Driver Database News

In his first V8 Supercar race since winning the Bathurst 1000 in October, Nick Percat has scored a podium finish in today’s opening Fujitsu V8 Supercar race at Sandown.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Percat pressured the frontrunners throughout the race and pulled off a bold last-lap move on David Russell to grab third place.

He also set the fastest lap of the race in the #222 Coates Hire Commodore and was the only driver in the 1 minute 11 second bracket.

“I got a good start and just focused on staying in touch with the leading pack,” said Percat.

“After a tough few events, I’m just happy to bring the car home in third and give the boys a well deserved result.”

So far it has been an outstanding weekend for the Coates Hire racer, who yesterday won the coveted 2011 SA Sports Star of the Year People’s Choice award.

“It’s a huge honour to win the award and to have so much support from my hometown.

“I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote for me!”

There are two races tomorrow, beginning with a 15-lap reverse grid race at 10.15am local time.

The top ten finishers from today’s race are reversed, meaning Percat will start from eighth.

The final 15-lap race at 1.30pm will conclude the Sandown event, which is the penultimate round of the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Nick Percat and Garth Tander have made history after claiming a thrilling win in the 2011 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 for the Toll Holden Racing Team.

It was a dream Bathurst 1000 debut for 23 year-old Nick, who became the first rookie to win Bathurst in over 30 years, the only previous rookie to ever win the great race was multiple F1 race winner and 6 times Le Mans Champion Jacky Ickx in 1977.

Nick and Garth’s Bathurst win also marked the 200th race win for the Holden Racing Team.

Percat put in an impressive performance in his first ever attempt at the Great Race. Despite a brush with the wall at Griffins Bend, he kept his cool and drove strongly in both his stints to hand the #2 Toll HRT Commodore back to Tander in race winning contention.

It was a nervous time in the Toll HRT garage for Percat as he watched Tander hold off a late charge from Craig Lowndes to win by just .29 seconds – the closest finishing margin in the history of the race.

“It was an amazing day, and it really is a credit to Garth and the team that we were able to win,” said Percat.

“Standing on the podium was nothing like I expected. I knew it would be pretty amazing but no words can describe what that was like.

“The atmosphere was unbelievable, there was a sea of red Holden flags as far as I could see. It was a pretty awesome place to get my first V8 Supercar race win!”

Growing up, Nick watched as his hero Peter Brock took on the mountain for the factory Holden team. Now at just 23 years of age, his is the newest name to be etched on the Peter Brock trophy.

Earlier in the weekend Percat hussled the Coates Hire Racing Development Series car to 4th and 8th respectively, building his on track experience in trying conditions, before stunning the crowd and the watching world with his win in the big one!

Nick will be back in action at Sandown Raceway over the weekend of the 18th – 20th of November for Coates Hire, be sure to stay tuned to further news on this superstar of the future.

Follow Nick on Twitter: twitter.com/NickPercat

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Coates Hire Racing’s Nick Percat has produced two of the standout drives of his short V8 Supercar career at the fourth round of the Fujitsu V8 Series at Queensland Raceway.

Percat qualified strongly in third but was an innocent victim of an opening lap incident in the first 14-lap race.

His #222 Coates Hire Commodore sustained extensive damage in the accident and was forced out of the race, leaving the Coates Hire team with a massive repair job.

“The team worked well into the night to repair the car and it’s a huge credit to the team that we were able to make it onto the grid on Sunday,” said Percat.

The first of Sunday’s two races – the top-ten reverse grid race – was the first full wet race of this year’s Fujitsu Series and also Percat’s first ever V8 Supercar race in wet weather.

Starting from 25th due to his Race 1 DNF, Percat charged through the field and passed 19 cars in just 9 green flag laps to finish 6th.

The feat was even more remarkable considering he drove the majority of the race with limited visibility due to a jammed windscreen wiper.

“It was my first V8 Supercar race in the wet so I chose to be conservative during the opening laps,” he explained.

“Rain is always a great leveler of the playing field and obviously I was happy with how we were able to drive through towards the front.

“It proved we are more than capable of being competitive in the wet weather and that’s important heading into the endurance races.”

The young Coates Hire driver then repeated his performance in the final race of the weekend, passing ten cars on the opening lap and finishing 8th after starting 22nd.

“Sure, it was disappointing that the accident in the first race cost us a chance of a podium finish, but we’ve proved that the #222 Coates Hire Commodore is competitive in both wet and dry conditions

“I can’t thank the team enough for the huge effort they put in this weekend.

“Importantly, we are ready for the endurance races. I’m happy with my pace in the #2 Toll HRT Commodore, I’m feeling fit and confident and ready to team with Garth Tander at Phillip Island next month.”

The next round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series supports the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 in October.

Percat will join Garth Tander in the #2 Toll HRT Commodore for the L&H 500 Phillip Island from September 16-18.

Nick Percat will be back behind the wheel of the #222 Coates Hire Racing Commodore as the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series heads north to Queensland Raceway this weekend.

The 3.1 kilometre Ipswich circuit is the home test track of the Queensland-based Fujitsu teams, but Percat says he isn’t fazed about heading into ‘enemy territory’.

“Although there are drivers in the field who’ve done plenty of testing miles around the circuit this year I don’t think it will prove to be much of an advantage,” said the Coates Hire racer.

“The score has been pretty equal between the Victorian teams and the locals in recent years.

“Last year I finished fifth in my first visit to Queensland Raceway in a V8 Supercar, so I’m confident the Coates Hire Racing team can go better again this year.”

Percat has qualified inside the top three at every Fujitsu round so far this year, and is focused on more strong results at Ipswich.

