Percat to play wingman for Mostert's title bid
Nick Percat is prepared to play wingman in teammate Chaz Mostert’s championship bid after a rotten start to 2023.
Walkinshaw Andretti United veteran Percat’s 2023 results read DNF, 23rd, 12th, DNF, 16th and 20th.
After two rounds, Percat is 25th and last in the standings, having been undone by car troubles and a lack of pace.
WAU stripped the car after Percat was forced out of the Newcastle opener, before a Friday fire in Melbourne forced the team into an overnight rebuild.
With his 2023 campaign in tatters after just two rounds, Percat has changed tack and is determined to help Mostert as much as he can.
Mostert led the championship to the Albert Park finale, and heads to Perth just 32 points down on leader Brodie Kostecki.
While determined to resurrect his season, Percat wants to deliver a title to WAU — and helping Mostert is his chance.
“It’s been the worst start to a championship I’ve had in my career, ever," Percat told Supercars.com.
“Personally, it’s more about single results. I want to be standing on the podium, qualify much better than I did last year.
“On the other side, I want a really strong result for the team. Chaz is in an amazing position, and I know he’d do the same for me.
“If it comes to it that I need to get the elbows out to block someone, or strategy doesn’t go my way to make sure he gets a better result.
“Whatever we have to do to try and end up with a championship on that car would be pretty big."
Percat’s fire occurred during the second race of the Melbourne weekend, and WAU worked around the clock to return the #2 Mobil 1 NTI Ford to the track on Saturday.
That motivation, according to Percat, was partly due to the team’s ambition to collect as much data with its new cars as possible.
“The most important part was getting back on track,” Percat said.
“Because new car, Gen3, there’s so much to learn set-up-wise.
“I might not be going well with what’s happened, but Chaz is in the championship fight.
“The car speed was there on Saturday, we went the right way with set-up. On Sunday, we went a different avenue, and it didn't work out so well.
“It’s great if it works on the day, but it’s also really good knowledge and understanding if the set-up direction doesn’t work, because we know not to go blazing down that trail."
The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint on April 28-30.
