Supercars scraps controversial Bathurst 1000 starting driver rule
In a move which will bring more tactics into play for the Great Race, the rule which dictated primary drivers must start the endurance races has been scratched.
The contentious rule was introduced in 2024 to make sure that the sport's biggest stars were behind the wheel for the opening to the marquee race of the season.
But the change was not widely welcomed among the teams, who felt it restricted their race strategy for the 1000km classic at Mount Panorama.
In a bid to shake-up the start to the endurance races this year, Supercars had initially weighed up a proposal where the top 10 cars would have to start with the driver who took part in the Saturday shootout, while the rest of the field from 11th onwards on the grid would be free to choose which starting driver they wanted.
But there will now be no restrictions on teams' choice of starting driver for the endurance season, which kicks off at the South Australian track from September 12-14.
Many teams had previously chosen to start with their co-drivers in a bid to get their minimum quota of laps completed early in the race before handing over to the primary driver.
The issue of co-drivers starting the race came under the spotlight following the 2022 edition of the Bathurst 1000 amid carnage in a chaotic start to the race.
But teams will now have the option to start either driver for this year's endurance races at Tailem Bend and Mount Panorama.
The rule stating 'primary drivers must start the race' has been deleted from the regulations for the Tailem Bend endurance race, which will go out to teams this week and it will also be removed from the Bathurst regulations.
The Enduro Cup will be the second leg of Supercars new-look three-part championship season, which will award its Sprint Cup winner at the Ipswich round this weekend.
Triple Eight young gun Broc Feeney leads the championship and Sprint Cup standings by 220 points ahead of his teammate Will Brown.
The championship leader at the end of this weekend's final sprint round in Ipswich will win the Sprint Cup and automatic entry to the inaugural Supercars finals, which start on the Gold Coast in late October. Motorsport
Australia's Oscar Piastri has finished a close runner-up to his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in the Hungarian Grand Prix after thrilling wheel-to-wheel combat. Motorsport
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris had topped every outing, but they had no answer when required to improve their pace in the final seconds of a close battle for pole at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
35 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Ray Thomas' tips and inside mail for racing at Canterbury on Wednesday
The Daily Telegraph's Ray Thomas previews racing at Canterbury on Wednesday where seven races are slated for decision on what is expected to be a heavy track. FIELDS AND FORM CANTERBURY ON WEDNESDAY Best Bet Race 5 No 3 Bat Out Of Hell Improving with racing this preparation, he races well on this track and can take full advantage of his favourable barrier. Next Best Race 6 No 3 Winston Hills A first-up specialist with a good record at Canterbury and with even luck in running he will be charging home. Value Irish import which made mistakes but still won well at his Australian debut. He should continue to improve with racing. Quaddie Race 4: 1,2,4,9 Race 5: 1,3,5 Race 6: 1,7,8,11 Race 7: 4,6,9,10 Jockey To Follow Tommy Berry has seven competitive rides including Starry Desert and Southern Heiress. Trainer To Follow The John O'Shea-Tom Charlton stable have a good representation in five races most notably Cross Tasman, Straand Beauty and Unusual Prospect. â– â– â– â– â– INSIDE MAIL - CANTERBURY Race 1: Burma Star can make a winning return to racing in an early season three-year-old race that has plenty of depth. Burma Star, raced by Godolphin, showed talent despite three winless starts last season and he has shaped promisingly in two recent barrier trials. He's drawn to get the run of the race from barrier three and James McDonald takes the ride. Barbarossa, also owned by Godolphin, had five starts without a win last season but mixed it in good company. Drawn awkwardly but handles wet tracks and is also trialling very well. Spice Prawn was unlucky not to win at Rosehill first-up and is an improving filly. Portofino faded under pressure at his debut but has been back to the trials where he caught the eye late. Bet: Box trifecta 5,8,11,13 Race 2: Starry Desert, an English-bred four-year-old, did plenty wrong at his Australian debut but still found a way to win his maiden at Newcastle. He will appreciate getting out to 1550m and I don't mind his wide draw as he needs galloping room. No knock on the lightly-raced but promising Cross Tasman except he is well found