Photo: BAM Media

V8 Supercars announces changes in 2009

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The V8 Supercar Championship Series plans to revolutionise the sport with major changes to a softer compound tyre option, abolishment of three-race sprint rounds and a return to a Top Ten Shootout as part of substantial and widespread format changes to be introduced in 2009.

V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane has announced the extensive format changes that will also involve the first use of an 85 per cent ethanol blended fuel from 2009 onwards.

“It is time for the sport to reinvent itself and spice up the on-track spectacle,” Mr Cochrane said.

“The Board and Team Owners fully agree that these sweeping changes are what is needed to take the sport to the next level by ensuring for everybody at the track and watching at home that it has plenty to offer.

“We have been fortunate over many years to have had such a great growth sport, now it’s time to really shake it up and put the pressure on ourselves to come up with an improved package for everybody.”

The introduction of the ethanol blend offers the opportunity to also add to the action by increasing the length of races which in turn will result in cars having to refuel at least once every event weekend.

In addition to the new tyre rules outlined today V8 Supercars Australia will be announcing additional new format changes at the final round of the 2008 Championship at Oran Park in Sydney.

At six events in 2009 teams will be allocated four softer compound tyres. These events are the two-race weekends at Winton, Symmons Plains in Tasmania, Hidden Valley in Darwin, Sandown Raceway, Queensland Raceway and Barbagallo Raceway in Perth.

Each of these events will consist of one 100km race on Saturday and one 200km race on Sunday – which will require pit stops for tyres and fuel.

At least four events in the season will consist of two 200km races with one on Saturday and one on Sunday. These include the Gulf Air Desert 400 in Bahrain, the Townsville 400, Hamilton 400 and the Indy 300.

All events will include a Top Ten Shootout following the current first two legs of qualifying. In all events the winner will be the driver/drivers that cross the finish line first in the Sunday leg.

There will be no compulsory pit stop windows at any events.