# 39 Supercheap Auto entry Russell Ingall drove at Bathurst. Image: Ross Gibb
Russell Ingall believes that new owners of supercars shouldn’t wait until Gen3 to improve the entertainment factor on the track.
Now that the current Gen2 cars are in the game for all of 2022 and the announced mid-season launch of Gen3 is scrapped, Ingall says the championship can’t go on for a full season without the necessary adjustments.
Aero-Wash has long been a nuisance in relation to the existing Mustang and ZB Commodore, as a high aerodynamic level makes it difficult for one car to follow another closely through the curves.
Correcting this situation is one of the core pillars of Gen3 – but at the moment, Supercars has announced that it will not make any aerodynamic optimizations in the meantime (i.e. for 2022).
This is a point that Ingall needs to reconsider.
“[The current cars are] Great from a drivers perspective when walking around alone but I can really understand why they had problems with racing in a field and the aero wash that a lot of drivers encounter, ”Ingall told Speedcafe.com after participating this year’s Bathurst 1000 with Broc Feeney.
“So for me, next year, the last year of these current model cars, it’s really an ideal situation to actually deprive them of some aerodynamics.
“Especially what surprised me how they came out and said they weren’t going to do anything with the car next year; For me, now is the perfect opportunity to get started with the Gen3 car, which they claim has up to 65 percent less downforce.
“They say so; whether yes or not, who knows, but those were the statements.
“Lead in by bringing the drivers up to date and making the race more fun than what we currently have.”
Ingall (center) with engineer Martin Short (right). Image: Ross Gibb
In addition, thanks to the panels on the front lower shell and on the rear wing, Ingall feels “a cheap solution”.
“Most teams, especially after Bathurst, will replace splinters, replace splinters. So if you want to renew your splinter, you might as well renew it with something that had a few hundred [millimetres] cut out from the bottom pan, which is very easy, ”he said.
“It’s easy and inexpensive – and what does entertainment cost?”
The Enforcer added that it is important that the 2022 championship is not treated as a transitional phase as it will be the first full season with new owners Racing Australia Consolidated Enterprises Ltd (RACE) at the helm.
“You still don’t want to use 2022 just as a compromise,” he said.
“It is very important, especially for the new owners, as part of the big building process for the brand, to actually step in and do something that will improve racing in preparation for the next generation car.
“I would have thought it would be a breeze and if I was at the controls I would do it tomorrow.”
