Construction zone: New T8 Commodores on the way

Triple Eight Race Engineering has two new Holden Commodore VF V8 Supercars under construction as it prepares for the arrival of Shane van Gisbergen alongside Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes in 2016.

Chassis 888A-040 is close to completion, while 888A-041 is currently on the jig. Both cars will be finished and available this season, bringing the factory Holden squad's inventory of race cars to six.

But team owner Roland Dane told v8supercars.com.au there had been no decision made regarding when the new cars would be introduced to service or who would drive them.

"They will be available to race (this year), but whether we will or not is another matter," Dane said. "It will almost certainly depend on whether we have damage or not.

"In the normal course of events we probably wouldn't choose to run them."

Dane also said what cars each of the three drivers would start next year with hadn't been determined.

"We haven't decided whether we would have three new ones, or one new one, or no new ones or whatever.

"We just wanted to have the capability of having the cars there, to not have to interfere with our program as far as corporate stuff goes, with ride programs, which we are pretty busy with.

"We just want to give ourselves the flexibility."

The new cars are part of a multi-stage process for Triple Eight, which races as Red Bull Racing Australia, as it makes the expansion from two to three cars.

Apart from the car build, which began in February well before the signing of van Gisbergen had been announced, Triple Eight won the tender process for the ex-James Rosenberg Racing Entitlements Contract (REC) that will underpin its third entry.

The search for added personnel to fettle the third car is well underway, as is the additional finance to run it.

While there have been reports that van Gisbergen will replace Lowndes in Red Bull colours and the veteran will move into the second garage with different major sponsorship - most likely to share a boom with T8 customer team Tekno Autosport (for whom van Gisbergen currently drives) - Dane hinted an expanded three-car Red Bull lineup was an option.

"In the fullness of time we will reveal if the cars are the same or different," he said.

"There are elements (of 2016 funding) that are good and elements that are still a work in progress. We don't have every element locked away but that is normal for this time of year.

"We don't have every element of two cars locked away for next year. There is always a turnover, there is always contracts that are coming up for renewal - whether they are small ones or big ones.

"So as far as going to three cars, clearly we need more money and we are working on it right now."

Dane said the additional personnel required for the third car would be sourced internally and externally. A team manager will be appointed to look after the entry. Currently, the two-car Red Bull squad is managed by Mark Dutton.

"You can't expect one bloke to be completely across three or even four cars at the circuit, you have to sub-divide it somewhere," Dane explained.

"The third car has to be run, in effect, at semi arms-length in pitlane. Just from a practical point of view it will have to have its own team manager somewhere."

Dane said his own role at the circuit would not change because of the expansion.

"The cars - whichever garage they are in - are run at the circuit by their respective team managers. My involvement is really commercial and strategic - as it has been increasingly - and getting involved by being a pain in the arse in trying to give the benefit of experience some times."

Dane said securing the REC via the V8 Supercar bidding process had been "the most reliable way" to gain a third license. Triple Eight won out over several other bidders.

"I just wanted the surety of knowing the REC was there without any baggage and was ready to go when we needed it next year," Dane said.

Because he is a V8 Supercar board member, Dane disqualified himself on grounds of conflict of interest from any board discussion once the tender process was instigated. He also submitted a sealed bid well ahead of the deadline.

"I put that in about four or five days before the tender closed and left it with them," Dane said. "No-one can say I have reacted to anything else that has been put in, or I have seen one tender or another tender and put in mine."

Meanwhile Whincup and Lowndes will return to the track for Red Bull at the SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin SuperSprint on June 19-21, while van Gisbergen will debut a new T8-built Darrell Lea STIX Commodore. Fabian Coulthard will also debut his new Freightliner Racing Commodore built by Brad Jones Racing.