Two-year deal pivotal to Walsh’s V8 graduation

Securing a two-year contract with Erebus Motorsport will ease the pressure to perform during his debut year in V8 Supercars, according to Ash Walsh.

The 2014 Dunlop Series runner-up will graduate to the main game next season as Lee Holdsworth’s replacement in the Erebus Mercedes #4 entry after three years in V8 Supercars’ second tier.

While the 26-year-old has made six V8 Supercar event starts as a Pirtek Enduro Cup co-driver at Dick Johnson Racing, next year will be his maiden campaign as a full-time driver in the highly competitive series.

The Ipswich-born racer says a two-year contract was an instrumental factor in making the step up to V8 Supercars with demand for a race seat in the category increasing to new levels.

Walsh feels the arrangement offers an opportunity to display the qualities required to secure a long term future in the championship.

“For us coming into the main game we had been negotiating with a few teams and one of the things we really stressed upon was a two-year deal,” he told Speedcafe.com.

“You see guys come into the main game and not do so well at the start. You don’t need that extra stress of not knowing what you are going to be doing the next season.

“Its difficult to get into the main game as there are only a certain number of seats available, you need to be in the right place at the right time.”

The new Erebus recruit admits next year’s campaign will be a learning year with the onus on absorbing as much information from both the team and his experienced team-mate Will Davison.

“I have got the opportunity is to take it with both hands,” added Walsh.

“I definitely need to focus on fitness and all the other things that come along with being in the main game.

“I want to be competitive at this level and now I need to learn as a much as I can as it is big step up. I need to absorb as much as I can from the resources available at Erebus and do the best I can.

“Its going to be pretty tough for me as a I have pretty big yard stick in Will Davison on the opposite side of the garage but I need to not expect too much at the start and see how I go.”

Walsh may make his Erebus debut earlier than expected if plans for a team ride day prior to the V8 SuperTest at Sydney Motorsport on February 7-8 come to fruition.