What a drag!
The low-drag aerodynamic set-up of the X-Box Holden Commodore VF that helped make internationals Mattias Ekstrom and Andy Priaulx stars of last year's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 is shaping as a key to winning this year's race.
The two factory Holden teams and the leading contenders to win the race - Red Bull Racing Australia and the Holden Racing Team - appear set to go low-drag in an attempt to maximise speed up and down the mountain while sacrificing grip across the top.
The setup was the brainchild of Triple Eight Race Engineering's technical chief Ludo Lacroix, who engineered the X-Box wildcard entry, which last year looked an outside shot at victory late in the race before finishing 10th.
"We see if we can remake that again," Lacroix told v8supercars.com.au."If we do that then we will win Bathurst because that car was just unbelievable."
Lacroix said the low-drag setup obeyed a fundamental rule of winning the 1000km classic, which this year takes place October 9-12.
"You need to go fast in the straight at Bathurst. If you don't understand that then you don't go at Bathurst."
Last year neither Red Bull car ran the low-drag setup and finished second and third in the race. Jamie Whincup was only just pipped at the finish by Ford Performance Racing's Mark Winterbottom for the win, his attacks foiled as he complained of not enough straight line speed and too much understeer (front tyre sliding).
"We don't have a better engine than last year so there is no reason we couldn't be in the same position (second and unable to pass)," said Lacroix.
"So for Bathurst I love to believe that we can do what we did with the green machine (X-Box Commodore), but it's still a mystery until you can repeat things."
Lacroix said the attitude of the drivers would play a key role in the strategy working. Because Ekstrom and Priaulx didn't know the circuit it was decided they would be given maximum power up and down the mountain to attack and defend.
They then had the responsibility of surviving across the top of the mountain where they wouldn't have been fastest anyway and where passing is always difficult.
"They (Ekstrom and Priaulx) put some margin on the track in the dangerous area so when something goes wrong they use the margin," Lacroix explained
"These guys (Whincup, Lowndes) don't put any margin, something goes wrong, they attack the wall."
Aiding the low-drag setup will be a new track surface that will improve grip right around the 6.213km circuit. Also, teams have a better handle on the New Generation racers' rear-end stability, which caused a series of crashes last year.
Lacroix achieved last year's low-drag setup by flattening the Commodore's limited aerodynamic aids, running minimum tyre camber and toe, minimising the disruption air flow provided by cooling inlets and going "into the platform and position of the car".
The car's top recorded speed of 289km/h was 4km/h faster than any other car in the race, which prompted much comment among other drivers and teams about the potency of its engine.
Lowndes even asked during the 1000 that it be his race engine for the next round of the V8 Supercars Championship.
"It was the same engine he used at Sandown," laughed Lacroix. "I told him 'you can have it if you want'. The best engines were in the Red Bull cars. That's normal."
Lacroix says other teams will try to make the low-drag set-up work at Bathurst, led by the Holden Racing Team.
"I am sure the reds are fully aware and they are not stupid," he said.
Asked about going low-drag, HRT boss Adrian Burgess responded: "You think I would be telling you if we were?"
