Mostert's expectations shift after pushing Triple Eight

Chaz Mostert scored two podiums at Bathurst 500
Mostert led 23 of 40 laps in Sunday's finale
WAU star 21 points behind championship leader Will Brown

A weekend keeping Triple Eight honest at Mount Panorama, as well as leading the bulk of Sunday’s race, has changed Chaz Mostert’s expectations for 2024.

The Walkinshaw Andretti United star led 23 of 40 laps in Sunday’s Thrifty Bathurst 500 finale, and nearly brought home WAU’s first win as a Ford team.

If not for a small lock-up at The Chase and a compromised pit stop, Mostert would have scored his first Supercars victory since Adelaide 2022.

Mostert was eventually defeated by Will Brown, with Triple Eight taking both pole positions and both wins in Bathurst.

However, Mostert — who finished fourth last season despite going winless — has already adjusted his expectations, and believes he can be a title contender.

“It changes [expectations] a fair bit,” Mostert said.

“If you expected us, from where we were last year, to be challenging these guys at the front, it's been a massive turnaround.

“I know what Sam [Scaffidi], my engineer, is like. I know what the team are like at Walkinshaw Andretti United. They want to win and they want to win desperately.

“So, no doubt from now until then, they'll even make this little thing a little bit quicker again.”

Mostert was passed in the pits by Brown, who denied the #25 Mobil 1 Optus Ford in a burst after the stops to claim victory.

“Look, I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little bit gutted,” Mostert said about the result.

“The gap was coming down. I knew I had about two seconds I had to try and keep, and I locked the smallest brake at The Chase, but, just too tight.

“Car was a rocket ship this weekend. If you asked me if I got two two podiums out of this weekend, would I be happy? I would have, bought it.

“Big thanks to the Mobil 1 Optus rocket, everyone at Walkinshaw Andretti United worked extremely hard over the break, but we've got a little bit more to do.

"These Bulls are pretty quick, so, we'll be after them in the next one.”

Mostert is third in the drivers' championship standings, 21 points behind leader Brown, with Broc Feeney second overall.