Legendary driver open to Bathurst 1000 return

2 years ago 140

Two-time Bathurst 1000 victor and 2005 Supercars champion Russell Ingall hasn't ruled retired different tilt astatine the Great Race arsenic the class moves into a caller method epoch adjacent season.

Ingall - who won the 1995 and 1997 editions of the contention with Larry Perkins arsenic good arsenic the Championship successful 2005 - said helium is successful discussions to person a steer of a Gen3 car successful the off-season, and believes the caller cars whitethorn suit his driving benignant better.

"For a touring car, the existent car has got truthful overmuch grip it's ridiculous," helium told Wide World of Sports.

"Hopefully if they've done it right, they mightiness beryllium a spot much similar the cars of yesteryear - I mightiness beryllium a spot much competitory successful thing similar that."

The delayed Gen3 rules for 2023 correspond arguably 1 of the biggest method rules alteration the athletics has seen successful its history.

After moving in Triple Eight Racing's wildcard introduction alongside Broc Feeney successful past year's 1000, Ingall missed retired connected a spot for this year's race. He told Feeney aft past year's contention the precocious grip levels of the modern cars killed immoderate of his enjoyment successful taking portion successful the race.

From the emergence of the 5L touring car class successful the aboriginal 1990s to the implementation of the Project Blueprint method bundle successful 2003, Ingall said the cars moved astir connected the aboveground significantly.

They had small successful the mode of aerodynamics, and were softer-sprung. They were harder to tame, and driving was overmuch much ragged.

As the Car of the Future epoch comes to a adjacent aft a decennary of service, Ingall believes teams person got the astir retired of the chassis successful presumption of performance, and wings request to beryllium clipped - some virtually and figuratively.

"The cars are much similar a high-aero GT car alternatively of a touring car ... they're conscionable excessively pinned," helium said.

"I've been looking astatine immoderate some video online, immoderate of the aged Bathursts, and arsenic they spell crossed the apical of the mount, the rear's drifting and they're stepping out.

"That's what it needs. I don't privation to spot thing conscionable truly unchangeable and truly bully and finessed - I wanna spot thing that looks loose."

Under the caller Gen3 rules, beforehand and rear spoilers volition beryllium trimmed with the extremity to region 200kg of downforce, successful an effort to nutrient amended racing. The cars volition besides beryllium 100kg lighter, 100mm lower, and 100mm wider.

The changes to the chassis volition let teams to usage precisely the aforesaid panels disposable connected the roadworthy cars, truthful the cars volition nary longer look warped - arsenic the Mustang has since 2018.

As for this year's 1000, Ingall said it was hard to look past Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander to triumph their 2nd successful 3 years.

"Holy Jesus, van Gisbergen is connected wholly different level," helium said.

"In the past mates of years, each of a abrupt he's conscionable clicked, and he's connected the adjacent shelf.

"Barring a co-driver mistake - and he's got 1 of the champion co-drivers successful the tract - oregon a mechanical failure, you person to enactment them connected apical of the charts."

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