Parity problems with Ford the main talking point leaving bathurst

Ford Mustang May Get Another Parity Change after Bathurst 1000 Incident

In what is becoming one of the more hotly debated Repco Bathurst 1000s in recent years, the Ford Mustang's performance has stirred controversy due to its aerodynamic setup. High-stakes disputes over these aerodynamic changes erupted on setup day and spilled over into the initial practice sessions.

Ford, alongside its racing teams, insisted that an adjustment to their aerodynamic setup was crucial to be competitive in the Great Race. With this in mind, they approached Mount Panorama with the specific parts they hoped to use. But, with no official parity review triggered, they were at the mercy of the Supercars Board's discretion and the unanimous consent of their Chevrolet competitors. Predictably, the Mustangs had to make do with their bodywork unchanged since the NTI Townsville 500.

That rumors in the paddock, has now learned that a trigger for a parity review was indeed activated during the Bathurst 1000. This means that Ford could legally advocate for another parity change.

Given the progression of the 161-lap race, this revelation doesn't come as a shock. Early on, the victory tussle appeared to be primarily between the full-time Triple Eight Race Engineering Camaros and the #99 Erebus Motorsport Camaro. While certain Mustangs, notably the #26 Grove Racing and #6 Tickford Racing vehicles, faced unrelated challenges, doubts linger regarding their capability to challenge Cars #88, #97, and #99.

The prevailing dominance of Triple Eight and Erebus at Bathurst prompts questions: Was this due to a technical imbalance or sheer racing skill? It's worth noting these two teams have clinched 20 out of 24 races this year, excluding the Triple Eight's disqualification from Race 1 over a technical oversight.

The same unnamed source highlighted data from the Top 10 Shootout. This data revealed that the Mustangs lagged by three to four kilometres per hour on both the Mountain Straight and Conrod Straight. Such sessions offer a pure gauge of relative vehicle performance, given the consistent conditions: new tyres, absence of traffic, and a format that leaves no room for strategic alterations.

If these claims are accurate, the debate over Ford Mustang's aerodynamic adjustments is set to reignite, affecting the dynamics of future Supercars races and the ongoing rivalry with Chevrolet.