Triple Eight driver Will Brown has questioned whether Chevrolet are suffering from a lack of ‘parity’ or simply don’t have the firepower to match it with their Supercars rivals. Officials have been forced to launch an investigation after a parity ‘trigger’ was reached last weekend in Taupo.
Supercars has rules in place to try and ensure that all teams are on a level playing field and have an equal chance to win races. Ford have won seven out of nine races so far this year, with Brodie Kostecki grabbing four and Broc Feeney three.
Will Brown (L) doesn’t want Chevrolet getting a ‘leg-up’ simply because their drivers aren’t as experienced. Image: Getty
Ryan Wood claimed Toyota’s first-ever win in Taupo, while Anton De Pasquale has Chevy’s lone win this season (in Sydney). Ford also have 22 podiums so far this year compared to four for Toyota and just one for Chevy.
In Taupo, Toyota and Chevrolet both triggered the new parity system that requires Supercars officials to investigate. The system uses data from in-race lap times across a rolling six-race period.
On Tuesday, Supercars released the findings of its investigation into the situation at Toyota and stated no changes need to made. Toyota triggered the parity review system before Wood’s victory.
As for Chevrolet, Supercars officials are still investigating. Part of Chevy’s problems is simply the fact that General Motors lost the Triple Eight team to Ford this year, meaning gun drivers Brown and Feeney are no longer racing for Chevrolet.
Anton De Pasquale has Chevrolet’s only win so far this Supercars season.
(Getty Images)Will Brown doesn’t want ‘leg-up’ for Chevrolet
And according to Brown, it would be a mistake if Supercars give Chevy a “leg-up” simply because they aren’t as strong compared to Ford and Toyota. Chevy have been forced to use more rookie drivers than their rivals, which would naturally lead to poorer performances.
“You can’t just give GM a leg-up because the teams or the drivers aren’t doing as good of a job right now,” Brown said on the ‘Lucky Dogs’ podcast. “Unfortunately, Erebus haven’t had the best run, MSR (Matt Stone Racing) haven’t. I’d say Team 18 have probably stepped up more than I thought this year, they’ve done a pretty good job, but then also PremiAir have two rookies as well.
“You’ve got two of the teams have got rookies pretty much in both cars, then MSR has a rookie and Jack (Le Brocq). I don’t know how you work that out on track performance.”