THE SpeedSeries has undergone a key race format change ahead of Round 3 of the 2024 season at Phillip Island.
Starting this weekend, all SpeedSeries races will run purely to allocated time with no lap count set.
Previously a lap count and a cut-off time had both been prescribed, with the finish to occur after whichever came first.
However, the tightness of the time windows – largely to accomodate TV – meant some races were going time-certain even without significant delays.
Motorsport Australia general manager of events, Adrian Coppin, explained that the change will improve the viewing experience for fans.
“It’s something we’ve been discussing for a while and obviously various regulations give us the ability to record it with laps or time,” Coppin explained to V8 Sleuth.
“We just think it’s a lot simpler for the viewer at home to understand.
“If we were to display a number of laps and had a full green race, for example, that came in under time, it could be confusing that it’s finished with laps still to go.
“We just feel it’s a nicer approach for the viewer at home.”
As is usually the case for timed races, all SpeedSeries race durations are listed as ‘plus one lap’, meaning a full lap is completed once the time has elapsed.
Coppin emphasised that this move was in the works prior to the TCR controversy in Tasmania, where the opening race was belatedly discounted due to insufficient laps having been completed.
“We were actually communicating with some of the teams before Symmons Plains that this is what we were thinking,” added Coppin.
“It’s just very coincidental that what happened at Symmons Plains eventuated.”
Repco Supercars Championship organisers announced it would move to timed races at three events this year, only to abandon the plan on the eve of the season.
Timed races were introduced to the Dunlop Super2 Series last year following a spate of races that went time certain due to incidents.
Motorsport Australia conducted time-only support races at the recent Bathurst 6 Hour ahead of the adoption of the format for the SpeedSeries.
Categories in action at Phillip Island are TCR Australia, Trans Am, GT World Challenge, GT4 Australia, Radical Cup and Porsche Sprint Challenge.
