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Growing up, Nick Percat and Chaz Mostert were fierce racing rivals.
Their careers, by and large, ran parallel to one another. The pair first fought each other in Formula Ford and what’s now known as the Super2 Series.
Mostert’s first full-time Supercars drive came in 2013, albeit four rounds into the season with Dick Johnson Racing. Percat, meanwhile, joined the grid in 2014 for Walkinshaw Racing.
Now, they find themselves as team-mates at Walkinshaw Andretti United.
Some feared the once fiery Percat mightn’t get along with Mostert, but the 30-somethings have formed a bit of a bromance.
The Gold Coast-based duo are now good mates. Only recently, the drivers and their partners travelled together to Monaco for the principality’s Formula 1 grand prix.
Speaking with Speedcafe.com, Percat said he’s enjoyed forming such a strong relationship.
“It’s a bit like Step Brothers; ‘Did we just become best friends?’ It’s crazy,” Percat laughed, referencing the Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly film.
“We don’t try and hang out to get to know each other, it’s actually we just genuinely like hanging out together.
“During the week, people don’t realise we’re together most days and out riding and doing all sorts of bits and pieces.
“It’s been a bit of a surprise on both ends. Ryan [Walkinshaw, director] and Bruce [Stewart, team principal] and the team are a little bit worried, they think there’s some sort of weird bromance going on.
“It’s what’s going to push this team forward. When I’m having a bad weekend, he’s picking me up and then at Perth and we were having the struggles I was trying to keep him motivated as well.
“It’s pretty cool.”
At the moment, Percat is still some way from challenging Mostert for wins.
Mostert has four victories to his name this year and a third. Percat, meanwhile, has yet to crack the podium.
The 33-year-old is confident he’ll eventually catch his team-mate. When that time comes, he’s sure they’re both mature enough not to be at loggerheads.
“At the moment, we just want team results like what we had [at Darwin] with one of us winning trophies,” Percat explained.
“If it came down to next year in these Gen3 things and we’re one-two in the championship and battling for race wins, I’m sure there’ll be times where you have the shits with each other, but that’s just being competitive.
“At the moment, it’s one team, one dream. It’s a credit, the team takes some pretty big knocks and they all just dust themselves off and come back which is really cool.”
Percat admitted in the past he’s been quick to get frustrated if things haven’t gone his way.
Now, the 2011 Bathurst 1000 is much more measured in his approach.
“It’s a crazy thing, I feel like the whole of the lane has probably been waiting for some classic Percat blow-ups,” said Percat.
“I’ve asked Bruce, I actually can’t think of one where I’ve been angry because I can see the bigger picture here and how this team is working and how motivated they are for success, which is something a little bit rare.
“Before, in other recent years, that was it and it was frustrating if we didn’t get the results when you had an opportunity.
“I haven’t been this happy driving around where I have been just because of the way the team is. So imagine when we win or podium. It’s going to be good.”
