SUPERCARS is set to use a rolling start behind the Safety Car to get Race 4 underway this morning in response to the fire saga that has erupted in the past 48 hours.
The Ford Mustangs of Nick Percat and James Courtney burst into flames during the opening lap of the Friday and Saturday races at Albert Park respectively.
The start procedure decision follows an emergency meeting of the category’s Technical Working Group last night, which has also resulted in a raft of technical changes.
MORE: Supercars issues statement in wake of Gen3 fires
V8 Sleuth understands an issue has been identified with the Gen3 Fords which is magnified by the temperatures reached while on the grid for a stationary start.
Thus, a Safety Car start will offer something of an interim fix to ensure the category safely gets through the final race of the Melbourne SuperSprint beginning at 10:20am.
Per Rule D8.8 of the operations manual, the race will begin once the Safety Car leads the field away off the starting grid, with no formation lap to be completed.
That initial lap behind the Safety Car will be counted as Lap 1 before the field is released for Lap 2.
Broc Feeney has pole position for Race 4; he will share the front row with Will Brown.
Both are still in the hunt for the Larry Perkins Trophy, although their respective teammates Shane van Gisbergen and Brodie Kostecki are the favourites to take it out.
