BRAKING NEWS: All the latest news in V8 Supercars
It’s been a lean start for Ford in the Gen3 era, and with their lean recent history dowin in Tassie, it would take a brave betting man to put money down on a Mustang win this weekend.
It’s been a flailing start to the Gen3 era for Ford and a trip to Tasmania might not be what the doctor ordered, if history is anything to go by.
Not since Scott McLaughlin led home teammate Fabian Coulthard for a DJR one-two in the opening race of the 2019 Tasmania SuperSprint has a Ford finished first at Symmons Plains.
Holden has owned seven-straight chequered flags and a ridiculous 22 of the past 24 at the Apple Isle. Given Ford’s winless start to 2023 it would take a brave betting man to put money down on a Mustang win this weekend.
Tickford star Cam Waters was officially listed as the Race 1 victor but only after Shane van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney were disqualified for a technical breach relating to a driver cooling system.
The two Red Bull Camaros still finished ahead of Waters’ Monster Mustang on merit and with that in mind, the early-season running makes for grim reading if you are part of the Blue Oval brigade.
Ford owns just five podium finishes in nine races so far this season, while Chevrolet boasts nine wins and 13 podiums.
Parity has been the big talking point to open the Gen3 era and Supercars even signed off on a new engine map for the Mustangs in Perth. But Chevy still dominated the running at Wanneroo, taking seven of the nine podium places on offer.
Now the series returns to Tasmania, where Triple Eight has owned a near-monopoly on the track since former champion McLaughlin’s success more than four years ago.
When Jamie Whincup retired at the end of the 2021 season, the Titan of Tasmania – with a ridiculous 13 victories at Symmons Plains – could no longer haunt Ford.
Enter his protege, van Gisbergen.
The 34 year old completed a cleansweep last year to raise his Tasmanian tally from four to seven, bringing him level with legends Peter Brock and Garth Tander.
Another triple sweep would lift van Gisbergen to 10 wins and equal second all-time with Craig Lowndes.
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Of the Kiwi’s 2023 rivals, only Will Davison (2), Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert (1) have won a race in Tasmania.
And even then, only Davison’s first victory – for Ford Performance Racing in 2012 – and Winterbottom’s 2010 effort came at the wheel of a Ford.
To say the Apple Isle has been an unhappy hunting ground for the Blue Oval would be an understatement.
Originally published as BRAKING NEWS: All the latest news in V8 Supercars
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