WAU determined to right Sandown wrongs after debrief
Supercars
03 Oct 2023
WAU Fords 22nd, 23rd at Sandown
WAU has finished on Bathurst podium every year since 2017
Mostert and Holdsworth won 2021 Great Race
Walkinshaw Andretti United has put in a “crazy” amount of work ahead of Bathurst after a major Sandown debrief, says Chaz Mostert.
WAU arrives at the Mountain in the wake of a disappointing Penrite Oil Sandown 500, with Mostert/Lee Holdsworth 22nd, and Nick Percat/Fabian Coulthard 23rd.
The Ford team has form in Bathurst despite victory droughts, notably winning the 2021 Great Race after a winless run, and scoring podiums in every Bathurst 1000 since 2017.
Scott Pye/Warren Luff finished second in 2017 and 2018, with James Courtney/Jack Perkins third in 2019. Mostert has finished on the podium every year since 2020, finishing third with Luff in 2020, winning with Holdsworth in 2021, and crossing the line second with Coulthard last year.
Mostert suggested the team underwent a big rethink after Sandown, with all hands on deck as WAU chases its first win of the season.
“The holy grail is here, it’s Bathurst, there is nothing quite like this week,” Mostert said in pre-event team communications.
“We have had a pretty big debrief as a team, the whole crew have put in a crazy amount of work in the last few weeks, it’s awesome to see the commitment from everyone.
“It’ll be an interesting weekend, we know the Mountain could chuck anything at us, throw in the Soft tyre which we have never used around here and it’s going to be an exciting race.”
Holdsworth added: “It’s the biggest week of the year, I’m pumped for Bathurst.
“I’m exciting to be teaming up with Fabian for the great race this year, we are ready to leave it all out on the track.
"We all know how this team prepares for Bathurst – and the history here, so we are all ready to bounce back strongly.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how the Dunlop soft tyre reacts, we haven’t run these tyres around here before so tyre conservation will be key this weekend.”
Supercars will hit the track with Practice 1 at 1:20pm AEDT on Thursday.
