Supercars overhauls Gen3 testing plans

The series had outlined a rigid pre-season testing plan for its teams as they prepare to debut their new Gen3 cars.

That included a shakedown and a full test at Queensland Raceway for the Queensland teams on January 30 and February 9 and the same for the non-Queensland teams at Winton on February 1 and February 7.

However those plans have been scuppered by supply delays that have put car builds behind schedule across the board.

With teams already making their own bookings for later in February, the Supercars Commission met this week to discuss a revised testing plan.

It voted in favour of overhauling the testing plan, and some of the category's testing rules, entirely to help teams deal with the delays.

Teams will now not be bound to joint track bookings on pre-determined dates and will be able to hold their shakedown and test day whenever they like.

The 60-kilometre limit usually in place for new car shakedowns has also been scrapped to help boost pre-season running with the Gen3 hardware.

The official all-in test day at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 22 will go ahead as planned.

“This decision allows for flexibility and fairness for all 25 entries ahead of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship and has the support of teams in pitlane," explained Supercars CEO Shane Howard.

“The move to Gen3 vehicles is the biggest change in the history of the sport for drivers, engineers and teams.

“It was agreed that this format would allow each driver maximum time behind the wheel of their new Supercars prior to racing them for the first time, and would not give any team an unfair advantage in the testing phase.

“Some teams are already in a position where they would be able to conduct shakedown and testing as originally scheduled, while others are not due to several factors.

“Each team has different business models and supply programmes. It cannot be assumed every team will have all the necessary componentry at the same time to cater for its entire squad.

“This new testing schedule ensures each Supercar and each driver can get the necessary track time they need prior to the first event of the Gen3 era from 10-12 March [in Newcastle].

“Teams are supporting this move to a flexible testing programme that ensures everyone has the ability to get on track and test the new Supercars sufficiently and equally prior to Newcastle.”

As well as the supply issues teams are also waiting for the final homologation of the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang.

That process has been complicated by concerns over parity, particularly with aerodynamics, from Ford.

Further testing with the prototypes took place early this week with data currently being assessed ahead of a possible return to straightline testing.