Formula One star Jenson Button has voiced his concerns about V8 Supercars’ controversial new restart rules, saying they create “unnecessary danger” in an already action-packed category.

The 2009 F1 world champion wade into the debate after watching a replay of Sunday’s dramatic season-opening Clipsal 500 race in Adelaide, in which Holden veteran Jason Bright crashed out in a spectacular multi-car incident.

Bright blamed the accident on the new safety car restart system, which forces the race leader to stay under 60km/h before hitting top speed in an allocated `acceleration zone’.

Shane van Gisbergen and Rick Kelly were in front of the pack at the restart but later copped a drive-through penalty for speeding.

Button, heading Down Under for next week’s Australian Grand Prix, congratulated eventual race winner James Courtney but questioned the revised regulations.

“Think the racing in @v8supercars is some of the best but the restart rules need a little bit of work! unnecessary danger & unfair penalties,” he posted on Twitter.

“I think the lead car at a restart in @v8supercars should be able to control the speed from the entry to the last corner …

“You don’t need to anymore action to a category that is packed full of it.”

The McLaren star’s tweets prompted several responses from fans, drivers and even V8 Supercars general manager of motorsport Damian White – who admitted the rules weren’t perfect.

“@JensonButton @v8supercars agree need a tune up – but noting the rules don’t say go through T1 3 wide. Happy to hear recommendations,” White wrote.

White went on to defend the V8 Supercar Commission’s decision to introduce the acceleration zones, a moved based on fan feedback.

“Ultimately we are in the business of delivering high-octane entertainment – great racing and close competition,” he wrote on the V8 Supercars website.

“That said, we also have a responsibility to acknowledge the safety aspect and at the same time ensuring the competition rewards the best performers.

“We remain confident the safety car restart rules provide the opportunity to deliver on all the criteria; however it does require a tune-up so that we don’t see major impacts like we saw in Adelaide.”

While White said he would never discount the views of someone like Button or Erebus Motorsport’s Ross Stone, who labelled the new rules “a joke”, he suggested some of the criticism should be lobbed at drivers who “expose their cars in a poorly calculated risk versus reward equation.”

“The rules do not solely make the decisions for the drivers; the drivers have to take advantage of the rules, but they also have responsibilities.”