Super TC2000 introduces joker laps

Argentina's Super TC2000 touring car series introduced rallycross-style joker laps for its latest round last weekend.

The San Martin circuit in Mendoza featured a shortcut that bypassed the final complex of corners and fed drivers back onto the start-finish straight. The joker section provided a time gain of around eight seconds, with each driver allowed to use it twice in the race between laps three and 23.

Ex-Formula 1 driver Norberto Fontana started the race from pole and used his two jokers late on to cross the finish line in first, but he was relegated to 12th by two 15-second penalties. On both his joker laps, Chevrolet driver Fontana crossed a yellow line marking the entrance to the joker section, similar to those used at pitlane entries. The victory therefore went to Renault driver Emiliano Spataro, who was won over by the concept.

"I enjoyed this kind of race very much," said Spataro. "We had no strategy prior to the start, we thought we'd just see how things turned out. To start with I thought this joker element would be boring, but this type of race allowed us different alternatives."

Fontana said he was unaware of the rule regarding the entrance to the shortcut.

"At the pre-race briefing I didn't hear anyone mention the fact of us not being able to step over the yellow line on the entry to the joker section of the lap," he said. "Yes, they mentioned the fact that we couldn't step over the yellow line on the exit which leads onto the main straight, something which I totally adhered to on both occasions. I consider I won this race."

It is expected that at least one Super TC2000 round in 2016 will feature a joker lap.

Originally on Autosport.com