WAU confirms Percat departure

The 2024 silly season has continued on Monday, with Walkinshaw Andretti United confirming the exit of Nick Percat.

Percat, who has been a full-time Supercars driver since 2014, will leave the Ford team at the end of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship.

The 35-year-old’s final starts with the team will come on home soil at the VAILO Adelaide 500 in November.

Percat joined WAU from Brad Jones Racing ahead of the 2022 season, but the partnership hasn’t gone to plan amid a run of poor results.

The 2011 Bathurst winner has been outperformed by teammate Chaz Mostert, who was third overall in 2022 and lies fifth after eight rounds this year.

In contrast, Percat was 15th overall and is 21st after last weekend’s OTR SuperSprint, where he raced to fourth in the finale.

The highlight of Percat’s WAU tenure was a stirring drive to second behind Mostert at last year’s Adelaide 500, which was the team’s final event with Holden.

In a statement — which featured quotes from Percat and co-owners Ryan Walkinshaw, Michael Andretti and Zak Brown — WAU said it will name a replacement in due course.

WAU Super2 driver Ryan Wood has been linked to the drive, with reports over the weekend suggesting Fabian Coulthard has ruled himself out.

Regardless, WAU Team Principal Bruce Stewart said on Friday that the team expects clarity over its 2024 line-up by the next round at Sandown.

"Both parties are fully committed to finishing the 2023 Championship in the strongest possible manner, with four rounds remaining,” a team statement reads.

"The entire team want to thank Nick for his dedication, hard work and commitment over the past two seasons, with more to come in 2023.

A Percat WAU highlight was his Adelaide 2022 podium

"The driver of Car 2 for 2024 will be announced in due course."

Percat said: “My time with the WAU family has come to an end and I wish we could have had the results we both wanted and expected.

"I have loved my time working alongside Chaz and it’s cool to say we will be lifelong friends. To the team, thank you for the tireless effort and hours spent trying to unlock the speed from Car No. 2.

"Adelaide 500 is something I’ll never forget. To the WAU fans, you have been truly amazing, the open arms you had for me rejoining was special and the endless support has been the best. Looking forward to finishing the year with a bang.”

Walkinshaw added: “We want to thank Nick for being a big part of our team for the past two seasons, but also his entire time with us over the journey.

"Of course, we both hoped to achieve more together, but with four rounds remaining this year, including the Bathurst 1000, Sandown 500 and Adelaide 500, we are all pushing to finish on a high.

Percat is 21st in the standings after eight rounds in 2023

"Everyone here wishes him all the best for the future.”

Andretti echoed Percat’s sentiments, saying: "We’d all like to wish Nick the best for his future. He’s been an important part of our team and family for the past two seasons.

"We’ve got a job to do for the remainder of the year together, and we all want to send the season off the right way.”

Brown added: “It’s been great to have Nick a part of the WAU family for the last two seasons. The Adelaide 500 1-2 finish was an incredible moment in the Team’s history and something we won’t forget.

"We’ve got some big races to finish the year, and we look forward to doing everything we can to get the best results possible.”

Percat and Coulthard will share the #2 Mobil 1 NTI Mustang at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.

How the 2024 Supercars grid stands (as of August 21, 2023)