Surfers kerb changes criticised

Will Power was able to get some practice laps in at Surfers Paradise today when he had a head-to-head battle with Max Wilson in a V8 Supercar Ford Falcon, as a promotion for common sponsor Wright Patton Shakespeare. The Champ Car ace told his team owner he was 'disappointed' with the lower kerbs.

Said Walker: "Will says some of the technical challenge has been taken away, because it's much easier to take the chicanes quickly. Tony Cotman [Champ Car's race director] felt he had to do something after last year's accidents with the tyres by the kerbs, but I think he's gone too far the other way.

"I'm not saying that people will get away with putting four wheels over the wrong side of the kerb, but I think they should have raised the kerbs so that if you did straightline it too much, you'd be punished by screwing up the car's underbody.

"The cars are now going through quicker, so if you do hit the wall, it's going to be a heavier impact, but if it's a lesser challenge for the driver in the first place, is that a good thing?

"The drivers were frustrated last year that if someone rubbed the tyre markers, it would move them, so they were chasing a moveable apex each time they came round!

"Obviously that's a problem and I appreciate that Tony is constantly looking for perfection. In fact, I'm glad he is. But is this the solution to the problem? I don't think so."