Percat crash caused by 'rejected' gear change

A “rejected” gear change was behind Nick Percat’s shock crash during the Repco Bathurst 1000.

Percat was running fourth when he crashed through the Esses.

The 2011 Bathurst winner ended up in the Forrest’s Elbow tyre barrier.

Replays showed Percat’s car snapping sideways down to the Elbow.

The car lost several laps while undergoing repairs.

Percat said it was a “real kick in the guts” considering how competitive he felt the #2 Mobil 1 NTI Holden was.

“Firstly, Bathurst is annoying,” Percat said.

“The car was ridiculous… I was just driving around fuel saving, thinking this is going to be lovely when [Warren] Luffy gets in it.

“To be honest, it’s the best car we have ever had here, it’s a real kick in the guts for the team.

“When I came around the wall there down to Forrest’s Elbow, when I went back to second, just mistimed the down-change.

“It had a dog clash in the gearbox and rejected the second gear change and fired it back to third.

“From then on, I was just trying to recover it and keep it off the wall.”

Percat managed to avoid triggering a Safety Car, but was immediately out of contention.

It comes 10 years after Percat crashed the team’s lead car at The Dipper.

“It was not to be today,” Percat added.

“Filthy with myself because we don’t come here a lot.

“It is the second time I’ve had a car in the fence in 11 years, so not happy.”