THE updated aero package being run on the Gen3 Mustang Supercars has far from proven to be a silver bullet, according to several Ford teams and drivers.
In fact, some claim the changes may even have resulted in a step backwards follow today’s two half-hour sessions. Others say it might not be worse but certainly is no better.
MORE: Supercars makes parity changes for Townsville
There were just two Mustangs in the top 10 in Practice 1, a figure which rose ever so slightly to three in Practice 2.
The initial consensus appeared to be that those results stemmed from Ford squads re-learning their package and dialling out band-aid fixes they’d implemented to cover for previous deficiencies.
Cam Waters finished third in final practice but said it was too early to tell if a gain had actually been made.
“It’s been pretty evident that the Fords have been struggling under brakes and to the corner,” he said.
“A lot of our set-up traits, all the Fords would have been trying to tune that out of the cars.
“It’s awesome that Supercars found a few things wrong and it wasn’t us Ford drivers going crazy.
“It’s definitely a different package. We’re just kind of undoing a few things we were doing to mask our issues before.
DOWNLOAD THE NTI TOWNSVILLE 500 OFFICIAL PROGRAM BELOW:
“It wasn’t just bolt on some grip and away you go.”
However, privately there was plenty of frustration in the pitlane – including a decision to not move to a wider rear wing that had been tested last week.
There is particular concern around tyre degradation.
At one point, there was an extended discussion involving powerbrokers of Supercars, Tickford Racing and Walkinshaw Andretti United – namely Shane Howard, Adrian Burgess, Rod Nash, Tim Edwards, Ryan Walkinshaw and Bruce Stewart.
V8 Sleuth understands there will be no mid-event changes to the aero package.
Qualifying for Race 1 of the NTI Townsville 500 starts at 10:15am tomorrow.
