Supercars is set to review its fuel consumption data following the Tyrepower Tasmania Super440, with the three-compulsory-pit-stop format used at Symmons Plains potentially making appearances at other rounds on the calendar.
The category made a late decision to mandate three stops for the 84-lap Sunday feature race at Symmons Plains, alongside an increase in distance from the 78-lap format used in 2025. The change came after analysis showed the revised fuel blend, which now consists of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent bio-gasoline, was producing higher consumption rates than anticipated.
Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards confirmed that new fuel flow meters were run across all three car models at Tasmania to gather more detailed consumption data.
“We’re obviously always monitoring it; we pumped [fuel out of] a load of cars after the race as well, just to understand how much fuel people finish with,” said Edwards.
“We’re comfortable with where the fuel consumption is, but we’ll have some even more accurate data from the new sensors that we put in.”
Edwards also explained why mandating three stops rather than leaving it to teams was the right call at a circuit as fuel-hungry as Symmons Plains.
“If someone could do it on two and the rest were doing it on three, you might as well just hand them a trophy before the race,” he said.
The format may not be isolated to Tasmania. Speedcafe understands that Townsville, Perth and Ipswich could all require either a third compulsory stop or a reduction in the lap count to avoid the race becoming a fuel-economy run rather than a flat-out contest.
For Jayden Ojeda (#31) and Declan Fraser (#777), the additional pit stop cycle at Symmons Plains proved no barrier. Ojeda charged from outside the top 10 to finish sixth, his best solo result of the season, with the team’s fast pit stop execution a key factor in his recovery drive.
Source: Speedcafe