This one is doing the rounds today, . .we have all we need to get our cars up into the top ten,
http://autoaction.com.au/djrtp-ends-pra-engineering-deal/
DJR TEAM Penske is going its own way this year, moving away from a previous engineering partnership with Prodrive Racing Australia.
As the Queensland V8 Supercars team expands it will continue to source parts from fellow Ford squad PRA but will look after its own engineering after revamping the department.
“We’re extremely grateful for the relationship we’ve had with [Prodrive] and it continues to evolve,” DJR Team Penske Managing Direction Ryan Story told AA. “When you look at how it started in the beginning of the Car of the Future-era with DJR, we weren’t in the position to design and put together the cars ourselves. We initially entered into a parts arrangement which led to an engineering arrangement.
“As we evolved into DJR Team Penske, the first hit out was with Marcos Ambrose, who lacked recent V8 experience, so it made sense to continue on the engineering path. The one-car thing added to that as well.”
Story explained the cars remained in a similar configuration to PRA’s, with the radiator at the front being the only point of difference. Last season, DJR Team Penske sent its car to Prodrive headquarters in May amid a struggling period for the team.
Story said the team is better equipped this season, with the change reflecting the longer-term goal of independence.
“Certainly, Penske is more inclined to do things on their own and you only have to look at their other racing programs to see that,” he said. “But you have to be pragmatic, and when we kicked things off last year with a one-car team, a stretched engineering group and a driver out of the category for a decade, you need that leg up.
“Fortunately we’ve expanded over the break and we’ve got some really good engineers that complemented the existing group we had and we’re not as reliant on that.”
[help]
http://autoaction.com.au/djrtp-ends-pra-engineering-deal/
DJR TEAM Penske is going its own way this year, moving away from a previous engineering partnership with Prodrive Racing Australia.
As the Queensland V8 Supercars team expands it will continue to source parts from fellow Ford squad PRA but will look after its own engineering after revamping the department.
“We’re extremely grateful for the relationship we’ve had with [Prodrive] and it continues to evolve,” DJR Team Penske Managing Direction Ryan Story told AA. “When you look at how it started in the beginning of the Car of the Future-era with DJR, we weren’t in the position to design and put together the cars ourselves. We initially entered into a parts arrangement which led to an engineering arrangement.
“As we evolved into DJR Team Penske, the first hit out was with Marcos Ambrose, who lacked recent V8 experience, so it made sense to continue on the engineering path. The one-car thing added to that as well.”
Story explained the cars remained in a similar configuration to PRA’s, with the radiator at the front being the only point of difference. Last season, DJR Team Penske sent its car to Prodrive headquarters in May amid a struggling period for the team.
Story said the team is better equipped this season, with the change reflecting the longer-term goal of independence.
“Certainly, Penske is more inclined to do things on their own and you only have to look at their other racing programs to see that,” he said. “But you have to be pragmatic, and when we kicked things off last year with a one-car team, a stretched engineering group and a driver out of the category for a decade, you need that leg up.
“Fortunately we’ve expanded over the break and we’ve got some really good engineers that complemented the existing group we had and we’re not as reliant on that.”
[help]