Drivers forecast Perth aggro as key rules return

Supercars' return to a traditional Super 440 format in Perth could throw the cat amongst the pigeons as drivers aim to shore up their championship positions.

The last two rounds in Darwin and Townsville have featured Friday sprints, which have broken up the traditional two-race Saturday into one-race Sunday format.

Not only do drivers qualify and race twice on the same day this weekend, but they will also use two different tyre compounds. Add to the mix, the return of the parc ferme rules, where teams are not permitted to change the car between the end of Saturday's second Boost Mobile Qualifying session and the first race of the day.

Just twice this season — Christchurch and Tasmania — has the traditional two-race Saturday format been used. On both occasions, both days produced two different winners.

Given Wanneroo offers few passing opportunities, drivers are forecasting a rise in aggression across the weekend.

When asked by Supercars.com if he expects more aggression in Perth, PremiAir Racing rookie Jayden Ojeda said: "Yeah, for sure. The parc fermé rules are coming back into play between the qualifying and the races, there’s always variables for teams.

“It's always putting the team and drivers under pressure, and you almost wait and see who makes a mistake, and what that mistake might be.

“That’s obviously good for the competitive aspect of our sport, but it for sure puts us under pressure come the Saturday."

Penrite Racing driver Kai Allen is a fan of the Super 440 format, even if it can sometimes produce ice cream headaches for drivers and engineers.

"It's interesting. I still don't really understand it. It's very confusing. Thank god I'm a driver, not an engineer," Allen laughed to Supercars.com.

"I do get that you've got to make a little bit of a sacrifice if you want to in qualifying for the first race on Saturday. Someone could go super aggressive with the set-up, try and get a pole position and hurt a little bit in the race. Or you can go the opposite, sacrifice with qualifying and have a better race car.

"It adds a lot of unknowns as well going into the first race in the Soft on Saturday. It's a much different tyre to the Super Soft, so you might be able to get away with a bit more of an aggressive set-up.

"It adds pressure, adds opportunity for mistakes as well. It's keeping everyone on their toes. As a driver, you've got to understand what package you've got underneath you.

"I think it's good we're going back to the two races, two different tyres on the same day, with the two qualifyings. It's absolutely hectic. It gives the fans a lot to look at as well."

Where drivers tackled dual 200km races following a 100km sprint in Darwin and Townsville, Perth will play host to dual 120km sprints — on two different tyre compounds — on Saturday, before Sunday's 200km refuelling race.

Team 18 driver Anton De Pasquale expects the tone to be set as early as Saturday, telling Supercars.com: "I guess Perth and Townsville are very different. You have more grip at Perth and Townsville you don't, so the deg's very different.

"Townsville has high deg, so opportunities arise a lot more frequently, and later in stints than it would maybe out at Perth. It's a lot harder to pass in Perth too. Fewer corners, fewer opportunities.

"But every year we go to different places and the racing's completely different. The mood shifts and everyone shifts with it. You never really know what to expect, hence the aggro into Turn 1. Generally that carries on for the next race. So, we'll see."

Supercars will hit the track for the first time for Practice 1 at 3:00pm AWST/5:00pm AEST on Friday.