Toyota Supra Debuts in Supercars Championship, Initial Performance Reviewed

Toyota Supra Debuts in Supercars Championship: Initial Assessments and Development Road Ahead

The Toyota Supra has officially joined the Supercars Championship grid, with Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU), now rebranded as Walkinshaw TWG Racing, serving as the homologation team. Brad Jones Racing (BJR) also fields Supra vehicles. The new entry completed its debut at the Sydney 500, prompting initial assessments from drivers regarding the car's performance and ongoing development requirements.

Vehicle Development & Homologation

Development of the Toyota Supra Supercar involved extensive testing and collaborative efforts.

Its aero package underwent rigorous evaluation and was finalized following post-season wind tunnel testing at the Windshear facility in the United States. During this testing, it was benchmarked against the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. An updated aerodynamic kit was subsequently installed after homologation testing in North Carolina in December.

The Supra is powered by a 5.2-liter, quad-cam 2UR-GSE V8 engine, developed by Swindon within Supercars' mandated 5.0 to 5.7-liter window. Swindon's comprehensive role included development, simulation, and production of development engines, with a particular focus on the crank train and valvetrain hardware. The engine integrates original equipment parts such as the cylinder head and block, alongside hydraulic variable valve timing (VVT) and a 3D-printed inlet tract. Final assembly and ongoing servicing of the race engines are conducted by Walkinshaw at its facility in Clayton, Victoria. Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards noted the Toyota's architectural similarities to Ford's Coyote V8.

Track testing of WAU's initial Supra, equipped with a mule engine, commenced in September. On-track development, primarily centered on engine optimization, continued through December. Drivers Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood tested the Supra in early December, following initial evaluation conducted by Warren Luff and Fabian Coulthard. Supercars also ran a "production version" on its dyno in the weeks leading up to the season.

Team & Driver Preparations

Five Toyota Supras are scheduled to compete in the series for the 2024 season: two from Walkinshaw TWG Racing and three from Brad Jones Racing.

As the homologation team, Walkinshaw TWG Racing successfully transitioned from Ford to Toyota. Team CEO Bruce Stewart described the off-season as one of the busiest for the team in preparing the Supras. The cars prominently feature GR branding on quarter panels and Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia on windscreen banners, with primary sponsors Optus and Truck Assist renewing their agreements. Chaz Mostert, a Supercars champion, is a primary driver for the team.

"Defending his title would be a 'tough ask' but expressed confidence in the team's ability to optimize the Toyota for the season, suggesting that setup strategies used for the Ford Mustang might not directly apply due to inherent car differences."

Mostert noted that the team's experience would be crucial in optimizing the new platform.

BJR is constructing three Supra vehicles, with two being new builds and a third being an updated Camaro chassis. BJR driver Andre Heimgartner completed approximately 30 laps in WAU’s development vehicle at Winton Motor Raceway as part of engine development. Heimgartner shared the vehicle with Fabian Coulthard and Macauley Jones.

"He noted that the car, while not a finished product, provided valuable insight and described the package as strong, though identifying areas for improvement in driveability."

Heimgartner also observed differences in cockpit visibility and mirror effectiveness compared to previous vehicles. BJR recently received its first Toyota engine and is preparing to reveal its Supra liveries. Driver Macauley Jones’s #96 Supra will feature AlphaTheta sponsorship at several events, including the Sydney 500 and Melbourne SuperSprint.

All five Supras from BJR and WAU participated in the pre-season test at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 18, competing against Mustang and Camaro vehicles for the first time.

Sydney 500 Debut: Initial Performance & Challenges

The GR Supra made its Supercars Championship debut at the Sydney 500 from February 20-22.

Chaz Mostert finished fourth in one of the races, marking a strong individual performance. However, the Supra vehicles collectively encountered challenges, including qualifying outside the top 15 for every race and one technical disqualification. Despite these hurdles, Toyota vehicles, including Mostert's, collectively achieved a top 10 result during the event.

Concerns regarding the engine's reliability, performance, and driveability were noted following the debut. Both Walkinshaw TWG Racing and Brad Jones Racing bypassed the post-event corporate ride day in Sydney to focus intensively on preparations for the next event.

Mostert expressed satisfaction with his team's efforts in developing the Supra, acknowledging that the package is in its early stages compared to competing brands. He also noted distinct driving characteristics between the Toyota and Ford models.

"Andre Heimgartner expressed cautious optimism regarding the Toyota package’s competitiveness in its debut season, anticipating a natural evolutionary process."

The next event on the Supercars calendar is the Melbourne SuperSprint, scheduled from March 5-8. Mostert has previously secured four Supercars race victories at Albert Park. Historically, Toyota has not achieved a top-three finish in an all-comers Australian Touring Car Championship race since Peter Williamson placed third in 1980.