Walkinshaw Andretti United Team Principal Bruce Stewart said an impressive Bryce Fullwood showed at times he was able to match team-mate Chaz Mostert in 2020.
After winning the Dunlop Super2 Series in 2019 with MW Motorsport, Fullwood graduated to the Repco Supercars Championship with the Clayton-based team.
In his maiden season, the 22-year-old claimed four top 10 finishes in a year highlighted by a third place finish at The Bend Motorsport Park.
The Darwin-born driver ended a season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic in 18th ahead of second-year drivers, Macaulay Jones, Chris Pither, and Garry Jacobson.
Stewart said Fullwood’s ultimate pace has been most impressive in his debut season.
“He’s shown with one-lap pace that he was more often than not, not only faster than all the other rookies and second-year drivers, but on occasion he was faster than Chaz,” Stewart told Speedcafe.com.
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“So, we just got to help him convert that sheer pace into a car that’s more and more competitive and achieve further up the grid.
“He’s such an impressive young man,” Stewart added.
“He’s got a great ability to talk with our engineers and evoke what’s happening with the car, but equally he’s still just the kid from Darwin.
“And so, he immediately ingratiates himself with everyone. He’s a really awesome person to have around. And we just want to see the kid continue to improve and get better.”
That Tailem Bend performance was the standout in Fullwood’s first season, which he hailed an “unbelievable” achievement in his debut year.
Stewart said it was a surprise to see Fullwood score a podium, though he knew it wasn’t impossible given the pace he had shown.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” said Stewart.
“We could see it in his times and for whatever reason, sometimes whether it was the car or race craft or a bit of both combined, to not get the result that we hoped could be achieved, but then to see him pull it together like that was so good.
“Even if you look back at some of the earlier races, he was passing some pretty big names and the pink Mobil 1 Middy’s car was on TV.
“It shows us the young man’s got a fair bit of ticker and he’s not afraid. So, we’ve just got to help him being a little more consistent. Give him a car that’s much better and let’s see what he can achieve on his own
“I think that the third at Tailem Bend was a moment in time for him, that the team particularly enjoyed,” he added.
“But it’s really important for Bryce as well, because it gives him a little bit of self-belief that he has got a great talent and if he puts it all together, we can achieve great things.
“So, we’re super excited. He’s such a good young man. We’re really, really, really happy.”
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