Holden’s switch to the yet-to-be-released VF Commodore will bring with it a major change to the look of the manufacturer’s V8 Supercar aerodynamic package next season.
Although not set to break cover until early February, Speedcafe.com can reveal that the car will sport an end-plate mounted rear wing package – moving away from the central-mounts that have distinguished the Holden models from their Ford counterparts in the class since 1995.
It is understood that the VF’s aero design is all-but locked in following recent testing against the Ford Falcon FG and Nissan Altima vehicles.
The VF V8 Supercar bodywork has been designed by Triple Eight Race Engineering’s technical director Ludo Lacroix in conjunction with the manufacturer and its official V8 Supercars homologation team, the Holden Racing Team.
Triple Eight has pointed to a downforce deficiency with the existing VE Commodores since making the switch from the Lacroix-designed FG Falcon at the start of 2010, seemingly explaining the direction the Frenchman has taken with the VF.
While giving little away on his latest charge, Holden’s motorsport manager, Simon McNamara, told Speedcafe.com that the new aero kit has been designed with function as its primary purpose.
“What it looks like is, to a point, irrelevant, because the aim is to build the best possible race car package that we can,” he said.
“We’re not here to muck around and make up the numbers – we will build and design a car that is capable of winning races.
“Whether that’s got a side-mounted, centre-mounted, or roof-mounted wing, I don’t know, but whatever the best thing is what we’ll do.
“I’m quite sure the car will look great too, but the most important thing is that it slides through the air like it needs to.”
Holden has informed its teams that they will not be able to begin testing with the new bodywork until early February, following the Detroit Auto Show launch of the Commodore-based Chevrolet SS road car built in Australia for the United States market.
The launch of the 2013 Chevrolet SS NASCAR Sprint Cup contender at the weekend has already provided an early preview to the VF.
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Triple Eight is expected to be the first to test a car in VF configuration at Queensland Raceway on February 6 and has now decided to suspend its Car of the Future track running until that date.
The Holden Racing Team and Garry Rogers Motorsport meanwhile, will complete one more test at Winton with their COTFs in VE form, sharing the circuit with Ford Performance Racing for its planned two-day hit-out on December 10-11.
The two factory teams will undertake what V8 Supercars hopes is the final gearbox cooler evaluation laps during the test, with the category having narrowed the potential solutions for the persistent overheating problem with the new Albins transaxle items down to just two configurations.
