The first day of practice at the Bathurst 1000 has been marked by controversy following last-minute modifications to the Ford Mustangs, which have caused tensions between teams. Both Ford and Chevrolet teams showed strong performances on this initial day.
Just before the session, changes to the Mustangs’ engines were approved, prompting various reactions in the pits. The Supercars homologation system had warned that Ford engines could lose up to 12 horsepower at altitude, with a specification of around 630-640 horsepower.
In light of this situation, a decision was made to increase the air restrictor by 2 mm and modify the programming of the crankshaft valve control, with the aim of restoring the original conditions for the upcoming race on the Gold Coast at the end of October.
Meanwhile, the Chevrolet Camaro has undergone a parity adjustment, replacing a weight of 4.4 kg with one of 0.8 kg in the vehicle’s chassis, in an attempt to maintain fair competition between brands.
The reaction to the changes has been stark, with the team manager of Team 18, Adrian Burgess, expressing his disappointment over the late communication regarding the adjustments that had been discussed a year ago. Teams continue to disagree on the suitability of these modifications so close to race sessions.
Despite the controversies, on the track, driver Kai Allen from Grove Racing set the fastest time in the first session with a record of 2m05.8586s, closely followed by Lochie Dalton from Erebus Motorsport, who nearly matched the time in the second session.
Teams have primarily focused on accumulating miles and adjusting brake sections, although the Mount Panorama circuit presented less-than-ideal conditions, with a layout described by some drivers as dirty.
The Toyota teams, which presented their GR Supra in this competition, had a tough day, failing to break into the top positions during both practice sessions.
With two more practice sessions and a crucial qualifying session scheduled for Friday, attention will be high to see how teams adjust their strategies after today’s upheaval.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
