The first Triple Eight Mustang. Image: Supplied
After lean rounds in Darwin and Townsville, the Red Bull Ampol squad surged back into front-running contention across the Perth round last weekend.
However, as familiar as it was seeing Broc Feeney qualifying and racing at the front again, there was a less welcome familiarity on the other side of the garage.
Qualifying pace has regularly been an issue for Brown across the past two seasons and was a consistent issue in Perth.
He didn’t qualify in the top 10 for any of the three races, the lowlight being a 19th grid slot for Sunday’s finale while Feeney scored pole.
The team has now taken action on the slump, shifting Brown to its spare chassis – the unraced 888A-070 – ahead of the Ipswich event later this month.
“Will is one of the best drivers in the Supercars paddock, the 2024 series champion, and the #888 car’s most recent results don’t reflect how fast he is or how well we know he can race,” said team boss Jamie Whincup.
‘We’re throwing the kitchen sink at it. Whatever it takes to getting the #888 where it needs to be ready to race at the front of the field.
“We’ll leave no stone unturned.
“The chassis test is just one element of a significant learning program we’re executing as part of our change to the Ford Mustang platform in 2026.
“The team and everyone in this building are 1000 percent behind Will and his crew.”
Chassis 888A-070 was the first Mustang completed by Triple Eight last year and dispatched to the United States for use during off-season wind tunnel testing.
It was then shaken down by Whincup at Queensland Raceway in late February and driven by Daniel Ricciardo at Calder Park in the lead-up to the Australian Grand Prix.
Brown currently sits seventh in the Supercars standings.