Walkinshaw Andretti United has confirmed Fabian Coulthard and Warren Luff will form its co-driver line-up in the 2022 Bathurst 1000.
However, the team has not yet announced which drivers will partner full-timers Chaz Mostert and Nick Percat.
Luff has once previously driven with Mostert in the #25 Holden ZB Commodore, finishing third together in 2020.
However, Coulthard’s position as the most recent full-time driver out of the Repco Supercars Championship might put him in good stead to partner last year’s Bathurst 1000 winner.
Coulthard comes to the team with 471 starts in the championship, including 13 race wins and 60 podium finishes.
The Kiwi has once previously finished on the Bathurst 1000 podium, claiming third with Tony D’Alberto in 2017 at the then-known DJR Team Penske.
Today, Coulthard will test with the team at Winton Motor Raceway, marking the first time since 2011 that he has driven a Walkinshaw-built Holden Commodore.
“It’s great to be joining Walkinshaw Andretti United for 2022, the team is on the move and I’m really excited to see what we can do together at Bathurst this year,” said Coulthard, who was left out of a full-time drive due to Team Sydney’s demise last month.
“When I found out in January that I wasn’t going to be driving in a full-time capacity in 2022, my focus then changed to aligning myself with what I think is the best opportunity to win at Bathurst, and that was here.
“There’s a few familiar faces from when I was here in 2010 and 2011, so it will be great to work with those guys again, as well as Chaz, Nick and Luffy.
“This year will feel a little different, that’s for sure, but I’m really looking forward to getting behind the wheel today, and seeing how the WAU car feels.”
For Luff, it marks the ninth consecutive season with Walkinshaw Andretti United.
The elder statesman of the team, Luff has six Bathurst 1000 podiums to his name, all coming in the last decade.
“It’s fantastic to be back with Walkinshaw Andretti United once again, it’s been a great eight years together, and I’m really excited by what this year holds,” said Luff.
“The team has been building, no doubt, and I’m really excited to see that continue in 2022.
“Having Nick alongside Chaz this year is going to be great for the team, and I can’t wait to watch how they go early on in the season, before of course, getting ready for Bathurst with those two and Fabian.”
Team principal Bruce Stewart said he was quick to act to snag Coulthard’s services.
“We are absolutely rapt to have two drivers of Fabian and Warren’s calibre with us for Bathurst this year, it puts us in a really strong position alongside Nick and Chaz,” said Stewart.
“Fabian was a clear target of ours once he became available. There’s no doubt he has the talent to be a full-time driver in the category, so to have him with us is fantastic, and really strengthens our line-up, that’s for sure.
“Luffy joins us for year nine now, and we couldn’t speak more highly of him and what he’s done for our team. You just know he is going to do an excellent job every time he gets in the car.
“I’m really excited to see how all four drivers go this year, we’ve got a really important test day today to kickstart our year, so it will be great to have Chaz, Nick, Fabian and Luffy all get behind the wheel.”
Luff will also test with the team at Winton Motor Raceway today.
It’s expected confirmation of driver line-ups will be announced closer to the Bathurst 1000 on October 6-9.
Before that, the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship will get underway at Sydney Motorsport Park on March 4-6.
Discussion about this post