V8 Supercar Clipsal Preview

26 Feb, 2015

This weekend is the first round of the 2015 V8 Supercar Series at the always tough and unforgiving Adelaide Parklands Circuit. Known as the 'Clipsal 500', the V8 Supecars will have 2 x 125km races on Saturday followed by a gruelling 250km race on Sunday. Here is what you need to know while following 'Team CoolDrive' on Channel 10 and Foxtel this weekend.

This year marks the 17^th running of the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide and the 12^th time it will be staged as the opening round of the V8 Supercars Championship.
The first race of the Championship next Saturday is the 400^th for Dunlop as the control tyre supplier to the category, the weekend running on the harder compound.
Saturday’s first 125-kilometre sprint also holds important value for both our drivers. Nick Percat makes his 50^th Championship start in a V8 Supercar while Tim Blanchard makes a return to the Championship after previously competing full-time in 2013.
Despite having only one season under their belts, Blanchard and Percat have plenty of history around the streets of Adelaide – the pair both stood 1-2 on the podium together in the 2011 Development Series – Percat scoring pole and the round win, Blanchard finishing runner-up.

Drivers’ Quoteboard

Tim Blanchard – #3 Commodore:

“I’m really looking forward to Clipsal, it is my favourite event of the year and it is great to be racing back in the main game full-time.

“There is a lot to learn over the weekend, although I drove the car last year, there have been a lot of changes during the off-season.

“I’m really hoping to have a solid weekend and get the season off to a good start, and hit the ground running.”

Nick Percat – #222 Commodore:

“It’s my favourite event of the year, it has a huge atmosphere and it is really exciting to watch the whole city get behind it – it will also be great to have my 50^th race start in front of my home crowd

“It is the best street circuit we visit – turn one is super exciting because the car has a lot of attitude and you will generally get four wheels off the ground, and then once you hit turn four you’re at one of the toughest braking zones as it is very bumpy and very easy to make a mistake but also makes for a good passing opportunity.

“After last year, I have learnt a lot about the longer races and I am a lot more in tune with how hard I can push the car during the race how much I can take out of the tyres early in the stints.”

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