Former Australian touring car star George Fury has given support for turbo-charged engines to be introduced for the new V8 Supercars regulations from 2017.
Australia’s premier category is currently working on a proposal which could see the championship fall more closely into the line with the rest of the world with championship chief executive James Warburton refusing to rule out a possible switch from V8 powerplants.
Last week DTM and Super GT agreed upon new joint regulations to be implemented from 2017 which would see the categories use 2 litre, four cylinder, turbo-charged engines.
Downsizing engines and moving away from normally aspirated configurations has been heavily pursued by global car makers for the best part of the last decade.
Fury, who is celebrating 30 years since he guided a turbo-charged Nissan Bluebird to pole at the 1984 Bathurst 1000, believes it is time V8 Supercars considered adopting turbo forced engines.
“It wouldn’t hurt,” said Fury.
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“It has to happen as turbo engines are the coming thing they are everywhere now.
“If V8s kind of change a bit and come down to turbo engines then thats what’s going to happen.”
Nissan Australia’s managing director Richard Emery revealed he is eagerly awaiting V8 Supercars white paper regarding future regulations.
The Japanese marque is familiar with using turbo engines having adopted units in its global motorsport program, notably with the twin-turbo V6 powered GTR GT3.
Emery admitted it is difficult to provide any feedback with regards to turbo engines without seeing the white paper, but is confident the category will find a pathway into the future.
“We will be reading carefully what the V8 Supercars white paper suggests for 2017 and there on as to whether it fits with our global motorsport program so we can see what fits with us,” said Emery.
“Of course there are turbo options available to us so we will wait and see.
“We are not lobbying V8s over this specifically. We watch with interest see what it says and then we will put our two dollars in when the time comes.
“I would like the manufacturers to have a little bit more of a voice in these things and I think V8 Supercars are aware of that.
“That is the challenge for the sport to find that middle ground that lives true to what makes V8 Supercars great and then linking that to what is the global position in motorsport.
“Its not an easy balance as long the sport considers all the stakeholders position on that there will be a way forward.”
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