Ryan praises Stewart after first Gen3 laps
Erebus Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan was full of praise for Academy youngster Jobe Stewart after his “amazing job” driving a Gen3 Camaro for the first time.
The reigning Super3 champion enjoyed his maiden taste of the Chevrolet Camaro Gen3 Supercar during an evaluation day with Erebus Motorsport at Winton on Tuesday.
In addition to Stewart’s special stint behind the wheel, Todd Hazelwood also had 10 laps to prepare for his return at the Australian Grand Prix, but more importantly set a baseline for the teenager.
The Stewart had a crack at Gen3 for the first time, starting with shorter stints before stepping up with longer race sim runs once he had come to grips with the new beast while he also used both the hard and soft tyre compound.
Stewart has already impressed as an Erebus Academy member winning Super3 last year and qualifying and finishing second on Super2 debut at Bathurst and Ryan said the 19-year-old again showed no nerves in the tougher Gen3 Camaro.
“Jobe did an amazing job on a hot day at Winton,” Ryan told AUTO ACTION.
“Being with the Erebus Academy since he was 12, Jobe is well known to the team and prepared very well for the evaluation day under the always watchful eye of Wayne Mackie, who is his Super2 race engineer and an important part of our overall engineering group.
Jobe Stewart in his Super2 Image Racing VF Commodore at Bathurst. Image: Bruce Williams
“Jobe worked with regular race engineers George (Commins) and Tom (Moore) really well on the day and as soon as they knew he was on the pace he performed some valuable testing for the engineers and provided amazing feedback.
“Todd did his 10 laps in the morning and set the baseline for how the car and track was that day.
“Jobe learnt a lot about how to get the most out of a GEN3 Camaro and listened, learnt and actioned everything he was asked to.
“Jobe has certainly shown us that he will be a star of the future as he exceeded our expectations with both outright pace and race pace consistency.”
Despite already enjoying some special days in the Dunlop Series alone, Stewart said the chance to drive a Gen3 Camaro for the current Supercars champions is up at the top.
“It was probably the biggest moment of my career so far,” Stewart told AUTO ACTION.
“To have a whole evaluation day with the entire Erebus dedicated to myself and working with me to give me the best opportunity was very cool.”
Having only previously raced a Toyota 86, Holden VF Commodore and Holden ZB Commodore, Stewart said he had to work harder than ever to protect the rear tyres on the Gen3 Camaro.
“In a way it has similar power but from the driving point of view it is completely different (to Gen2) with your technique,” he recalled.
Jobe Stewart in the pit lane ready to unleash the Gen3 Erebus Camaro around Winton. Image: Erebus Motorsport
“It has got a lot less aerodynamics and especially in the corners it is a bit more lively in the rear.
“You have to pay a bit more attention trying to save the rear tyres because you can slide it so easily.
“In Super2 we only have the hard so I did a few laps on the Soft for the first time and that is a huge change as well.
“It gives you a lot more grip through the slower speed corners which kind of compensates for the lack of aero.”
Stewart sits seventh in his rookie Super2 season which resumes at Perth on May 17-19.
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