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Walkinshaw Andretti United’s own powerbrokers say the team will be out of excuses once its Ford relationship begins next year.
The Supercars squad formerly known as the Holden Racing Team announced this month it will run Mustangs from 2023 onwards.
It’s been a long road back to the top of Supercars for the Clayton organisation, which had gradually drifted back into the midfield after dominating the sport in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
Major changes have been swung in the last half-decade or so, including the recruitment of Chaz Mostert, who spearheaded their Bathurst 1000 victory less than six months ago.
Probably no change has been more significant than its shock manufacturer switch, though.
“I guess there’s no excuses, right? And our expectation is that we keep pushing forwards,” said WAU team principal Bruce Stewart.
“Over the last three years it has been crawl, walk, run – occasional times where you get put back on your seat a little bit – but we’re moving forwards with our team performance with Chaz and Nick [Percat] in the team and this is just another bolster.
“So I guess we have got no excuses, we have got to start putting money on the table.”
WAU director Zak Brown, best known as McLaren CEO, is confident the move will pay dividends.
“I think Ford can help take us to the next level: win more races, and most importantly go for that championship that we’ve been getting a little close to here but haven’t quite clinched the deal,” said Brown.
“But I think all working together will be awesome. Ford has such a rich history; even with my McLaren hat, of course Bruce McLaren won Le Mans with Ford in the ‘60s.
“So whichever way you turn, Ford is never far away from racing glory.”
WAU will run ZB Commodores through to the end of the ongoing season.
Its last championship success in the main game came in 2009, when Garth Tander and Will Davison propelled it to the teams’ title.
