Cam Waters’ Mustang climbs the Mountain in 2024.
The category is understood to be plotting minor changes aimed at giving Ford a fighting chance against the Chevrolet Camaros at Mount Panorama.
Supercars has undertaken a parity review centred around on track data that shows the Mustang trailing the Camaro on straightline speed.
The process has resulted in the testing of aerodynamic and engine tweaks recently at Queensland Raceway and The Bend, as previously reported.
Discussions about potential changes to the Ford have taken place with representatives for the Blue Oval and GM this week, including during a meeting of all team owners on Tuesday.
GM is understood to have opposed the proposed changes amid disagreement over whether sign-off from both parties is required – an issue that stymied Ford’s hopes pre-Bathurst in 2023.
Supercars’ current operation manual states that a parity review can be triggered at any time by the category’s head of motorsport, Tim Edwards.
The results of that review are referred to the Board “following consultation with the Supercars Commission”.
The Board can then authorise the head of motorsport to “develop a parity adjustment program” to correct any identified disparity.
A variety of different aerodynamic tweaks to the Mustang have been tabled, as well as a possible shiftcut offset – a tool previously used by the category to equalise straightline speed.
While Supercars is yet to confirm any changes amid efforts to work collaboratively with both brands, a decision is expected imminently ahead of the September 12-14 Bend 500.
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Supercars CEO James Warburton has played a role in the renewed push for parity following his recent return to the top job, wanting to stamp out the issue before Bathurst.
“What I’ve said when I’ve come into the sport is that all the noise is detracting from the positive aspects of the sport,” Warburton told Speedcafe.
“My job is to make sure that anyone in any brand, in any team can walk through the gates at any race track and actually win the race.
“That’s been the focus with the motorsport department and obviously the team owner group since I’ve walked through the door.”
It’s understood Supercars has also committed to completing dyno testing focused on the impact of barometric pressure on the Ford and GM engines ahead of Bathurst.
That has been among the items pushed by Ford and its homologation team Dick Johnson Racing following uncompetitive runs at Mount Panorama for the Mustangs the last two years.
Supercars already made tweaks to the Ford engine following a study into the effects of temperature earlier this year.
The questions around the performance of the Ford have come despite huge investment from Supercars in wind tunnel and AVL dyno testing in the United States across 2023/24.
Supercars will return to both facilities following the current season as part of efforts to homologate the new-for-2026 Toyota Supra, which hit the track for the first time this week.