Engine reliability for the Blue Oval emerged as a sudden concern at last month\u2019s Ipswich Super440, where Matt Payne<\/a> suffered a notable failure that cost him the Repco Sprint Cup. Rylan Gray<\/a> also encountered an issue the day before, as did the #88 Red Bull Ampol Mustang at the post-event test.<\/p>\n Several Ford runners encountered engine overheating during the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, but that was suspected to be more to do with blocked radiators due to off-track excursions through mud.<\/p>\n The focus remains on the impact of overrevs on the timing chain<\/a> \u2013 firstly to encourage drivers to apply mechanical sympathy, and secondly to eventually push through a fix.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter those two incidents at QR, we recognised the core of the issue is overrevs, but can we make the engines stronger so that they can cop some overrevs? And we have got a plan in place to do that,\u201d Whincup told V8 Sleuth.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will take some time to put those parts in and validate them with (Supercars engine specialist) Craig Hasted.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if that would happen before Bathurst, Whincup replied: \u201cIt\u2019s still to be confirmed. It\u2019s all about availability, and then it\u2019s literally how much time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very, very unlikely it\u2019s going to happen before Bathurst because you want all 11 cars (i.e. the full allotment of Mustangs) exactly the same.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re never going to have enough time to do all 11 engines in the space of four weeks. It will probably be something that we look at down the track.\u201d<\/p>\n An engine matter that has been promised to be addressed pre-Bathurst is the category\u2019s completion of barometric pressure testing studies<\/a>.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789613659_331_2026-bathurst-program-2.jpg\"\/)
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Jamie Whincup. Pic: Mark Walker<\/p>\n