HRT BREAKS 2003 COVER!
Champion V8 Supercar team Reveals VY Challenger!
Extracted from www.hsv.com.au

After much speculation, the Holden Racing Team today pulled back the covers of the cars that will defend the Team’s and Mark Skaife’s Australian Touring Car Championship title during the 2003 V8 Supercar Series.

Skaife and new team mate Todd Kelly unveiled the number #1 and number #2 HRT VY Commodores before motor sport media and Team sponsors at Melbourne’s Sandown International Raceway, the circuit where Skaife was presented with his crown in December last year.

HRT has broken all records in the past few years, collecting 5 ATCC/ V8 Supercar titles in succession now and, 6 in 7 years. But Skaife and Kelly admitted maintaining that stellar run will be difficult, given the changes to the category rules that coincide with the introduction of Holden’s VY Commodore.

Part of the V8 Category’s “Project Blueprint,” the changes – designed to negate any debate about “parity” between the two manufacturers – see race versions of Holden’s VY Commodore required to run a totally different configuration of front suspension. It’s this change that presents an initial challenge to the Team.

“We say every year that it’s good to have a new challenge – well, we definitely have one this time!” Skaife explained at the launch. “We have the technical talent to sort out the new system but we’re not kidding ourselves; it will take some time so, the Ford teams or Holden teams that stay with the VX Commodore initially, should have an advantage over the Holden teams that run the new VY.

“We’re not going to get much testing in before the opening round in Adelaide so, the Grand Prix in Melbourne becomes one of the most vital ‘test’ days of the year – with about 200,000 watching your every move! Should be interesting!” Skaife said, with just a “hint” of understatement.

Todd Kelly Now An Official Works’ Driver
For HRT debutant Todd Kelly, the challenges facing the 23 year old are many. Identified as a rising talent by the Holden Racing Team in the Formula Ford support races at the 1996 Australian Grand Prix, Todd was then invited to join the Holden Young Lions program. Running on a limited race format in HYL, Kelly also ran his own Formula Ford and Formula Holden campaigns in 1997 and 1998, resulting in a 3rd place finish in FF (1997) and 2nd in F Holden in 1998.

The Holden Racing Team recognizes Kelly’s “apprenticeship” is complete and with his undoubted technical development skills, will be a huge asset to the Team particularly in the development of the VY Commodore racing car.

Todd has tasted success at Kmart Racing for the past 2 years, finishing 6th and 5th in the Championships respectively but is aware that the move across to HRT will see the public’s expectations of him grow.

“There’s no doubt that with HRT, you get the ‘Red Army’ as well, and their on-track expectations are as high as they are off-track!” Explained Kelly. “There are sponsor and media demands too that will be a little different to what I was used to but the greatest challenge – and the one I’m looking forward to most – is the switch to the VY Commodore!

“Mark (Skaife) is recognized as a great test and development driver, while I think that’s something that I’ve become known for over the last couple of years too, so I’m looking forward to working with Skaifey in helping to fast-track VY into a race winner as soon as possible.”

The Holden Racing Team’s 2003 livery came out of Holden’s Design Studio and sees HRT’s famous and long-standing Lion-and-Helmet logo take on a sharper, more aggressive stance, according to Senior Holden Designer Max Wolff.

“The road-going VY Commodore’s design cues are sharper and both the logo and the livery of the race car enhance those influences. The base livery is cleaner while leaving people in no doubt it’s the HRT Commodores.” Wolff said.

HRT General Manager Jeff Grech maintained the cautious approach to people’s expectations for the Team in the 2003 season.

“With the aerodynamic package not signed off until mid January plus the change from strut to double wishbone front suspension, the team is playing catch up at the moment.” Grech explained.

“The Ford teams will probably say the same thing but their changes are more aero-related, as their front suspension set-up carries over from the previous AU. For all that, it has created a new challenge internally on how to design, manufacture and implement the changes and the guys have been working around the clock to achieve it.

“We’ve mapped out a progressive introduction of changes that we hope by mid season, will have the HRT cars more than competitive.” Grech concluded.

Both Skaife and Kelly will start the season in VY Commodores that have been converted from VX spec and are “known” quantities within the Team. Skaife’s car is the one that has taken him to 2 Touring Car Championships and 2 Bathurst wins, while Kelly’s was the Team’s spare from last year.

The Team’s first all new VY should be introduced around April while the new spec “Aurora” racing engine should make its introduction around mid year.