Chevrolet working on new Supercars engine map

After a recent change for Ford, the Chevrolet camp is now working a new engine map for its Gen3 Supercars, Speedcafe has learned.

Engine/powertrain performance has come sharply into focus in the ongoing parity debate during this, the first season of the Gen3 ruleset.

Camaros have been first to the chequered flag in all nine races which have been held so far, and qualified on pole position seven times.

However, it is understood that the change which Chevrolet supplier KRE Race Engines and homologation team Triple Eight Race Engineering is working on is not necessarily performance-enhancing.

Instead, one of the improvements which is being sought pertains to how the engine idles in pit lane, and another is potentially around gear changes.

It is thought, broadly speaking, that the initiative is similar to the changes which Ford was granted before the most recent event of the season, at Wanneroo Raceway.

It also squares with suggestions during pre-season that the Camaro’s LTR engine had a problematic idle, which might make launching out of a pit bay difficult.

The prototype Chevrolet Camaro is understood to have been run on a chassis dyno in recent days for the purpose of the exercise, just as a Ford Mustang was in order to implement the above referred to changes in Perth.

Whether or not the Chevrolet map is approved, or even presented for potential approval, remains to be seen.

There is thus no guarantee that it would be implemented in time for next week’s fourth event of the season at Symmons Plains.

One change which will affect both the Camaro and Ford Mustang at the Ned Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint is a new drop gear ratio for the Launceston venue.

Supercars stipulates a particular ratio at each track, which is identical for both makes of car, and is understood to have instructed teams to use the taller back-up option for Symmons Plains.

It is likely that the move is to prevent engines from a prolonged period on the rev limiter at the end of the circuit’s long back stretch, which sweeps to drivers’ right but is essentially a straight.

The new 1.042 ratio is already the standard at two other circuits which have a particularly long straight(s), namely Hidden Valley and Sandown.

Track action at Symmons Plains starts next Friday (May 19), with the Repco Supercars Championship field heading out for Practice 1 on Saturday at 09:00 local time/AEST.