Why Brown isn’t frightened by Triple Eight Ford switch

Will Brown isn't feeling overawed by a nearing switch to Ford, as the countdown continues to Triple Eight Race Engineering's first Supercars race back with the Blue Oval.

Brown and Broc Feeney will swap Camaros for Mustangs from 2026, with Red Bull Ampol Racing shifts to Ford in one of the most anticipated stories of the Supercars season.

Triple Eight began life as a Ford team back in 2003, and won three Bathurst 1000s and two drivers' championships before making a high profile move to Holden in 2010.

The team went to a new level with the General, winning more than 200 races and adding nine drivers' championships and seven Bathurst wins across the next 16 seasons.

While the likes of technical boss Jeromy Moore and veteran driver Craig Lowndes have moved on, with KRE Race Engines remaining with General Motors, the make-up of Triple Eight has remained the same amid the big change to Ford.

That, according to Brown, will have the team in good stead despite the unknowns that come with a car change.

“My honest opinion is, the way I look at it, we haven't lost any of our crew over the off-season,” Brown said on his Lucky Dogs podcast.

"We've got great guys, really good engineers, obviously good team and all the processes and procedures.

“Who knows, we might roll out and you have to tweak things and get used to the cars and all that. But I personally think that the team will get on top of it pretty quickly."

Aerodynamic parity was achieved across the Mustang, Camaro and new Toyota GR Supra in the off-season.

Brown has spent the last three seasons in Gen3 Camaros, and believes the change from 5.7 litre GM engine to 5.4 litre Ford engine will be his single biggest change.

"I think it's going to be very interesting to see the drivability of the engine,” said Brown, who is signed with Red Bull Ampol Racing through 2029.

“A few people have spoken about that it’s a bit different how we feel the power through our foot, how we use the throttle and all that sort of stuff.

“I think a little bit in the aero, it will be interesting to see if there's much of a difference there. Obviously for me, I changed teams but didn't change cars. This will be the first time I've actually really properly done that.

"But yeah, I think it'll be mainly engine related.”

The 2024 Supercars champion suggested the Finals format, which was introduced in 2025, could be beneficial to teams trying to balance development with fighting for a championship.

Under the format, the top 10 in points after the Bathurst 1000 will fight for the title across the final three rounds, and per Brown's comments, teams will have 10 rounds to get their ducks in a row before racing for a championship.

That includes Walkinshaw TWG Racing and and Brad Jones Racing, which will swap Mustangs and Camaros respectively for Supras.

"I personally think that the new format is gonna help a lot of teams this year with the amount of change that's happening over the off-season,” Brown said.

“Building so many cars and changing so much — even like us, we've got a lot of good processes and procedures, and we haven't lost people and all that sort of stuff for pit stop practice and everything like that.

"But going from GM to Ford, we've got do so much over the off-season, you've got a big build on. You're not just tweaking stuff and doing all that. You've got do a massive build, engine shop.

“That's the same for Walkinshaw, they're doing such a big build. They're probably not focused on all the small things.”