Bold statement: The real story at Bathurst 12 Hour isn’t just who crosses the line first—it’s how teams are quietly reshaping their speed footing to keep parity across the lineup. And this is where it gets crucial: Supercars is running targeted test sessions to align straight-line performance among the Mustang, Camaro, and Supra while the field braces for the arrival of Toyota’s new contender.
At Mount Panorama, a trio of teams—Triple Eight with the Ford Mustang, Team 18 piloting the Chevrolet Camaro, and Walkinshaw TWG Racing behind the Toyota Supra—are scheduled for four 30-minute testing blocks across Friday and Saturday. The goal isn’t merely data collection for its own sake; it’s a focused effort to understand how each car behaves on the same stretch of track and under similar conditions, so the sport can maintain fair competition as new hardware enters the mix.
A central talking point from last year’s race was the Camaro’s ability to pull ahead on the Conrod Straight, prompting questions about whether that advantage came from engine performance, the effects of Bathurst’s barometric pressure, or aerodynamic factors. Tim Edwards, Supercars’ motorsport boss, described Bathurst as the perfect venue to quantify straight-line performance and ensure parity across the field.
“It's a great opportunity to come here and understand where they’re at with the straight line,” Edwards told Speedcafe. “There have been aero changes to the two established cars and we’ve got a new car, so rather than wait until the 1000-kilometre race, we took the opportunity to do some straight-line testing here and understand where the top speeds are of the car. That’s the main thing we’re here for.”
Triple Eight has been busy behind the scenes as part of Ford’s new homologation framework, including wind-tunnel work at Windshear last December and moving into the Ford engine supply role, taking over from Motorsport Powertrains. Edwards clarifies that the minor engine changes performed by Triple Eight—such as repositioning the throttle body and rerouting oil lines—do not alter the engine’s overall specification or performance ceiling.
“The spec of the engine is unchanged. Every performance part is the same,” he stated.
Looking ahead to Toyota’s involvement, Edwards expressed measured optimism about the newcomers, stressing that the research and development process is progressing well. “Engine and aero, from the tools we’ve got in the wind tunnel and the dyno, they’re very close,” he said. “Now we actually put them on track and see what the results are.”
Before Bathurst, the teams completed their preliminary checks. All three cars underwent a rolling-road chassis dyno evaluation at Matt Stone Racing last Sunday, with additional track time at Queensland Raceway on Monday. Edwards summarized the Monday session as a focus on engine deceleration:
- The procedure involved wide-open throttle up to 7,500 rpm, followed by a controlled throttle release to study how the engine decelerates. This deceleration characteristic serves as one of the parity parameters used to balance the field across different powertrains.
In short, Bathurst is serving as a critical calibration ground. The testing aims to level the playing field by comparing top-speed behavior and deceleration dynamics across the Mustang, Camaro, and Supra, all while Toyota’s new entry is being validated for championship readiness. The question now is how these parity-driven efforts will translate to real race conditions and whether any of the controversial factors from last year—engine behavior, atmospheric effects, or aero packages—will decisively shape the outcome this time around.
What do you think will be the decisive factor for parity: engine tuning, aerodynamic updates, or the new Toyota engine setup? Share your thoughts in the comments.
