The team is installing the engine in car #1 at Taupo Motorsport Park during Thursday setup activities, having been given dispensation to have extra crew undertake the work.
It’s the knock-on effect of an update to the cylinder head of all Toyota V8s following a failure for Andre Heimgartner’s Brad Jones Racing entry in the Sydney season opener.
Toyota engine supplier Walkinshaw TWG and Supercars rushed through the change ahead of Albert Park, where all five Supras raced in the updated spec.
That urgent process bypassed the usual requirement to run the engines on Supercars’ Brisbane dyno prior to sealing them.
Supercars instead tested them after Albert Park, with Mostert’s not making it back to Melbourne in time for sea freighting.
Walkinshaw TWG also flew three spares engines to New Zealand, where teams will tackle Taupo and Ruapuna on consecutive weekends.
There is great intrigue over how the Supras will perform in NZ, with some expecting the tight venues to suit the newcomers.
Mostert is wary of a major weather curveball that looms for later in the weekend, but is focused on making the most of practice to dial his car in.
“It looks like the weather could play a big part this weekend, we haven’t used the wet tyre much this year so there will be plenty for us to learn this weekend,” he said.
“We have back-to-back practice sessions on Friday, it’ll be important that we use our time wisely so that we can go out swinging for the two qualifying sessions on Saturday morning.”
Teammate Ryan Wood scored his maiden career podium on home soil in NZ last year and became Toyota’s first top three finisher last time out at Albert Park.
“Managing tyres this weekend will be key, the surface is really rough on our tyres so you’ve got to be really strategic on when we need to push or conserve,” he said.
Walkinshaw TWG is tackling the NZ double without team principal Carl Faux, who is on a family vacation following a hectic period bringing the Supra program together.
Despite his engineering qualifications, Faux is not deemed a member of Walkinshaw’s performance personnel and his duties at the track will be absorbed by CEO Bruce Stewart.
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