Preview: Sydney Olympic Park

With 14 down and one to go, it’s been a jam-packed calendar to date and before we know it, the Sydney 500 is just around the corner. Time flies when you’re having fun and this year seems to be moving faster than Dave after he’s had his morning coffee!

Who better to take us through the streets of Sydney Olympic Park, then the man himself…

What are the main characteristics of the Sydney street circuit?

DR: It’s a street track so it’s very rough and there are a lot of different surfaces, the kerbs are very big and the walls are very close, so you can’t make any mistakes. Turn 8 is one of the most challenging corners we have, it’s a second gear left-hander, there’s a big kerb on the inside and the road cambers away so the car never feels good through there no matter how many times you try. It’s a very difficult corner but also an important one because it sets up the run into the back straight and the braking zone into turn 9. That one is also very difficult because it has a lot of undulation under brakes, it’s very rough and bumpy, and you go from fifth gear down to first. It’s a very challenging lap.

How will these impact setup and strategy?

DR: I think our base set up on street circuits has been good; we were fast at Townsville and the Gold Coast and if we stick with the same style of set up I think we will be there or there abouts. We’ve built some extra parts that we’re trying on the Tuesday before the race, which if proven positive could be run and potentially give us a head start on next year.

Read more here: http://penriteracing.com.au/2016/11/preview-sydney-olympic-park/