Under the Gen3 ruleset, there is a single builder for the Ford Mustangs in the field, including WAU’s two, and one for the Chevrolet Camaros.
Herrod Performance Engines initially supplied the Ford teams before that programme was taken over in the last off-season by Dick Johnson Racing.
Brown would like WAU to have scope to run its own engine programme, though.
“We like doing engines, so I would like to see that relaxed,” he told Speedcafe.
“I mean, anything that’s cost-containment, I’m a fan of, in all formulas; IndyCar, Formula E, et cetera.
“This kind of financial fair play makes it a better sport on-track.
“But, if we can be relaxed in a way that doesn’t drive up costs and it becomes an engine war… That’s dangerous, but if that can be managed, then we’d like to do our engines.”
When Speedcafe suggested to Brown that might mean preparing to a blueprint which Supercars approves, he responded, “Correct.”
While that would mark a change from the current engine regime, under which units were assigned to cars by way of a pre-season lottery in 2023, it would be consistent with the fact that teams still have the freedom to manufacturer some of their own components to a spec.
Strictly speaking, WAU previously sourced engines from a different entity in the Gen2 days, although that entity was Walkinshaw Racing.
It supplied both WAU and Erebus Motorsport, when both fielded ZB Commodores, as well as providing support to Grove Racing, which remains a Ford squad and which inherited Kelly Racing’s engines for the latter years of the Gen2 era.
Walkinshaw Racing’s engine business continues, not only servicing the powerplants which are still used in the Dunlop Super2 Series, but also welcoming business from a diverse range of customers, including for road car applications.
The Ford Supercars powerplant is back in the spotlight because, notwithstanding upcoming centre of gravity testing, it is the last glaring parity question following the completion of off-season wind tunnel work.
DJR has worked on a suite of updates in order to improve the 5.4-litre Coyote-based engine’s moment of inertia, which appears to have borne fruit.
Broadly speaking, though, there is a view – at least from the Blue Oval camp – that there is still a slight disparity in acceleration.
If indeed that is the case, then it would become clear in transient dynamometer testing which is in the pipeline, once DJR firms up the spec of the engine.
Brown’s fellow WAU co-owner, Ryan Walkinshaw, commented at the conclusion of the Thrifty Bathurst 500 that the Mustang is “a hell of a lot closer” to the Camaro than it was last year, but also that “We do still know that there’s a little bit of work to do on the engines.”
Chaz Mostert is currently third in the championship having finished on the podium in both races at the February Mount Panorama event in the Clayton squad’s #25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang.
The 2024 Supercars Championship continues this coming weekend at Albert Park, where another Brown team in McLaren will also be on-track as part of Round 3 of the Formula 1 World Championship.
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