Randle likens Gen3 Supercar to Formula Ford after shakedown

Thomas Randle has likened his Gen3 Ford Mustang Supercar to a Formula Ford after completing a 102-lap shakedown at Winton.

Tickford Racing’s #55 entry and the #99 Erebus Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro made for the ninth and 10th Gen3 cars to be shaken down ahead of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, the latter in the hands of Brodie Kostecki.

Randle’s haul was just shy of that of team-mate Cameron Waters in the #6 Mustang days earlier, while Kostecki is said to have got well into triple figures at the 3.00km rural Victorian circuit.

For the former, the miles were his first in a Gen3 car since he drove the prototype on the day after the Australian Grand Prix last April, but there was a level of familiarity.

“We played a little bit with geometry stuff and ride heights and that sort of thing,” the 2014 Australian Formula Ford title winner told Speedcafe.com.

“I mean, it’s certainly pretty quick in a straight line, but it’s just learning the braking aspect because it’s a different car but a different brake package as well; just trying to work out the threshold there and the handling.

“[There is] Less aero, so obviously the car’s a lot more lively than the old cars. I don’t think I ever once had oversteer into the sweeper in the old car and now it’s like a Formula Ford now in terms of how you’re working the wheel.

“You’re seeing the cars move around a lot more – even out of Turn 2, you’re seeing the cars powerslide up the hill – so I think as a fan you’re going to see a lot of body language from the cars.”

Both Randle and Kostecki completed a race run of around 20 laps during the day, with the Erebus driver accumulating lots of kilometres in the afternoon following a morning clutch bleed issue and then a fuel run-out.

“Actually, [I feel] really good; car was really comfortable,” Kostecki told Speedcafe.com.

“Basically spent the first half of the morning getting all of the ergonomics right for myself and got pretty tuned in there and feel pretty comfortable in the car.

“It’s pretty hot here today but these cars seem quite a lot cooler than the old ones, so that’s a big positive and just everyone back at the workshop and here today did a really good job and the cars ran great.

“I actually enjoyed myself a lot today in the race run, so feel excited for Newcastle.”

Will Brown will shake down the other Erebus Camaro tomorrow, when Tickford will conduct what will officially be a test day for both Waters and Randle.

Brad Jones Racing will also head to Winton to shake down all four of its Camaros, for drivers Andre Heimgartner, Bryce Fullwood, Macauley Jones, and Jack Smith.

There will be no activity at Queensland Raceway, with Triple Eight Race Engineering, Dick Johnson Racing, PremiAir Racing, and Matt Stone Racing also having postponed their next hit-outs due to weather or, in the case of the former, because it racked up over 600km with its two cars just days ago.