Percat all but confirms loss of WAU seat

Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Nick Percat has hinted that he is indeed on the Supercars driver market in comments made after qualifying on Row 2 at The Bend.

The South Australian is enjoying one of his more competitive weekends of 2023, qualifying 11th for Race 20 then 10th and fourth in the back-to-back Sunday morning sessions.

It comes as Ryan Wood is tipped to take over the #2 Ford Mustang seat next year, with Percat looking at potentially being out of a full-time drive, a possibility which he has now near enough to confirmed.

“It’s good, you don’t just randomly forget how to drive,” he said of his performance.

“It’s nice; mechanically, we’ve had no little Gen3 issues, so it’s been really good.

“The team’s working well and, unfortunately, Chaz is… We’ve gone opposites [team-mate Chaz Mostert qualified 17th for Race 22]; we just need to figure out how to get both up there.

“But, I guess timing for me is pretty good. Yeah, looking for a spot next year.

“It’s nice to throw it up the front there, and even yesterday was solid until we copped a bit of damage at Turn 1 and stuff like that.

“So, keen to see how we go in South Australia; great spot to do it. If I’ve got to do it, it’s generally here or Adelaide 500, isn’t it?”

Asked if he was ‘driving for [his] life’, Percat expressed his confidence in his own ability, even if his current stint at WAU has clearly not worked out as either party would have hoped.

“I’m not driving for my life,” said the 34-year-old, who will head up a new factory team in next year’s Australian Karting Championship.

“I know what I can do behind the wheel of the car when they’re all spot-on, and it just shows that, when it all works out, you’re back to where you normally are.

“I’m just keen to see how today goes and then we’ll get into enduros.

“Obviously, got an amazing enduro partner with Fabian, so, keen for Sandown, Bathurst as well.”

‘Fabian’ is Fabian Coulthard, who had been linked to the #2 WAU entry for a full-time return next year.

How far that got is not completely clear, although it is worth noting that it was Coulthard who was used as the benchmark for Wood’s recent Evaluation Day at Winton.

However, the older of those two New Zealanders is understood to want more than one season if he does make a comeback as a Supercars full-timer.

Earlier this weekend, WAU Team Principal Bruce Stewart said, “We’re still evaluating and, at the moment, Chaz is under contract and Nick’s under review.

“We really haven’t got anything to announce or talk about at the moment, and we’re just working through it.”

He would add, though, “We’re working through it and clearly want to have it ratified before you get to Sandown.”

Percat could, of course, yet stay within the WAU fold, but as an enduro co-driver himself.