Following a comprehensive investigation into the significant crash at the Bathurst 12 Hour race, substantial changes will be implemented on how marshals manage the Mount Panorama circuit. The incident, which occurred during February’s endurance event, saw Ralf Aron in a leading Mercedes collide with a stationary Porsche at Forrest’s Elbow, which had been stationary for over 30 seconds before the crash. This event prompted criticism towards race control for failing to deploy the safety car or a red flag in a timely manner.
Aron managed to exit his vehicle but suffered a broken back and was subsequently taken to Orange Hospital. In response to the concerns raised by Aron’s team and other drivers, Motorsport Australia initiated a review, the recommendations of which were discussed in a recent meeting of its Risk and Safety Committee.
Key changes include a new protocol for displaying double-yellow flags, ensuring that they are mirrored at marshal posts, thereby alerting drivers much earlier to incidents. Motorsport Australia’s CEO, Josh Blanksby, highlighted that this adjustment is aimed at enhancing safety by providing drivers with greater notice of potential hazards on the track.
These modifications will take immediate effect, with the upcoming Easter weekend Bathurst 6 Hour race being the first event to adopt these protocols. They will also be implemented for the October Bathurst 1000. The new flag protocols will require marshal posts prior to incident locations to display double-yellow flags, offering drivers several hundred metres of extra warning.
Additionally, all drivers will be mandated to complete an online refresher course prior to participating in the coming race weekend.
On a related note, Motorsport Australia is engaged in discussions with various industry stakeholders regarding the ongoing fuel crisis impacting lower tiers of motorsport. While Supercars uses a unique fuel blend not available in the general market and is not facing immediate supply issues, competitors in the Bathurst 6 Hour and other lower-level motorsport events rely on commercially sourced unleaded fuel. The rising fuel prices are expected to significantly affect the transport costs for competitors and volunteers alike as they travel to races across the country.
Overall, these changes represent a proactive approach to ensure greater safety for drivers and a response to lapses in race control decision-making during previous events.