Supercars to conduct CoG testing after AGP
Supercars to conduct CoG testing after Melbourne SuperSprint
Latest CoG testing part of ongoing validation efforts
Melbourne SuperSprint scheduled for March 21-24 at Grand Prix
Supercars will conduct additional Centre of Gravity (CoG) testing following the Melbourne SuperSprint, as part of ongoing validation efforts.
Following a rigorous off-season testing program, highlighted by historic wind tunnel testing in the United States, the new-for-2024 aerodynamic package debuted at the Thrifty Bathurst 500.
Post 2023, and wind tunnel testing, a number of parts have been added or removed, as well as changes to Ford Mustang panels to make them lighter.
Two days of CoG testing have been arranged on March 25-26 following the Albert Park event, at the Dunlop factory in Melbourne.
Last year, Supercars also conducted CoG testing following the Melbourne SuperSprint, with the latest testing the use the same CoG rig for year-on-year consistency.
CoG is tested with a rig that allows each car to be tipped on its side, measuring the angle at which it will fall over. CoG — measured in millimetres — is later calculated from that reading. Last year, just 0.4 degrees was found to be separating the two cars.
This year, Supercars has already completed CoG calculations regarding parts added or changed, with the latest round of testing planned to validate the findings.
Five cars — one each from Dick Johnson Racing, Triple Eight Race Engineering, PremiAir Racing, Tickford Racing, and Brad Jones Racing — are set to test on the Monday after the Melbourne round.
A car each from Penrite Racing, Walkinshaw Andretti United, Erebus Motorsport, and Team 18, will test on the Tuesday.
It comes after Supercars used demonstration running at the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour to gain more engine data, with validation work also being undertaken in pre-season testing.
“CoG is another one of our parity pillars, and we will keep dotting the i's and crossing the t's,” Supercars General Manager of Motorsport, Tim Edwards, told Supercars.com.
“We’re always monitoring everything. We know a lot's changed on the cars over the last 12 months, particularly with the Mustang, where they've had to reduce the panel weights a little bit to fall in line with the Camaro.
“We've done theoretical calculations of it, but we want to do physical tests and put it to bed, and this is a great opportunity to do so with CoG."
The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will resume on the streets of Albert Park at the Melbourne SuperSprint on March 21-24.
