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A new safety car rule and rising rivalries set the stage for a tense Ruapuna debut.

Supercars officials have introduced a revised safety car procedure for this weekend's round at Ruapuna Raceway, with the tight pit lane forcing a temporary change to standard race operations.

The Christchurch circuit will host Supercars racing for the first time, becoming the fourth New Zealand venue on the calendar.

Across Friday to Sunday, drivers will contest three 120km races and one 200km event, with close-quarters racing expected on a narrow layout.

Due to space constraints in pit lane, teams will be unable to double-stack cars during pit stops.

As a result, incidents will trigger a two-lap full course yellow period before the safety car is deployed, allowing all cars a fair opportunity to pit without disadvantaging the second driver in each team.

Race Control retains discretion to deploy the safety car immediately in the case of a serious incident, consistent with recent precedent such as the crash involving Broc Feeney in Melbourne.

The standard procedure is expected to resume at the following round in Tasmania.

Drivers anticipate the revised rules will be tested. James Golding suggested the circuit's tight nature would create limited passing opportunities, increasing the likelihood of aggressive moves and potential incidents.

Tensions within the field add another layer of intrigue, particularly between Triple Eight Race Engineering and Walkinshaw Andretti United. Their rivalry intensified at Taupo, where Feeney and Chaz Mostert made repeated contact along the straight.

The relationship remains strained following last season's championship, won by Mostert after a late-race incident involving teammate Ryan Wood.

Triple Eight manager Mark Dutton criticised Feeney's actions in Taupo, while the driver maintained both competitors were racing hard.

Mostert indicated drivers were keeping track of such exchanges, and Mark Winterbottom has previously suggested the rivalry could escalate further during the season.

With a new circuit, altered procedures, and unresolved tensions, the Ruapuna round shapes as a potentially volatile addition to the Supercars calendar.