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Phillip Island test to be open to public

25 Jan 2019
February running a first proper look at Ford Mustang Supercar
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Supercars fans are invited to attend next month's pre-season test at Phillip Island.

Teams and drivers, including the Ford camp with the new Mustang, will hit the Victorian circuit on Thursday February 14.

That will be the only serious running most complete before the season-opening Superloop Adelaide 500 a fortnight later.

Fans can attend free of charge, including paddock access.

Entry is through the main gate from 8:45am AEDT, with the test starting at 9am and finishing at 5pm.

Phillip Island takes over hosting duties from Sydney Motorsport Park, the favoured venue in recent years.

It gives Queensland-based teams a rare chance to tackle the high-speed circuit outside a race meeting.

Victorian teams generally test at Winton, although Brad Jones Racing completed 60km shakedowns with its two new ZBs at Phillip Island last February.

Most eyes will be on the incoming Mustang, which replaces the Falcon FG X Scott McLaughlin took to the 2018 championship.

DJR Team Penske, which led the two-door's development, completed two days of running last November before the aero package was homologated – one at Queensland Raceway and the other at Phillip Island.

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It will also be a first proper look at long-time Tickford Racing driver Mark Winterbottom in Team 18's Holden, following his first 'tease' earlier this month.

The WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint will then be held on April 12-14.

Launch season coming

A flurry of 2019 liveries are expected to be revealed in the build-up to the Phillip Island test.

Most schemes are set to be unveiled in window between February 4 and the test 10 days later.

That includes Walkinshaw Andretti United, Team 18, 23Red Racing, Erebus Motorsport, DJR Team Penske and Tickford's Bottle-O and Supercheap Auto Mustangs.

All of the Mustang colours will follow a formal Ford Australia launch of the program.

Tickford's Monster Mustang and Garry Rogers Motorsport's Boost Mobile Commodores will run interim liveries at the test.

Those entries will be unveiled in Adelaide on Wednesday February 27, on the eve of the season opener.

The Red Bull Holden Racing Team revealed the year's first livery, above, during an event in Dalby, Queensland, on January 6.

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