Walkinshaw Andretti United’s tribute livery to Holden Racing Team has broken cover ahead of this weekend’s Valo Adelaide 500.
CLICK HERE for a gallery of the livery
The famous lion will bow out of the Supercars Championship following the 2022 season finale, replaced by General Motors’ Chevrolet Camaro next year as part of Gen3.
While Holden will leave Supercars’ top tier, adding to the significance is that WAU will race Ford Mustangs in 2023, as first reported by Speedcafe.com.
To mark the occasion, both Chaz Mostert’s (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Racing) and Nick Percat’s (#2 Mobil 1 NTI Racing) ZB Commodores will pay homage to WAU’s Holden Racing Team era.
The livery draws inspiration from design elements of the team’s early 1990 cars, including the iconic lion and helmet.
A thank you message to the ‘red army’ is situated on the roof, while Mostert and Percat will also wear race suits featuring the tribute look.
Major sponsor, Optus, has also got behind the throwback by using its 30-year-old logo.
A photoshoot with the #25 and #2 was conducted earlier in the week at the Holden Elizabeth plant in Adelaide.
The team previously carried the Holden Racing Team moniker for 27 years.
WAU Team Principal, Bruce Steward said: “We wanted to do something special for the last ever Holden race, and it just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t have the lion and the helmet on the side of our cars for one last time, we know how much it means to so many people.
“This team has had such a long a storied history with Holden, we bled red, our fans bled red, so for the final roar, it’s only fitting we reflect back on the journey we’ve had and thank everyone involved, from the fans who have supported us through thick and thin, the thousands of people who contributed to Holden over its journey, and everyone here who has been a part of our team.
“It finishing in Adelaide is also fitting, with so many people contributing to the Holden legacy just down the road at the Elizabeth plant, the place Nick’s father, grandfather and great grandfather worked as well – these people were the lifeblood of Holden.
“A thank you to all of our partners who have supported this, we are looking forward to hopefully sending the brand off in the best possible way over the weekend.”
Just yesterday, Red Bull Ampol Racing showed off its own Holden tribute livery for Shane van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney’s ZB Commodores.
Supercars Practice 1 begins on Thursday at 15:55 local time/16:25 AEDT.