Shane van Gisbergen says he’s happy Supercars is being proactive in resolving ergonomic issues in its Gen3 prototypes that were leaving drivers with numb legs.
The current configuration of the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang is such that the drivers were suffering pinching around their waist and cutting off blood circulation to their legs.
Supercars has confirmed it will make changes to the cars, which will see the position of the seat and brakes moved.
With the seat raised and the pedal box lowered, it will create a seating position more like the current Gen2 cars. In doing so, it will also increase visibility by raising the driver.
The issue hasn’t been limited to van Gisbergen, with several other test drivers suffering from numbing including his Red Bull Ampol Racing team-mate Broc Feeney.
Speaking with Speedcafe.com, van Gisbergen explained the issues he encountered in the four tests at Queensland Raceway to date.
“The first time I drove, it was way out,” said van Gisbergen.
“Just the angle, with the shorter roof or the dropped floor, your legs go up now to the pedal box.
“Obviously I’m one of the taller guys, so the seat is all the way back. The angle of my legs and body was 90 degrees. It just kept making my legs go numb.
“I think a few others struggled with it. I was actually fine the next time, it just makes things a little bit tight putting the seat up higher to fix that angle.
“I think they’ve got the pedals going further forward, so they’re adjusting the firewall; now you’ll be able to stretch out and get more reclined and more of a racing position.
“You’ll be closer to the roof, because of it, which is obviously not what they want for the centre of gravity here, but you need to be high so you can see over the windows because the vision when you’re in the ideal position you can’t see anything.
“But I hear the Mustang is the same; that you have to sit up higher so that you can see.”
Supercars abandoned plans to run the cars during pre-season testing at Winton Motor Raceway last month, instead opting to sideline the prototypes and make changes to them. They subsequently were also unable to perform demonstration runs at the Sydney Motorsport Park season-opener on the weekend just gone.
Those changes centre around the ergonomics and the addition of the manual sequential shifter, which replaced paddle shifters and automatic throttle blip.
Van Gisbergen said it’s encouraging that Supercars has taken driver feedback seriously.
“There’s been so many different drivers drive the car and they’ve all had similar comments,” he said.
“Not only me, even Broc, his legs have been going numb. Brodie [Kostecki], different shape again, he was struggling to fit.
“It’s just making a car that universally suits all different types of people, not just the little guys, but the bigger guys, the wider guys, they’re doing a lot of things to accommodate everyone.
“The best thing is, there are a few things I’ve been critical of, but they’re listening and trying things,” he added.
“A few other drivers are finding the same. Skaifey [Mark Skaife, Supercars and RACE board member] is really good, straight away the gear lever, straight away some other changes, I think it’s good.
“Even when I listen to Anton [De Pasquale] talk, what they’re saying to Supercars are similar comments. Brodie as well, they’re feeling similar things and wanting similar things.
“I think Supercars are responding in the right way. Straight away they’ve made changes to make us comfortable and then stick shift, other stuff too.”
Supercars has earmarked testing of the Gen3 prototypes to resume after the Tasmania SuperSprint at Symmons Plains International Raceway.
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