in betting at around $2.20. Delrico has improved with racing this preparation and the emerging Gallahop was strong late when breaking through over 1600m at Gosford. Bet: Starry Desert to win, saver on Gallahop at odds Race 3: Intriguing clash between promising filly Karinska and unbeaten topweight Infusion. I'm leaning to Karinska as she showed ability last season, scoring impressively on debut when she burst through late to win over 1200m here, then was unplaced in successive Group-class races during autumn. Karinska has had two soft trials to prepare for her turn but she's nice and sharp so expect her to be hitting the line strongly. Infusion raced on speed and won well on a heavy track when making her debut last month. She has drawn wide but has early pace and is likely to be in front of Karinska on the turn. Southern Heiress bolted in on debut over 900m at Newcastle and although this is obviously a tougher race she has upside. Maquisa hasn't had much luck in recent starts and has drawn wide again but she is bursting to win a race. Bet: Karinska to win Race 4: I'm with Stormland at each way odds. He won well on debut, beating the promising Grand Prairie, then was tested in the Kindergarten Stakes when down the track behind North England. He's resuming in midweek grade against older horses but his two barrier trials have been very good, barrier two is advantageous, Jason Collett rides and he's a good gamble at close to $7. Shalaa Gold would have been top pick with a better draw but if he gets any luck in running, he will be in the finish. The Enchanter has the inside barrier, gives himself every chance racing on speed, and he goes well on this track. Straand Beauty appreciated getting the blinkers last start and led throughout to win convincingly. He is going to be in this race for a long way again. Bet: Stormland each way, watch betting moves for Shalaa Gold Race 5: Bat Out Of Hell and No Drama both excel at Canterbury and they look hard to beat here. Bat Out Of Hell has had four runs back from a spell, he's improved every time and comes off a close third at Kensington over 1550m. He's had four starts over the Canterbury 1550m course and hasn't missed a top three finish including one win. Bat Out Of Hell will be stalking No Drama throughout and I expect he will be too strong late. No Drama likes to lead and dominate, handles wet tracks and is racing in very good form. Seven's is one to watch. Lightly-raced former French galloper who did enough at his debut Australian preparation earlier this year to suggest he has a future. He's trialling well and is drawn to advantage. Sting In The Tail is fitter for recent racing but might be looking for further now. Bet: Bat Out Of Hell to win, box trifecta 1,3,5 Race 6: Winston Hills is a smart sprinter resuming. He boasts a very good first-up record, goes well over this course and distance, handles rain-affected going, and can unleash a powerful finishing surge. Dimitrov's main claim to fame is that he once ran dual Group 1 winner Ceolwulf to a half length in a maiden nearly two years ago. Dimitrov was off the scene for 18 months but there was a lot to like about his game comeback effort at Kembla Grange. He's over the odds. Catahoula is drawn to get all the favours here and is ready to win. Similarly, Slinky is working her way back into form but is coming back slightly in trip again. Bet: Winston Hills to win, saver on Dimitrov at double figure odds Race 7: In a tough closer, The Years only has to run up to his strong Warwick Farm 1600m win last start to go close again. The Years finished his race off very strongly in heavy going last start so the step up to 1900m should not be an issue. Unusual Prospect has won twice from three attempts this time in and gets the blinkers here. Hard to beat. Hovland won with authority at Hawkesbury then raced without luck at Canterbury. He's worth another chance. Bright Red can mix her form but she's suited in midweek grade on rain-affected going
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Former Manly Sea Eagles prop Lloyd Perrett launches legal claim against NRL club
Former Manly prop Lloyd Perrett has launched legal proceedings against the club for an alleged "outlandish training regime" that ended his promising NRL career. At the crux of the legal claim is a 2017 summer training session that left Perrett unconscious and in hospital after he was allegedly deprived of water and fluids. Carter Capner Law director Peter Carter said Perrett's career had been cut short by the actions of Manly. AAP has seen the statement of claims lodged in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday. ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. It focuses on a compulsory pre-season training session at Narrabeen Sports Complex on November 6, 2017 in what Carter said were "very warm conditions". The session involved a warm-up of 20 minutes followed by two 2km time trials which Perrett completed in eight minutes and 23 seconds and 10 minutes and 23 seconds, respectively. Perrett completed one lap of a third 2km time trial before he "collapsed unconscious to the ground". The claim alleges Perrett was "not supplied with any water or other fluids during the training session". "During the third time trial Lloyd collapsed and his next memory was waking up in Mona Vale Hospital with a diagnosis of severe heat stroke," Carter said. "Despite the injury, Lloyd attempted a comeback, playing (13) games in the 2018 season and (three) in 2019. That was the last time he played NRL level. "Given he was a very successful player at such an early stage of his career with arguably many good years ahead of him, the potential damages are well into the millions of dollars." In the statement of claims, Perrett's lawyers said that Manly owed their client, who had fulfilled all of his contractual duties, a "non-delegable duty of care" but failed in that duty. Sixteen alleged breaches are then listed, which include exposing Perrett to "the risk of exertional heat stress" and placing him in "a position of peril" by depriving him of water and other fluids during the session. In a release issued by Carter Capner Law it states that the claim filed "seeks injury compensation mainly for the loss of income Lloyd could reasonably expected to have received during his promising career". Perrett was 24 when he played his last game. Perrett debuted for Canterbury in 2014 and notched 24 NRL games across three seasons. On December 9, 2016, Manly announced Perrett had signed a three-year deal with the club from 2017. Carter Capner Law said the deal was worth $500,000 per season. Perrett was a member of the Queensland emerging Origin squad in 2016 and 2017. He spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald last year about the long-term mental and physical impacts of the training incident. "I was comatose," Perrett said. "Six out of 10 people die in this situation. That's what the nurse told me when I was in hospital. "I became much more anxious (afterwards). I was even suicidal at points. "If it wasn't for my parents, I would have taken my own life. I considered myself to be worthless." AAP has reached out to Manly for comment. AAP
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Wallabies hooker David Porecki calls time on his career to ‘start a new chapter'
Wallabies hooker David Porecki has made the shock decision to retire from rugby. Porecki, 32, was part of Australia's squad for the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions, but was ruled out of last Saturday night's third clash in Sydney because of a cut heel. He also missed the Wallabies' 2024 campaign with an Achilles injury, but his retirement was seemingly unexpected as the national squad prepares to head to South Africa for two Rugby Championship games against the Springboks later this month. 'Rugby has given me so much to be thankful for and has been such a massive part of my life for so long but it feels like the right time for me to turn the page and start a new chapter,' said Porecki, who played in 21 Tests for the Wallabies. 'There's a lot of people who have supported me in my journey, and to them I'll be forever grateful. 'I'm especially looking forward to spending more time with my wife Shani and kids Luca, Charlie and Billie. 'I look forward to continuing to support the game away from the field in this next stage of my life.' Porecki also captained the Wallabies during the 2023 Rugby World Cup after Will Skelton was injured. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said Porecki was the 'ultimate professional and quiet achiever'. 'He doesn't say a lot, preferring to get on with the job and to lead by example, and he's done that really well for the time that I've known him,' Schmidt said. 'On behalf of everyone within the team we wish him and his family all the best in this next stage of their lives.' Sydney-born Porecki was proud to have represented both the Wallabies and the NSW Waratahs. 'To wear the Wallaby gold and Waratahs blue was a dream of mine as a boy growing up in Manly, and to be able to say I did both is something I'm incredibly proud of,' he said. Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said Porecki would be 'sadly missed'. 'I have worked closely with 'Porky' for a number of years and have huge respect for him, with what he brings on field with his qualities at set piece, physicality, and toughness,' McKellar said. 'He's never been the biggest hooker going around. He's always played well above his weight. 'Off field, he's a true family man and genuinely good bloke. He'll be sadly missed throughout the walls of the Waratahs … but I fully understand and respect his decision. 'We just wish him all the best.'
