V8 Supercars - millimetre perfect
Scorching summer temperatures, a concrete lined street circuit, the infamous high-speed turn eight, a gruelling 500 kilometres of racing - and we are back V8 Supercar racing!
For 2015 we have new drivers, new teams, new sponsors, new look V8 Supercars - but one thing remains the same. Jamie Whincup has the exclusive #1 on the door. He is the six-time champion and the 24 guys who are his competition are more desperate than ever to tear him down from the top.
We kick off the 2015 season in style on the streets of Adelaide. It's one of the hardest weekends on the calendar, a real baptism of fire - one blink of an eye, a small wrong move, and it can all be over for a team and driver.
History tells us how difficult this race is. In the 16 appearances at the circuit no race has ever had a 100 per cent finishing rate.
We have seen drivers dragged out of cars with heat exhaustion in the past. Rick Kelly in 2002 was unable to complete the weekend after being forced to retire from race one.
In 2014 alone we saw 11 DNFs (did not finish) across the weekend.
But this is why drivers rate winning this event as one of the highest achievements in the sport. They say it is one of the most challenging weekends of the year. They come to this race fresh from time out of the car, with so much hype and expectation, one of the most difficult circuits in the most difficult conditions to set up their championship assault.
The SuperStreet format means two 125km races Saturday and the traditional 250km race on Sunday all on hard tyres.
The track itself is 3.22km of constant variation in surface, which we always see in a street circuit when it's a mixture of road, painted lines, kerbs, potholes and the like.
The first high speed chicane is always exciting at the start, or on any restart. The funnel effect often sucks cars in and they will set off the kerb sensor if too aggressive - the fourth time will earn them a pit lane penalty.
The cars need to cope with the brutality of smashing the kerbs throughout the circuit without upsetting the overall balance, which is always a compromise.
One of the most exciting and greatest talking points of the track is, of course, turn eight. We have seen this turn ugly numerous times.
Millimetre perfection lap after lap, in what is essentially a sauna, is what is required at 255km/h. Too late it's the concrete, too early it's the inside kerb and then the concrete. I was lucky enough to go for a hot lap a couple of years ago - I can tell you from experience that concrete fronts up FAST!
It is the Clipsal 500 but it could almost be renamed the Whincup 500 because he has basically dominated around this place in recent times. How are these for some pretty sweet numbers:
- Four Clipsal 500 event wins - more than any other driver- Five pole positions - more than any other driver- Eight race wins - another record- Has not qualified outside the top 10 since 2006- A 100 per cent finishing record.
I could go on but I would run out of room!
Whincup heads into 2015 looking to earn five Championships in a row and take number seven - and with his record around this place, his 24 competitors certainly have their work cut out for them.
However - I don't think Whincup will have it completely all his way this year. We know Shane van Gisbergen loves a street circuit and last year's Championship runner-up will be looking to start this season with a bang. We also know the Volvo-factory backed kiwi has said nothing less then a Championship is good enough in 2015 and after a life-changing 2014 Scott McLaughlin will be out to take it to the Holden boys.
We also can't discount the new FG X Falcons. PRA have the aero they were asking for and expectations are high from the Pepsi Max Crew to topple their next-door neighbours.
This year will be bigger than ever before - you will literally be able to see the inner workings of a V8 Supercar and the teams in a brand new era for the sport.
Riana's Wrap
- Whincup almost certain for champagne
- Van Gisbergen will be a challenger
- HRT will feature in the top five
- Winterbottom has the weight of the blue-blooded fans on his shoulders to find form again.
