CoG clarity expected after Gen3 working group meeting

Supercars’ Gen3 Technical Working Group (TWG) will meet today, when centre of gravity is likely to be on the agenda.

Centre of gravity (CoG) has become the latest front in the parity wrangle which has been ongoing since last year, after ructions over aerodynamics and engines/powertrains.

In the days following the most recent event of the season, the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint, a sample of cars were sent to Tickford Racing’s Campbellfield workshop in the city’s north for CoG testing.

Supercars is yet to confirm results from that testing, although it is thought that the discrepancies which were discovered were slight, specifically a 0.4-degree difference in the tilt test, which is less than 20 percent of that detected when the Gen2 Ford Mustang and ZB Commodore were measured in 2019.

That there is little, in practice, to separate the Gen3 Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro on CoG would stand to reason considering the vehicles are mostly identical under the skin.

There is, of course, one crucial area of divergence, with the former’s double overhead cam engine being far larger and heavier than the latter’s pushrod unit.

As such, engine CoG testing was conducted during pre-season and the Camaro subsequently had significant ballast added to its front end, even in a relatively high location, above the shock towers.

According to comment from Supercars in recent days, the full-vehicle CoG testing which occurred at Tickford showed the cars to be “very close.”

However, a championship spokesperson also advised that “A more in-depth analysis and study involving different car configurations is underway.”

It is thought unlikely that there will be any changes to CoG specifications, but it apparently remains an open question.

The outcomes from this afternoon’s TWG meeting are therefore eagerly anticipated, as the third event of the Repco Supercars Championship looms in the not-too-distant horizon.

While on-track activity at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint does begin until Friday week (April 28), the length of the journey from the east coast to Wanneroo Raceway means that teams will be packing trucks this Friday and dispatching them on Saturday.

It thus stands to reason that if CoG changes are deemed necessary prior to action on the other side of the Nullarbor, they should be decided upon today.

Already, in the weeks since racing at Albert Park, teams have been making modifications to prevent a repeat of the fires which took hold in two Mustangs at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix event, while optional changes to address chassis strength have also been granted.

It has also been confirmed that standing starts will return for Races 7, 8, and 9 of the season at Wanneroo, after a Safety Car start was implemented as part of the emergency response to the aforementioned fires for Race 6.

Chevrolet outfit Erebus Motorsport leads both the teams’ and drivers’ championships, the latter courtesy of Brodie Kostecki, after he won two races at Albert Park.