Results continue to elude Nick Percat at Walkinshaw Andretti United. Picture: Ross Gibb Photography
Walkinshaw Andretti United is continuing to back Nick Percat as he sits on the bottom of the Supercars championship points table.
After a frustrating 15th in the standings in his first season back at Clayton, Percat has finished no higher than 13th in any race so far in 2023.
Why the 2011 Bathurst 1000 winner has not clicked with WAU in his second stint at the team, either in a Gen2 ZB Commodore or apparently in a Gen3 Mustang either, is something of a mystery, considering he returned after top 10s at season’s end in his latter four of five years at Brad Jones Racing.
Having three different race engineers during 2022 is unlikely to have helped matters, while some of his woes this year have been particularly obvious, and dramatic.
A wheel bearing problem consigned Percat to a DNF in Race 1 of the season and he was the first of two Ford drivers to experience a spectacular fire at Albert Park, points made by WAU Team Principal Bruce Stewart when asked if there is pressure on the South Australian.
“I think it’s been pretty clear, whether it was wheel bearing or fire, the gods haven’t reflected beautifully on Nick this year,” said Stewart of the #2 Mobil 1 NTI Mustang pilot.
“We back his talents, his tenacity, and he’s in a great space, so we’re excited about what’s coming forward.”
In the sister #25 Mobil 1 Optus Racing entry, Chaz Mostert has consistently collected points such that he is second in the championship, 100 points behind Brodie Kostecki.
Mostert acknowledged at the conclusion of the most recent event of the season, at Wanneroo, that he now needs to start picking up some wins himself in order to remain in touch, and Stewart had a similar take ahead of action at Symmons Plains this weekend.
“I think everyone, every team has done a great job so far, getting these cars to where they are,” he remarked.
“It’s been a huge start to the season, and for Mozzie to be second in the championship is a great effort to date, but we have aspirations beyond that, so the job’s not done yet.
“We’re early in the season and points can change very quickly. Our job is just to put our best foot forward on the tracl this weekend with both cars.”
Practice 1 for the Ned Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint starts this morning at 09:00 local time/AEST.
Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.