Supercars 2023: Gold Coast 500 scraps tyre bundles, bring in new technology after 2022 crash carnage

Controversial tyre bundles at the Surfers Paradise street circuit have been removed for the Gold Coast 500, and new technology introduced, after a 10 car pile up marred the 2022 race.

Controversial tyre bundles at the Surfers Paradise street circuit have been removed for the Gold Coast 500 this year as new technology is introduced to alert kerb-hopping drivers.

Kerbs and the positioning of tyre bundles came under the spotlight at the Gold Coast event last year when leading drivers raised concerns and the race on Sunday was marred by a massive crash.

There was carnage when James Golding bounced on the kerb, cannoned into a tyre bundle, slid sideways down the track and hit the concrete wall.

The aftermath of the massive pileup in last year’s Gold Coast race.

More than 10 cars were caught up in the early-race pileup and six had to retire.

The three tyre bundles at the beach chicane, where the accident occurred, have been removed and replaced by electronic kerb-hopping sensors, which are used elsewhere around the circuit.

Supercars said removing the tyre bundles would not affect the Gold Coast track licence.

The tyre bundle at the first chicane, turn one, will remain after it was moved back 50cm following consultation with the drivers’ group at the event last year.

Fresh technology will be introduced to immediately alert drivers if they have made kerb infringements and breached track limits on the Gold Coast. Picture: Getty Images.

New technology will also be introduced to alert drivers if they have made kerb infringements or breached track limits.

If a driver triggers a kerb-hopping sensor, their dash will light up, rather than the information being sent to the team and relayed back to the driver.

The information is then monitored to allow race control to enact a kerb-strike policy.

There are kerb sensors at turns two and four at the beach chicane, and from turns seven to 10.

The changes for this year’s race were made in consultation with Motorsport Australia and leading Supercars drivers who had raised concerns last year.

Drivers’ laps are deleted in practice and qualifying if they activate the electronic kerb sensors.

Erebus Motorsport’s Brodie Kostecki holds a 131-point lead over Triple Eight rival Shane van Gisbergen heading into the penultimate round of the Supercars championship.

Originally published as Supercars 2023: Gold Coast 500 scraps tyre bundles, bring in new technology after 2022 crash carnage