GRM arrives at ZB splitter solution for Adelaide

Garry Rogers Motorsport believes it has found a solution to the front splitter issues suffered by Holden teams in testing just days ahead of Supercars’ Adelaide 500 curtain raiser.

The Melbourne squad has been working to resolve excessive flexing of the new ZB Commodore splitter, which resulted in four failures of the part during last week’s Sydney Motorsport Park pre-season test.

GRM has been charged with the manufacture of the component for Victorian Holden teams, while the ZB Commodore homologation team Triple Eight and Tekno Autosports are running parts constructed by Lightning Composites in Queensland.

Compared to its VF predecessor, the new ZB Commodore splitter protrudes much further.

Issues were first reported by Brad Jones Racing when they encountered shaking of the splitter during a shakedown at Phillip Island, which prompted the team to take action strengthen the component.

All splitters were adapted prior to last Friday’s test but it failed to prevent breakages.

Both GRM cars and Scott Pye’s Walkinshaw Andretti United Commodore saw splitters fail, restricting test mileage for the teams in question.

GRM has since recalled all splitters issued to Victorian teams to undergo modifications prior to Adelaide.

The squad, alongside composite specialists and former engineers from aerospace giant Boeing, have worked to find a fix, which team director Barry Rogers hopes will be successful.

“From an engineering point of view and construction point of view, we construct the splitters to have a reasonable amount of flex,” Rogers told Speedcafe.com.

“The reason for that is, particularly at street races, so it can handle the kerbs and tyre barriers. If it’s too rigid they can break.

“For a street circuit we have just got to find ways of stiffening it but still having that reasonable amount of flex that will allow the car to handle the kerbs and tyre barriers.

“We have been hard at it and we believe we have come up with a solution.

“It is really just an adaption from what we did at Sydney Motorsport Park.

“We believe the solution is going to work but really until we get it on the track we don’t know.

“We have been making up the internal composite braces that go into the nose of those (of the part) and they will be submitted over the next few days (to teams). All of the parts have been made.”

Victorian Holden teams are expected to receive the revised splitters over the next few days.

Meanwhile, GRM is planning to continue the manufacture of front bars up until the Thursday prior to Adelaide.

A truck of spares will be sent from Melbourne overnight to arrive at the South Australian capital prior to opening practice on Friday.

The Adelaide 500 will take place from March 1-4.