Supercars has confirmed a parity review will be held following a review of data from the Bathurst 1000.
A championship spokesperson has advised:
“Supercars can confirm that, in accordance with the rules of the Parity Review System, adjustment considerations have now commenced.
“The Head of Motorsport (HoM) has provided the Supercars Commission with an update following a comprehensive review of the data collected during the Repco Bathurst 1000.
“As outlined in the Parity Review System Terms of Reference, the HoM in conjunction with the Ford Homologation Team, is mandated to present recommendations, including relevant adjustments to the Vehicle Specification Documents and the Rules, to the Commission for implementation.
“The changes once approved, can be implemented prior to the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.”
Supercars statement squares with the fact, as first reported by Speedcafe, that the parity trigger point was hit again during the Great Race.
Ford teams had arrived at Mount Panorama armed with new aerodynamic parts but, after vigorous lobbying on both sides of the brand divide, were unsuccessful in their bid for approval to have them fitted.
In a statement from Supercars in the hours before opening practice for the Bathurst 1000, that refusal was attributed to lack of sufficient parity triggers at that point in time, and lack of unanimous consent from teams.
The Mustangs thus raced with the bodywork which they have sported since the NTI Townsville 500, the event immediately after the first official parity review undertaken thus far in 2023.
Consistent with the pessimism expressed by Ford competitors, Camaros came to dominate Sunday’s race, although the three cars which seriously fought for victory came from just two of the six teams on the Chevrolet side of the brand divide.
Even before lights out for that 161-lapper, senior figures from Ford Australia and most of the Blue Oval teams held a lengthy paddock meeting after Erebus Motorsport’s Brodie Kostecki prevailed in the Top 10 Shootout by a hefty margin.
Post-race, Ford Australia CEO Andrew Birkic was hardly unequivocal about the marque’s commitment to Supercars, in contrast to his stance following the Sandown 500.
It is understood that the changes which Ford homologation team Dick Johnson Racing had proposed were to the cheeks of the Mustang’s front bar and rear wing, in a bit to shift the downforce balance rearward.
With teams having already made those parts, the parity review which will now unfold could be as simple as rubberstamping the proposal.
It has already undergone some level of race track validation given DJR’s Will Davison drove a Mustang with the package in question at Queensland Raceway in the week prior to arrival at Mount Panorama.
The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, the penultimate event of the 2023 Supercars Championship season, takes place on October 27-29.
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