Bend brilliance, Symmons success: Mostert's WAU journey

Tuesday’s news of a new "multi-year" contract extension marks another key chapter in Chaz Mostert’s Walkinshaw Andretti United journey.

One of the biggest news stories of 2019 was saved until last, with Mostert wheeled into the WAU garage from Tickford Racing.

One of Ford’s favourite sons, Mostert’s defection marked a key shift in the driver market.

Mostert’s move to WAU ended a long-time association with the Blue Oval, with Mostert winning 13 races and taking 20 pole positions in a five-year stint with Tickford.

WATCH: MOSTERT ‘SUPER EXCITED’ TO STAY WITH WAU

He has since made himself at home with WAU, which claimed its first win since 2018 through Mostert at Symmons Plains in April.

Ahead of Mostert’s return to his #25 Mobil 1 Appliances Online Commodore this weekend in Darwin, Supercars.com has highlighted the key headlines in Mostert’s WAU career.

November 24, 2019: Mostert ‘delivered’ to WAU

Barely hours after he finished sixth in the 2019 season finale in Newcastle, Mostert was playfully wheeled into the WAU garage by his Tickford mechanics.

It marked an unofficial ‘passing of the baton’, with all parties playing a tongue-in-cheek role ahead of the defining news of the silly season.

November 26, 2019: contract confirmed

Two days later, WAU confirmed Mostert’s move to the team.

Mostert was joined at the team by new Super2 champion Bryce Fullwood, with James Courtney and Scott Pye both departing.

February 12, 2020: first WAU laps

Mostert debuted with his new squad during a 60km shakedown at Phillip Island.

It was a bright start in Commodores following seven years in Fords: "To have a brand new chassis and get the shakedown is really beneficial to try and leapfrog some little problems that you’d have on the first test before knowing about it.

"Obviously a different style of car and a completely different build to what I’ve been previously used to and it’s great just to get a taste here today.

"Everything went good, we moved a couple of things inside the car. We lost a lot of time through the day but we’re only allowed to do 60km, so overall reasonably happy.

"Everyone in the team was so helpful, the mechanics and engineers, everyone is really welcoming. It was all you can really hope for."

February 17, 2020: first official track day

He would have to wait nearly three months to steer a WAU Commodore in an official capacity at the pre-season test at The Bend Motorsport Park.

Mostert clocked over 100 laps and ended the day seventh on the time sheets.

February 21, 2020: acing Adelaide on debut

In Practice 3 at the Adelaide season-opener, Mostert set tongues wagging when he delivered the fastest lap of the weekend.

He was nearly three tenths quicker than reigning champion Scott McLaughlin.

February 23, 2021: first WAU podium

Mostert then scored a maiden podium for WAU on the Sunday, meaning he needed just two starts to clinch a maiden trophy in Holden colours.

It marked his first podium since the previous season’s Sandown 500, and the team’s first since James Courtney and Jack Perkins finished third in Bathurst.

September 19, 2020: first WAU pole

After three podiums in six starts in Townsville, Mostert claimed his first pole for WAU in the opener at The Bend.

Some seven months after he hit the track in the SuperTest, Mostert paced the field in Race 25 qualifying.

Tyre life hindered his race performance, however, with Mostert crossing the line 11th in the thrilling race.

October 18, 2020: return to Bathurst podium

For all the noise around his remarkable Bathurst win in 2014, Mostert had gone four starts without a Great Race podium to his WAU mountain debut.

He loomed as the one to beat in 2015 before a shocking qualifying crash curtailed his hopes and left him hospital-bound.

In a race punctuated by the day-long battle between Shane van Gisbergen and Cameron Waters, Mostert combined with Warren Luff to score a memorable podium.

It marked Luff’s sixth Bathurst podium in nine starts, and fourth aboard a Walkinshaw Commodore.

February 27, 2021: second campaign begins strongly

Mostert began his second WAU campaign with aplomb, pushing van Gisbergen to the flag in the series’ return to Mount Panorama.

The #25 entry was less than two seconds from victory in Race 1, before backing up on Sunday with a strong run to third.

March 20, 2021: second pole

Mostert scored a second pole for WAU for the Sandown opener, again sizing up for a maiden win for the team.

From there, the weekend went sour; Mostert led 20 of Race 3’s 36 laps before he was shuffled to sixth on worn tyres.

A throttle drama in the finale, following contact with Waters in Race 4, ensured Mostert ceded crucial ground in the title fight.

April 18, 2021: first WAU win

Four weeks later, Mostert returned a new man on the Apple Isle, and claimed the result he so sorely craved.

Finishes of fourth and sixth were followed by a dominant win in Race 8, with Mostert untouchable in the Symmons Plains finale.

He beat pole man Waters off the start and never looked back, claiming his first WAU win after 35 attempts.

"It’s a pretty good feeling," said a relieved Mostert, who had ended a personal 765-day winless drought.

"I’m so pumped and relieved.

"I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself from last year into this year, trying to get this elusive race win for our team.

"To guys like Ryan [Walkinshaw], Zak [Brown] and Michael [Andretti], to have faith in me to lead this team and get a race win again.

"It’s so rewarding to give back to our guys and our sponsors."

Mostert will return to the track at Hidden Valley Raceway for the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown across June 18-20. Tickets are available here.

The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo, and will be broadcast live and free on Seven.