Addressing Walkinshaw Andretti United’s form slump has seen the ‘entire team getting stuck in’ with this week’s Winton test a crucial part of the process.
The Holden team has struggled for consistency and speed this season leaving the squad eighth in the teams’ championship after 12 races to date.
A downturn in form has followed a promising 2018 campaign that saw the outfit recorded a drought breaking win through Scott Pye at Albert Park, one of 31 top 10 finishes across the campaign.
This season the squad is yet to visit the podium and has chalked up eight top 10s between Pye and James Courtney with a fifth for the latter at Symmons Plains its best result.
It also resulted in the squad ushering in a Winton test day earlier than planned, in an attempt to unlock speed from its ZB Commodores.
Nilsson says the reaction from his staff after Perth has been positive with the entire team determined on returning to the front, which was evident at a productive test.
“Everyone wants results and performance, and everyone’s getting stuck in to help each other out to achieve that,” Nilsson told Speedcafe.com.
“I guess people show disappointment because they’re passionate about what we do and what we’re trying to achieve, so, again, I can’t fault everyone for working hard to try and achieve those results.
“You have be honest with yourselves and work hard at it and work smart at it. Collectively, everyone is responsible for fixing it (the form).”
“Yeah, 100 percent (everyone has been working hard).
“The test day was the biggest part of that (work to address the issues since Perth).
“(We wanted to) get stuck in, understand the cars and take the opportunity to hit the track, so I think we brought that test day that was scheduled for much later in the year, forward, but definitely happy with that decision.
“Both cars got through most of their program.
“You always start those days with wanting to achieve more than you probably can fit in the day, but I felt like we collectively achieved a lot.”
While the team declared the test a productive outing, the proof and progress will be measured when the championship heads to Winton for the next week’s Supercars round.
“You walk away from the test confident in what you have worked through whether that’s changes and things that you’ve tested that are positive or negative, because it still answers questions that you’ve got,” Nilsson added.
“The proof will be in the pudding next weekend at Winton.
“It’s always hard to gauge yourself properly at a test, not knowing what tyre quality and what everyone’s up to with their own programs.
“Winton will be the proof in the pudding, but certainly having done the debrief, there’s certainly some really good aspects that we came away with.”
The squad will return to the Victorian circuit next week for the Truck Assist Winton SuperSprint from May 24-26.
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