The next steps for Gen3

Supercars edged ever closer to the start of the Gen3 era following last week’s VCAT (Vehicle Control Aerodynamic Testing) in Toowoomba.

There are now 115 days until the 2023 season-opener in Newcastle.

While there is one round remaining in 2022, teams are already working towards next season.

The next major — and final — steps are the builds of the cars before they are tested by teams.

Several teams have already constructed and even painted chassis.

Notably, Brad Jones Racing, Tickford Racing, Grove Racing, Dick Johnson Racing, Triple Eight, PremiAir Racing, Matt Stone Racing and Team 18 all have two chassis.

There are just four more chassis left to be built, with all having been delivered or due to be sent after Supercars having inspected and signed them off.

Erebus Motorsport took delivery — from their own in-house builder — of its first complete chassis prior to the October 28-30 Gold Coast round.

Data from last week’s VCAT will be reviewed by Supercars and CFD partner D2H Advanced Technologies.

The results will formally count towards the final specification of the cars, and will form the basis of the Vehicle Specification Document.

It will then be distributed to the non-homologation teams.

“The cars were close straight out the gate at VCAT,” Supercars Head of Motorsport Adrian Burgess told Supercars.com.

“Five days of running, and we completed a lot of running — around 1600km.

“It was a well-run test. The information coming off the cars was good, clear and clean.

“The adjustments that we made on the cars did exactly what they said in CFD.

“If we moved any one particular component, the results married up with what we’ve seen in CFD beforehand.

“So from that regard, it was an encouraging test.”

The two prototypes ran on Toowoomba’s 1.7-kilometre Wellcamp Airport taxi area last week.

The test saw downforce measured at various ride heights via an active suspension system, which was developed by D2H.

D2H representatives were on-site at Wellcamp with Supercars technical staff and representatives from both homologation teams.

“The old VCATs, pre-2020, were measured at one ride height, and to be fair, the process was outdated,” Burgess said.

“One rake, front and rear. All the parity was derived from that one set-up.

“Now we can run countless configurations and set-ups and measure the car throughout the full ride height range.

“It ensures that one car won’t spring to life in an obscure ride height post-VCAT.

“It now allows you have greater confidence of the areas that the cars will be running on track.

"Additionally, it allows us to build a full aero map of the ride height package and distribute that to all teams, and specifically those teams that wouldn’t generally have the budget and resource to build such information.

“So all the teams benefit now from a more robust process that has been improved significantly over the last few years.”

The two prototypes have been taken to circuits around Australia, with all current drivers having driven the cars.

After teams have built cars, teams will turn their attention to track testing of their own.

The tests will help teams and drivers acquaint themselves with their own cars before the March 10-12 Newcastle round.

No team will head into the new era running blind, considering the openness of the Gen3 process.

Each team has been represented at tests in a bid to ensure total fairness come Newcastle.

Test dates were confirmed on Tuesday, with running slated to begin in January.

“Testing is reliant on the homologation teams playing with a straight bat,” Burgess said.

“It’s about working together for the good of the sport.

“All year, they’ve put their differences aside to make two cars that are paritised.

“We’ve swept through all the different drivers from different teams, all the set-ups, all the run data, all the lap times, all the feedback.

“It’s all been disseminated through pit lane so every team gets a fair crack at it.

“Yes, the homologation teams have led the processes, but we’ve allowed engineers and mechanics from other teams to come to tests to help contribute to the running of the cars.

“When cars hit the track, it’ll come down to the drivers and engineers doing the best job on the day.

“At the end of the day, the guy who is last on the grid, will know he’s got the same opportunity and equipment as the guy on pole.

“There’s been a huge effort to be as transparent as possible, and I believe we’ve delivered on that.”