2021 Tasmania SuperSprint – Start time, how to watch, channel & more
The 2021 Supercars season continues this weekend with the Tasmania SuperSprint at Symmons Plains.
The compact circuit in Tasmania's north will host three sprint races across the weekend, each set to be run over 44 laps and feature a mandatory stop for tyres.
The three races will be worth 105 points each with the fastest lap bonus, with a total of 315 on off as rivals look to eat into Shane van Gisbergen's healthy 150-point series lead.
The bad news is that Symmons Plains is a very happy hunting ground for van Gisbergen's Triple Eight team, which has won 11 of the last 14 races on the Apple Isle.
That makes van Gisbergen and overwhelming favourite to extend a winning streak that covers six races going back to the 2020 Bathurst 1000.
Should the Kiwi win Saturday's opener at Symmons he'll become just the third driver to win seven races in a row along with T8 teammates Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes.
One wildcard this weekend is qualifying, with the convoluted split-field system to make its first appearance of the season.
For Saturday's race the grid will be determined by a three-part format, the field split by garage order – effectively one car per team – for two Q1 sessions. The bottom four from each will make up the last eight places on the grid, while the rest progress to Q2. The Top 10 from Q2 will progress to Q3 to fight it out for pole.
On Sunday the same grouping will apply to split the field, with the grids for each race determined by a single eight-minute session per group.
That opens the door for weather or track conditions to play a role should they change between the two groups.
When is the Supercars Tasmania SuperSprint?
The Tasmania SuperSprint will run to a compact two-day schedule, with the first of two half-hour practice sessions kicking off at 9:20am AEST.
The three-part qualifying session will then start at 1:25pm AEST and the first race at 4:25pm AEST.
It's then a rapid-fire format for Sunday, with the two back-to-back split qualifying sessions starting at 10:450am AEST. There are then races at 1:35pm AEST and 4:25pm AEST.
Saturday April 17
- 09:20-09:50 Supercars – Practice 1
- 11:25-11:55 Supercars – Practice 2
- 13:25-13:30 Supercars – Qualifying 1 Group A
- 13:35-13:40 Supercars – Qualifying 1 Group B
- 13:45-13:55 Supercars – Qualifying 2
- 14:00-14:10 Supercars – Qualifying 3
- 16:25-17:25 Supercars – Race 1
Sunday April 18
- 10:45-10:53 Supercars – Qualifying Group A (Race 2)
- 10:58-11:06 Supercars – Qualifying Group B (Race 2)
- 11:15-11:20 Supercars – Qualifying Group A (Race 3)
- 11:25-11:30 Supercars – Qualifying Group B (Race 3)
- 13:35-14:35 Supercars – Race 2
- 16:25-17:25 Supercars – Race 3
How can I watch the Supercars Tasmania SuperSprint?
- Channel: Fox Sports 506
Fox Sports will have live coverage of both days of the Tasmania SuperSprint starting at 9:00am AEST on Saturday and 9:45am AEST on Sunday.
Can I stream the Supercars Tasmania SuperSprint?
The Supercars Tasmania SuperSprint can be live streamed via subscription streaming services Foxtel Go and Kayo.
Viewers outside of Australia and New Zealand can watch via Supercars' own SuperView service.
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