Significant negative impact': Triple Eight, Supercars trade accusations over 1mm engine drama

Supercars admitted it supplied Triple Eight with an illegal air restrictor, saying the part hamstrung Will Brown’s Ford Mustang during the 2026 season so far. Triple Eight, the reigning teams’ champion, responded by stripping down Brown’s car 888 and rebuilding it with a new chassis for next weekend’s Ipswich Super 440 after a difficult round in Perth, where the 2024 champion finished outside the top 10 in two of the three races. Team boss Jamie Whincup said the restrictor fitted was unusually small relative to regulations and pointed to a “significant negative impact” on engine performance and lap time. Supercars accepted responsibility but argued the component was loaned for February demonstration events and stayed fitted through Perth. Organisers said it wasn’t caught during random scrutineering, and the sport will review its procedures.