Supercars' "controversial graded penalties for driving offences are set to be dropped as part of a major overhaul of the judiciary for this season," according to Mark Fogarty of THE AGE. Recommendations to "streamline the judicial process and make decisions more consistent are being reviewed following several contentious rulings last year." The main controversy was "over the three-tier scale of penalties for driving infractions, which drivers and teams perceived as being applied unevenly." Under the "catch-all heading of careless driving," offenses are graded 1, 2 or 3 according to their severity, with Grade 3 being the most serious. On an ascending scale, drivers are penalized championship points or incur a time penalty, "depending on at what stage in a race the offence occurs." The system "came under scrutiny" after Jamie Whincup received a 15-second penalty for causing a late-race collision with Scott McLaughlin in last year's Bathurst 1000, costing the six-time V8 champion victory. It also "appeared to have cost former Bathurst 1000 co-winner Jason Bargwanna his job as Driving Standards Observer, advising the race stewards on driving offences." Supercars is "searching for another former Supercars driver to take over as DSO in what is likely to be a greatly diminished role." Although the extent of the changes has yet to be finalized, a "new system for judging driving offences and applying penalties will be in force by the season-opening March 3-5 Adelaide 500." It is expected that "a Formula 1-style system for reporting and investigating alleged driving offences instigated by the race director will be adopted" (THE AGE, 1/7).
