SUPERCARS teams will not have access to Dunlop’s new and improved wet tyre until the Thrifty Newcastle 500, V8 Sleuth has learnt.
The delayed shipment could spell trouble for tomorrow’s Sydney Motorsport Park test day, due to be attended by all teams, should weather forecasts come to fruition.
The Bureau of Meteorology is tipping anywhere between two and 20mm of rain for the Blacktown region tomorrow.
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Teams are ordinarily reluctant to test in the rain, but that approach is said to have been heightened by the ineffectiveness of the old wet tyres on the new Gen3 cars.
A softer compound wet tyre, reported to be far more effective, was rubberstamped last year following successful trials at Sandown in August and Bathurst in October.
A batch of that grooved rubber was due to arrive earlier this month but is still at sea.
It is considered a certainty, however, that the wets will be received in time for the Newcastle season-opener.
What that means for now is the weather may be more impactful than ever on tomorrow’s test, which is open to the public and will see Gen3 cars run with live timing for the first time.
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Although the testing tyre banks of teams is limited, mileage is ultra-important to gain knowledge of the all-new Mustangs and Camaros – and the SMP outing allows for lessons to be gained outside of designated test tracks.
Teams and fans alike will also get a first glimpse at a rough pecking order.
The test session begins at 8:30am AEDT tomorrow.
