Percat praises BJR
Brad Jones Racing’s latest recruit Nick Percat reports positive outlooks for 2017 with the Albury-based team.
Percat said he and his chocolate Labrador Douglas are enjoying learning the ins and outs of the workshop and gelling with the BJR crew as much as possible before their first test day prior to the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, March 2-5.
“The team is welcoming, supportive, everyone in the workshop from the engineers to the drivers, it’s all seriously impressive they treat everyone the same…there are no egos there, it’s all friendly and they are a massive family. It was something I haven’t experienced since my Formula Ford days, back when I was with Sonic,” Percat told Supercars.com.
“They want to have fast race cars and win races so it was quite refreshing to walk in somewhere and feel comfortable in the first five minutes.
“I’m looking forward to working with a team with a good structure and if you’re not inside the top ten you’ll question why you’re not there and what we can do as a team to make the car go faster and how I can drive the car better”.
Percat emphasised his excitement to work with Tim Slade and Tim Blanchard in 2017, reminiscing about their junior years working with Sonic Motorsport in Formula Ford.
“I think a few people from our junior days are pretty happy to see us all together and we all get along really well and are all pushing in the same direction,” Percat said.
“We all came through Sonic Motor Racing, along a very similar path in the way we got to where we are today.
Percat also highlighted the positive team relationship with Slade when the pair were teamed up with Walkinshaw Racing in 2014.
“Back in 2014, if he was on the podium I was always straight down there celebrating his results with him and he was the same with me,” Percat said.
“It’s a big positive Slade is there, he’s a good team player, he doesn’t hide anything and just wants the best for the team”.
The 2011 Bathurst 1000 Champion said he confident he can deliver top ten results with BJR, after comments from peers speculating he will be the underdog in 2017.
“It’s something that I thought as soon as I signed with Brad, that I would be back in that top ten like I was in 2014, so I’m glad my peers have remembered that and have the same opinion,” Percat said.
“It’s a good complement from my peers and obviously now I need to deliver like I said I can, and I know I will be able to.
“It’s just getting into the routine of how BJR operate, the way they go about setting up their race cars. I don’t want to come in and say this is how my HRT used to go and this is how the LDM Triple Eight car went, its more about getting to know what they run and getting the most out of their package. I can’t wait.”
“If I can end the year in the top ten, that will be a good start with BJR”.
