Drivers react to "handful" Gen3 Supercars

Davison was one of four drivers in action yesterday for the first of two days of testing at QR for the Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro prototypes.

He was joined by Zane Goddard in the Dick Johnson Racing-built Mustang, while Goddard, Shane van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney all cut laps in the Triple Eight-built Camaro.

This is the first proper test for the two prototypes, with the running late last year mostly geared at basic reliability ahead of the cars being publicly unveiled at Mount Panorama.

The cars have now been fitted with suspension upgrades, including anti-roll bars, as well as a number of other mechanical components.

Among them was what will eventually become the control oil tank, Supercars reporting that cameras were fitted to the engine bays of both cars to visually monitor oil surge.

While focus is yet to shift to outright performance of the cars, drivers were able to get a feel for the Gen3 platform and how it compares to the current hardware.

According to Davison the significant drop in downforce means the cars will be a "handful" to drive even if the lap speed is likely to be slower.

"Everyone keeps asking, is it better? Is it good? Is it bad? It's an impossible question," said Davison.

"[Supercars has] set a target of what they want to achieve with Gen3 and this is the product we have. It's different. It's a different animal, different sensations from anything I've experienced from 15 years in the [Supercars] game.

"The cars have evolved but the DNA is very much team specific and Supercars specific.

"So I would say, yeah, they're a grunty, rear-drive touring car. But in terms of the details, a very different car.

"I think that's exciting, it's good. Nothing translates to what we know from the past. How we drive the car will be different. How we set the car up will be different. And they are a handful. You're busy behind the wheel. But it's kind of exciting.

"We're going to have to manhandle these cars a lot. I think it's going to be a win for everyone. As a driver we want it faster. Is that the case? I don't know, probably not. But they are certainly going to be more exciting."

Former Matt Stone Racing driver Goddard, who is currently set to miss out on a spot on the 2022 grid, agreed that the new-spec cars are tricker to drive than the existing cars.

"It's a fair bit different," he said. "But it's got the same DNA as the Supercars we race now, which I think is really important.

"It's a spectacle watching Supercars race, cars bouncing off kerbs nose-to-tail. It's great for the punters to watch. The less downforce has made it a bit trickier for the driver, but that's another positive when it comes to the racing.

"We'll be able to race closer and you'll be seeing a lot more overtakes and a lot more people breathing down each other's throats. It's all the right direction."

Having driven both cars in his 'freelancer' role, Goddard said there is already little to split the Mustang and the Camaro.

"It was an awesome experience. It's pretty cool to see how close they already are," he said.

"There's still a little bit of work here and there, but it's a promising way to start."

Feeney, meanwhile, was well-placed to judge the upgrades, given he drove the Camaro in its 'Bathurst-spec', with more basic suspension, late last year.

"It definitely feels different," he said. "I drove it before it went to Bathurst and it was still pretty fresh out of the gate.

"You can feel the difference in the suspension and the anti-roll bars. It definitely makes it feel a bit more like a Supercar, it was very different at that first test. But it's getting more comfortable.

"Every time I drive it I understand how it works. It has very different characteristics to the cars we're usually driving. Shane and I were commenting on that earlier. It's about understanding how this car is going to get better."

Testing continues at QR today ahead of another two-day test next Monday and Tuesday.