of changing the specific details regarding the shakedown and test days for the 14 Chevrolet Camaros and 11 Ford Mustangs that will be on the grid at the Thrifty Newcastle 500.
Set dates for all Teams to be on track at Queensland Raceway and Winton Motor Raceway in January and February will be replaced by a flexible testing program that allows each Supercar the ability to undergo an individual shakedown and initial test day.
To ensure no Team will be disadvantaged in the lead-up to the season, each car will be permitted to undertake a shakedown with no limit to kilometres driven on the day (previously limited to 60km).
Each car will also be permitted to hold its initial test day individually at the Team’s choosing.
Cars will not be required to test on the same day as others from the same Team, ensuring Teams can tailor individual testing programs based on the build times required for each car leading into the start of the Championship on March 10.
Supercars CEO Shane Howard explained the decision:
“This decision allows for flexibility and fairness for all 25 entries ahead of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship and has the support of Teams in pit lane.
“The move to Gen3 vehicles is the biggest change in the history of the sport for drivers, engineers and Teams.
“It was agreed that this format would allow each driver maximum time behind the wheel of their new Supercars prior to racing them for the first time, and would not give any Team an unfair advantage in the testing phase.
“Some Teams are already in a position where they would be able to conduct shakedown and testing as originally scheduled, while others are not due to several factors.
“Each Team has different business models and supply programs. It cannot be assumed every Team will have all the necessary componentry at the same time to cater for its entire squad.
“This new testing schedule ensures each Supercar and each driver can get the necessary track time they need prior to the first event of the Gen3 era from 10-12 March.
“Teams are supporting this move to a flexible testing program that ensures everyone has the ability to get on track and test the new Supercars sufficiently and equally prior to Newcastle.”
All 25 Supercars will join the official test day at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 22 as originally planned.
That Sydney test day will be open to the public with free attendance.
The first event of the Gen3 era will be the Thrifty Newcastle 500, held on the streets of NSW's second largest city, from 10-12 March.
Tickets are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.
