The structure of having a calculation based off in-race lap time data to trigger a parity review was abandoned after a 2023 season in which it was repeatedly in the spotlight.
The 2023/24 off-season included Supercars’ first trip to the Windshear wind tunnel in the United States and the appointment of Tim Edwards as the category’s motorsport boss.
Supercars has since relied on a plethora of monitoring tools to identify any specific areas that need adjustment.
A new ‘Technical Parity Regulations’ document has now been produced by Supercars and distributed to teams for feedback.
It emphasises an ongoing commitment to technical parity based around existing principles of strict regulations, aerodynamic and engine equalisation and control components.
The key change is the introduction of a highly complex trigger equation involving lap time data from a selection of the fastest cars of each model, equated to a 60-second lap.
To be run as a rolling six-race calculation, the system will determine whether an adjustment to any of the models will need to take place.
Supercars’ new plan comes as it prepares to introduce a third marque to the category, with the Toyota Supra to take on the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro from next year.
The three cars and associated homologation teams (HT) are currently at the Windshear wind tunnel undergoing aerodynamic parity evaluations.
“The last couple of years we’ve put a lot of different measurement tools on the cars, like torque sensors, etcetera,” Edwards told Speedcafe.
“We tried to go down the path where, if we can spot a difference in technical parity, then we address that.
“The best example of that was in Tasmania, we discovered we had a difference in how the cars reacted to temperature, so we came up with a tool to fix that and presented it to both HTs.
“The difficulty with that is, you sometimes need a trigger to force the action rather than us just constantly looking under every rug trying to find something.
“We’re working on what the review system will be for next year. We’ve developed what we think it should be, but it’s by no means done, it’s just gone out for consultation with all the teams.”
The current method resulted in an aerodynamic change to the Mustangs ahead of The Bend after a straightline speed deficit to the Camaro was discovered.
However, a report based on dyno testing that showed the Ford engine faced a deficit to the Chevrolet at altitude was unable to be acted upon at the Bathurst 1000.
That was due to the Teams Racing Charter requiring all teams to sign-off on a change once supplementary regulations have been issued (up from a 75 percent requirement in other circumstances).
Under the new system, Edwards must review the parity data after each event and, if the trigger point is activated, commence a process to correct the identified disparity.
The adjustment recommendation must be referred to the Commission for consultation, with approval then lying solely with the Supercars Board.
Crucially, the document states any recommended adjustment may only be implemented during a season if it is identified prior to the first endurance event.
Any parity trigger point after the first enduro can only be implemented between the end of the current season and the beginning of the next.
That’s particularly pertinent given Supercars’ new Finals Series system in which performance at the end of the campaign essentially dictates the champion.
It’s unclear whether wording in the TRC will also be updated to align with this proposal.
Dick Johnson Racing launched an unsuccessful protest at the Bathurst 1000 claiming Supercars breached its own regulations by denying Ford runners an adjustment.
Discussion about this post