news: PICTURES: Ford Mustang Supercar parity changes break cover

Ford Supercar parity changes — The gurney being glued onto the Blanchard Racing Team Mustang’s rear wing (Note: They gurney itself is the three millimetre face which protrudes upwards, with a larger face used to glue the piece onto the top of the wing plane). Picture: InSyde Media

The new aerodynamic package which the Ford Mustang Supercars will race with from this weekend’s NTI Townsville 500 have broken cover in pit lane.

The five Ford squads in the Repco Supercars Championship field are currently fitting new wing mounts and boot spoiler, and gluing a gurney flap onto the rear wing of each of their Mustangs, following a parity review.

As first reported by Speedcafe, the changes involve moving the wing down 25mm and forward 25mm, increasing the size of the boot spoiler, and adding a three-millimetre gurney, which will be offset by a reduction in maximum wing angle to five degrees from nine.

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The idea is to create a more efficient aerodynamic package which will preserve downforce at speed, maintaining parity with the Chevrolet Camaro in that regard, while preventing a significant loss of downforce under brakes.

Ford Mustang Supercar parity changes — A Walkinshaw Andretti United Mustang with new boot spoiler and wing mounts (gurney not glued on yet). Picture: InSyde Media

Previously, the steepness of the Mustang’s rear wing under pitch meant the air flowing underneath said wing was stalling, according to an informed paddock figure.

It has been claimed that the Mustangs were giving up 30kg of downforce under brakes, although that figure has been disputed from within the Chevrolet camp.

Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters and a Dick Johnson Racing driver have conducted race track validations as part of the parity review process, although the real test will be this weekend’s 250km races.

Practice 1 at the Reid Park Street Circuit starts tomorrow at 10:10 local time/AEST.