Jamie Whincup has likened driving a Gen3 supercar to “the first day at school” ahead of this year’s crucial enduro races.
Whincup tested Broc Feeney’s #88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro at Queensland Raceway last week.
The 40-year-old previously drove Feeney’s car at the pre-season test in Sydney, as well as the Camaro prototype.
The four-time Bathurst winner wasn’t the only co-driver to lap past Sandown and Bathurst last week.
Whincup was joined by Shane van Gisbergen’s co-driver Richie Stanaway, Shell V-Power Racing Team duo Alex Davison and Tony D’Alberto, and Matt Stone Racing’s Jayden Ojeda.
At Winton, Brad Jones Racing gave three of its four co-drivers some laps: Dale Wood, Dean Fiore and Jordan Boys.
With Sandown and Bathurst worth 300 points to the winner, the co-drivers will play an important role in the championship fight.
For Whincup, whose career spanned the Project Blueprint and Car of the Future/Gen2 eras, every Gen3 lap counts.
“It’s really important for guys like me to go laps in the new car,” Whincup told Supercars.com.
“The old car, we had done 15 years with it, we had a lot of muscle memory.
“You could walk in and walk down, and everything seemed normal.
“With this car, it feels quite strange – it’s like the first day at school again, learning a new trick.
“Laps for me are about new muscle memory, getting familiar, even where all the buttons are.
“What does the car do when the wheel locks up, how does it react to curbs and bumps.”
The addition of Sandown as a 300-point race will put a greater price on a co-driver’s performance.
“It’s very important that guys like me have laps”
However, given the learning curve around new cars, Feeney believes there will be a bigger difference between lead drivers and co-drivers.
“I think this year there might be a bit more of a gap between the main and the body,” Feeney told Supercars.com.
“Because these new cars are so different to drive, I think as many laps as the co-drivers can do will only help.
“There are 600 points to play for in two races and they are a big part of that.
“I still think I have the best guy in my corner for that, thankfully, and I really enjoy working with him.
“I feel like it lifts all of our team and just pushes us a little bit more, so I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s going to be a fun enduro campaign, but we still have a long way to go until then.”
The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 will be held from September 15-17, ahead of the Repco Bathurst 1000 from October 5-8.
The 2023 season will resume from June 16-18 at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown.
