A fitter and more focussed Chaz Mostert is delivering career best form, according to Prodrive boss Tim Edwards.
The 25-year-old has led the Prodrive charge this season and is the only driver outside of Triple Eight and DJR Team Penske to stand on the top step of the podium.
Mostert endured a winless campaign last season, scoring five podium finishes which he has already matched this year, including two wins.
Fully recovered from the Bathurst 1000 crash that curtailed his 2015 season, and settled back alongside engineer Adam De Borre, Edwards believes his team is witnessing the best from Mostert.
“He is more focussed, he’s fitter, everything about him, this is the best Chaz we’ve ever had,” Edwards told Speedcafe.com.
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“Even though he’s done some amazing things up to this point, where he’s at in his physical life, mental state, personal life, all those things, he’s in a great place at the moment.
“He’s happy living at home with a partner in the place he’s bought on the Gold Coast. He’s in a pretty good space at the moment.
“It’s great to be around people that are in a positive place.
“Everybody knows he’s got a great relationship with Adam (De Borre) personally, so it’s great to have them working back together again because it’s just one of the things that helps Chaz be in a positive frame of mind.”
Lying fifth in the championship race, Mostert and his team are refusing to think about the title race at this stage.
However, Edwards is convinced that his driver has the quality to become a Supercars champion in the future.
“He’s a championship contender. Whether its this year, next year, five years, 10 years, 20 years. I don’t know when it’ll be. I’d like to think sooner rather than later,” he added.
“He had a bit of a setback for a year after that accident, a bit of rebuilding, and a lot of how to get him that championship lies with us.
“We’ve got to make sure we give him the best possible car. The driver can only do so much.
“Are we giving him the perfect equipment at the moment? Absolutely not, which means we’re not sitting still. We’re developing as hard as we can.”
Mostert is keeping lid on his expectations for the season, admitting there is still plenty of work ahead to match Triple Eight and DJR Team Penske on a regular basis.
“You’ve got to still be pretty level headed about it. For us we still have work to do,” said Mostert.
“I still wasn’t completely happy with my car out there. I think I still can make the car look after its tyres a bit better, and I think there’s some other components and stuff we can make some gains in as well.
“It’s ecstatic to reward the team with a win, and show that we can get in there and get amongst them when we get it all right.”
Mostert is understood to be in talks with Prodrive to extend his contract having signed a four-year deal in 2015, which includes two-year option for 2018 and 2019.
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