MOTORSPORT: Holden Commodore gets to grips with Falcon

If you can't beat them, join them… Then beat them.

That's the plan Triple Eight Race Engineering has hatched for the Holden Commodore ZB Supercar that makes its race debut in the season-opening Adelaide (formerly Clipsal) 500 this weekend.

T8, the owner of the factory-backed Red Bull Holden Racing Team, has been responsible for developing the Supercar version of the ZB and has shifted its aerodynamic balance rearwards compared to the VFII predecessor, putting more downforce over the rear wheels.

That means more rear grip entering the corners, making the ZB more like the Ford Falcon FG X, which in the hands of DJR Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin was the fastest car over a single lap in the 2017 championship, although the New Zealander missed out on the driver's championship to Red Bull's Jamie Whincup in dramatic circumstances at the Newcastle final.

"Yes, it's more towards the Ford," confirmed ZB Supercar project manager David Cauchi, who doubles as Whincup's race engineer.

The evidence of that aero realignment can be seen in the ZB's rear wing, which is higher, further back and 100mm wider than the VFII at 1500mm and boasts massive endplates hanging off an extended rear decklid.

"We thought one of the weaknesses of the VFII was it was pitch sensitive and unstable in the rear on corner entry," explained Cauchi.

"We always struggled with a nervous rear on entry, so the driver would have oversteer into a corner and once you have that you are out of control on the entry to the corner.

"That means you have compromise at the mid corner and once you have that you have compromised your exit.

"So, we thought we wanted to fix the first problem first and that's the entry."

But the paritised nature of Supercars aerodynamics means all cars racing in the championship must have the same amount of downforce across the body - about 310kg.

So, adding downforce to the ZB's rear meant reducing it at the front. And that means less grip and more understeer.

"But we thought we could engineer that out mechanically and overall have a better car," said Cauchi.

"That was the philosophy, whether it is right or wrong I'll tell you in 12 months' time."

Cauchi admits that with limited testing available and both the aero package and new Dunlop control tyres to sort out, it may take several events before the ZB is competitive with the two DJR Team Penske of McLaughlin and team-mate Fabian Coulthard and four Tickford Racing Falcons of Chaz Mostert, Mark Winterbottom, Cam Waters and highly-rated rookie Richie Stanaway.

In total, 14 new ZB Commodores are expected to take on eight Falcons and four Nissan Altimas in the two 250km races on the Adelaide parklands street circuit.