Ballast change for Gen3 Camaros following CoG analysis

The Chevrolet Camaro Supercars will be forced to take more rear-end ballast following Gen3 centre of gravity analysis.

The Gen3 Technical Working Group met this afternoon, and Speedcafe understands that Chevrolet teams will be forced to add ballast above the fuel cell.

While finer details are apparently yet to be confirmed, the figure is thought to be 4.9kg.

There will be no change to total vehicle weight, which stands at 1335kg (including driver).

The Camaros were already carrying significant ballast around the engine bay to make up for the heft of the Coyote powerplant relative to that of the Chevrolet.

That includes a sizeable quantity of ballast above the shock towers, which would hardly be optimal for set-up, but was deemed necessary for parity reasons.

Those specifications were based on engine CoG measurement which was conducted late in pre-season, with full vehicle analysis conducted in the days following the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint, earlier this month.

As expected, the differences were slight, thought to be a discrepancy of just 0.4 degrees on the tilt test.

However, it has still been seen fit to somewhat hobble the Camaros, which have collectively been first to the chequered flag in all six races in the year to date.

The ballast shift is not the only change to the Gen3 Supercars ahead of their third ever race event, the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint next week.

Optical chassis strengthening measures have been allowed while both the Camaro and Mustang must have a longer catch can vent hose, allowing fuel/oil vapour to breathe out towards the rear of the car rather than into the engine bay.

The latter is, literally and metaphorically, an extension of the emergency changes made in response to the fires which occurred in the latter at Albert Park, and has facilitated the return of standing starts at Wanneroo, after Race 6 of the season at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix began from Safety Car conditions.

Practice in Perth takes place on Friday, April 28.

Update 20:10 AEST

A Supercars spokesperson has advised, “The Technical Working Group has recently conducted testing and measured a CoG difference of 2.3mm between the average of the Gen3 Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros.

“To address this difference, an adjustment of 4.97kg will be made on the bar just behind the fuel cell of the Chevrolet Camaro.

“This adjustment is in line with previous adjustments made in 2019, when 28kg was added to the roof of the Mustang.

“The adjustment to the Gen3 Camaro will be made in a lower and more rearward position, equal to 1.8kg if placed in the same position as in 2019.”