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NEWS
TARGA: Broadford shakedown for motoring's Renault Megane
Built, wrapped and tuned, the motoring.com.au Renault Sport Megane is put through its paces at Broadford. Next stop: TasmaniaWe almost can’t believe it, but Targa Tasmania is upon us. The months of meetings and logistical planning – not to mention the actual process of building the cars – have led us to this crisp autumn morning at the Broadford road circuit, situated in country Victoria.
READY FOR BATTLE
The two team motoring.com.au Renault Sport Meganes look resplendent in their war paint, but the time for static admiration is over. Under the watchful eye of the Walkinshaw Performance crew, today is all about shaking down the tarmac terrors on this narrow, twisty track.
Charged with this task are team drivers Mike Sinclair – Editor in Chief at motoring.com.au — and Channel 7 personality Grant Denyer, who also happens to be a highly experienced racer.
“Today is all about establishing a baseline setup for the Targa event,” explains Rob Davis, Senior Engineer at Walkinshaw Performance (WP). “First, we want to get the basics right... Driver comfort is vital, so seating and pedal positions will be perfected. From there our goal is to have the cars set up and ready to go; if the event was to be run tomorrow, we’d want the guys to be confident the cars will deliver.”
As Sinclair pores over his mount, it’s obvious he has melded into race mode himself. “I love it!” he says simply, as ‘his’ Megane is moved onto the pit apron.
After a CAMS briefing from event co-ordinators Rally Sport Obsession, talk turns to bedding-in brake pads and tyre compounds. With only eight tyres available over the six days of Targa Competition, getting the grip/longevity compromise correct is vital.
“It can be easy to fall into tuning for the circuit, going stiffer in the suspension and softer on the tyres” explains Sinclair. “With Tassie’s roads being bumpy and narrow, along with the ever-present possibility of rain, we have to keep our minds on the end goal.”
TARGA TWEAKING
As the Megane makes its way around Broadford there is no doubt the engine tuning and exhaust modifications have brought a more insistent edge to its note. On his return, Sinclair is impressed: “It’s so drivable, with a really meaty torque curve. We’re changing up at 5250rpm and just working the torque curve. It’s perfect for tarmac rallying.”
Sinclair’s focus then turns to running the car over Broadford’s kerbs to better replicate the harsh Tasmanian rally conditions. Unfortunately a bolt finds its way into the left-rear ‘hard’ tyre which necessitates a switch to a set of less durable mediums on his next long run. “They do produce more grip as expected, but with air temperatures in the mid-20s today they don’t have the longevity we’re after,” says Davis, motioning to a worn left-front medium tyre.
In the Targa 2WD Showroom class, suspension ride height can be adjusted along with low-speed damping force. It’s these factors that, along with tyre pressures, form the limit of handling adjustments allowed under the class rules. Thanks to WP’s dedicated crew of six, such adjustments are continually refined throughout the day in the search for traction, balance and drivability.
By day’s end both drivers are content, having achieved their shakedown goals. They now head towards Tasmania to be joined by their co-drivers for event reconnaissance. For the Megane race cars, they too will be transported to The Apple Isle for a Targa media day at Symmons Plains — the final precursor to the World’s Greatest Tarmac Rally, which gets underway on Tuesday, April 16.
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Written byAdam Davis
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