The braking process and set-up is more “finicky” in a Gen3 Supercar than in Gen2, according to Macauley Jones.
While left-foot brakers are having to get their heads around what the traits of the new-for-2023 electronic throttle mean for downshifting, braking is apparently more difficult in itself.
“It's definitely a lot more technical,” said Jones in the latest episode of the Brad Jones Racing Run Down podcast.
“We were sort of playing with the pedal position and the master cylinders and stuff, which affects the amount of pressure you put in the pedal and how it actually puts the pressure into the brake pads.
“With a smaller master cylinder, you can hit the pedal with, say, 50kg of force and you'll get 1000psi of pressure, but if you have a harder master cylinder, you might have 70kgs for 1000 psi.
“So, in Tasmania, I knew where I wanted to brake but the car didn't seem to want to pull up at that rate, and then you're forever trying to modulate the brake as well throughout the whole stop to maximise what the car is actually doing.”
A reduction in downforce was always expected to make braking more difficult, as it increases the propensity for locking because the car is less stable at any given moment.
However, that is not the only difference which the Pizza Hut Camaro pilot has identified.
“The whole system is a little bit different as well,” noted Jones.
“You've got less weight in the car [and] the brake package itself is actually different.
“So, before, we used to have a couple selections of brake pads. Now, it's been quite finicky actually getting the braking right, whether it's how hot you can get them, the temperature that they're running at…
“They've changed all the rules with blanking as well.”
BJR will be one of three teams testing at Winton tomorrow, with seven of its eight enduro drivers set to be in action, namely Andre Heimgartner/Dale Wood, Bryce Fullwood/Dean Fiore, Macauley Jones/Jordan Boys, and Jack Smith, while factory Porsche driver Jaxon Evans will be absent.
Tickford Racing will field all four of its Mustangs and Walkinshaw Andretti United both of its, while Matt Payne will use up a Rookie Test Day in the #19 Grove Racing Mustang, and Erebus Motorsport will roll out its #9 Camaro for a Driver Evaluation Day for Jay Hanson and Cooper Murray, with Will Brown likely to complete his maximum 10 laps for such activity.