“Obviously the Coates Hire Ipswich 300 is a really important event for our team. The support we’ve had from Coates Hire this year has been terrific and I can’t wait to see plenty of orange and white at the track this weekend!

“I’d love nothing more than to repay their support and the team’s hard work with another podium finish.”

It will be another busy weekend for 22 year-old, who will again driving Garth Tander’s #2 Toll HRT Commodore during the first two V8 Supercar practice sessions on Friday.

The young racer is teaming with Garth Tander at the L&H 500 Phillip Island endurance race next month, and the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 in October.

“The endurance races are just around the corner and we are well into preparation for those, but my focus this weekend is on doing the job for the Coates Hire Racing team.”

Two Fujitsu practice sessions will be held on Friday, ahead of qualifying and the first 15-lap race on Saturday.

The top-ten reverse grid race and the final 22-lap race will be held on Sunday.

In a first for the Fujitsu Series, races 1 and 3 of this weekend’s round will be telecast as part of the Seven Network’s coverage from the Coates Hire Ipswich 300.

Race 1 will be shown on Saturday on 7, while Race 3 will be on Sunday on 7mate.

Queensland is the fourth round of seven in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Chevrolet Supercars ME Championship driver Raed Raffii was excited after his test with Paul Morris Motorsports today (Friday), and he wants more time in a V8 Supercar.

At the tender age of 21, Raffii tested Russell Ingall’s Supercheap Auto Commodore at Queensland Raceway and in doing so has become the youngest driver from the Middle East to ever drive a V8 Supercar.

“I am hopeful of being able to get back and do more testing and become better. I would definitely like to race V8 Supercars,” Raed enthused after climbing out of the driver’s seat.

“I can’t believe how fast V8 Supercars are, they’re very, very fast race cars.

“They are difficult cars to drive, very different to the Chevrolet Supercars I drive back home in Bahrain.

“I put a wheel off the track a couple of times; I found it hard to slow the car down, but then the team told me to apply more brake pressure; you have to stand on them (the brakes).”

Ingall and Paul Morris gave the young Bahraini plenty of tips to help him on his way.

“Paul took me out to show me how to drive a V8 Supercar properly and he was impressive, really quick,” Raffii commented.

“His and Russell’s advice was extremely helpful. It was a great experience, one I really enjoyed overall.

Morris described Raffii’s first V8 Supercar test as a success.

“V8 Supercars are unique cars to drive, but Raed has impressed us with his how he approached the test,” Morris said.

“He has genuine ability and is fast. Experience counts for a lot in this category, but I’m confident that with more testing he would quickly fit in and be competitive.”

V8 Supercars Australia CEO, Martin Whitaker, said Raffii’s introduction to V8 Supercars would lead to even greater interest in the category in the Middle East.

“I think what’s nice about today is that Raed has had the chance to realise his own dream and ambition to drive a V8 Supercar and I think the wonderful think about it is that he’s applied himself in a very professional manner,” Whitaker said.

“He’s listened to the advice; he’s taken the advice and slowly but surely bedded himself into driving the car, and from what I can see his lap times are very good.”

Whitaker said the test would hopefully eventuate to a Fujitsu Series drive for Raffii.

“And after that who knows what will happen,” he said.

“Most importantly from a Middle East perspective, it should help encourage greater interest in the races in both Bahrain and Abu Dhabi and hopefully see that translated into more spectators, more interest from investment and a greater television audience.”

Bahrain’s Raed Raffii was all smiles today after having his first taste of a full blown V8 Supercar at Queensland Raceway.

Raffii contests the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship, winning three races in the 14 round 2009/10 series, grabbing five podiums and six pole positions.

Raffii tested 2005 V8 Supercar Champion Russell Ingall’s #39 Supercheap Auto Commodore, the speed of the state-of-the-art V8 Supercar impressing the 21 year old.

“Incredible – I can’t believe how fast V8 Supercars are, they’re very, very fast race cars,” said Raffii.

“They are difficult cars to drive, very different to the Chevrolet Supercars I drive back home in Bahrain.

“I put a wheel off the track a couple of times, I found it hard to slow the car down, but then the team told me to apply more brake pressure – you have to stand on them!”
Paul Morris assists Raffii at today’s test

Paul Morris assists Raffii at today’s test

He was given the opportunity to test the Supercheap Auto Commodore V8 Supercar by series winner Fahad Al Musalam, who tested for Garry Rogers Motorsport in 2008.

Raffii was given driving tips by team owner Paul Morris and Ingall.

“Paul took me out to show me how to drive a V8 Supercar properly and he was impressive, really quick,” said Raffii.

“His and Russell’s advice was extremely helpful. It was a great experience, one I really enjoyed overall.

“I am hopeful of being able to get back and do more testing and become better. I would definitely like to race V8 Supercars.”

Morris said Raffii’s first V8 Supercar test was a success.

“V8 Supercars are unique cars to drive, but Raed has impressed us with his how he approached the test,” Morris said.

“He has genuine ability and is fast.

“Experience counts for a lot in this category but I’m confident that with more testing he would quickly fit in and be competitive.”

V8 Supercars Chief Executive Officer, Martin Whitaker said Raffii’s introduction to V8 Supercars would lead to even greater interest in the category in the Middle East.

“I think what’s nice about today is that Raed has had the chance to realise his own dream and ambition to drive a V8 Supercar and I think the wonderful think about it is that he’s applied himself in a very professional manner,” Whitaker said.

“Hopefully this will develop into a chance for Raed to get a drive in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series and after that who knows what will happen.”