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Supercars set to drop in-car roll bar adjustment in cost saving push

Supercars is set to drop in-car rollbar adjustment as part of its 2022 Gen3 rules that are designed to reduce costs.

David Reynolds, Kelly Grove Racing Ford

David Reynolds, Kelly Grove Racing Ford

Mark Horsburgh, Edge Photographics

The move would come as part of wider push to simplify the cars and cut costs, with the entire front suspension package to fall under the list of control components under the Gen3 rules.

A Supercars spokesperson told Autosport that no firm decision has been made on anti-roll bar levers, however a number of teams have indicated they expect the adjustors to be dropped.

The anti-roll bars will still be adjustable externally as part of the car set-up.

In the current-spec cars, drivers are able to change both the front and rear anti-roll bars on the fly through hydraulic levers.

That helps them trim the car to better adapt to changing fuel loads, tyre wear and/or track conditions throughout a race.

Shane van Gisbergen is famous for his busy lever work even over the course of a single lap, the Kiwi often seen making multiple bar and brake bias adjustments in on-board footage.

Cockpit controls are a controversial talking point right now as Supercars assesses the introduction of paddle shift in the new-spec cars.

That would replace the current sequential lever shift system that took over from H-patterns in 2008.

The potential paddle shift move has received a frosty reception from most drivers and a number of pundits including Mark Larkham.

The new Triple Eight built Gen3 Supercar chassis

The new Triple Eight built Gen3 Supercar chassis

More details of the Gen3 rules, which will be introduced next season, came to light today with the formal unveiling of the first bare chassis.

Separate suppliers have been engaged to build the initial two prototype Gen3 Supercars chassis.

The first lot of bar work for the new-for-2022 cars was formally unveiled today, the covers coming off a Triple Eight-built chassis that will underpin the prototype Camaro.

According to the announcement that is one of two prototype chassis in existence, however they haven't both come out of T8's Brisbane workshop.

The other has been made by renowned chassis specialist Pace Innovations, which is based near Ford homologation team Dick Johnson Racing in Yatala.

It's likely the Pace chassis, the final design of which varies slightly to the T8 chassis, will be used to build the prototype Gen3 Ford Mustang for the track testing phase of development.

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Pace has effectively been the control chassis supplier for Supercars throughout the Car of the Future era. It won the contract to design and build the COTF prototypes back in 2011 and has provided chassis kits to teams since the rules were introduced in 2013.

The company is also responsible for the chassis under the popular V8-powered MARC Cars and built the roll cage for the Supercars-run SuperUtes series.

It's expected the chassis supply system for Gen3 will similar to COTF, with teams able to either buy kits from suppliers such as T8 or Pace, or build their own to the control dimensions depending on their access to a full chassis jig.

Some key design changes have been outlined in today's unveiling of the first Gen3 chassis, including removable front and rear sections to allow faster repairs.

The driver will also be more centrally located with the new chassis while there will be an access port in the roof for medical intervention after a serious crash.

As long expected the chassis is lower than its predecessor to better suit two-door coupes, as the category shifts away from its saloon roots.

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