TRIPLE EIGHT BATHURST WINNING ENGINEER TO JOIN WAU

Triple Eight Bathurst winning Race Engineer to join Walkinshaw Andretti United – Photo: Supplied

Bathurst winner Shane van Gisbergen’s race engineer, Grant McPherson, is set to leave Triple Eight Race Engineering to join Walkinshaw Andretti United for 2021.

By DAMION SMY

In a significant coup for Walkinshaw, the move strengthens the Victorian team’s already considerable engineering arsenal and sees McPherson leave the Red Bull team having engineered van Gisbergen’s recent 2020 Bathurst win.

McPherson has been Car 97’s engineer since 2016, when van Gisbergen took his maiden and currently sole Supercars title, after starting at Red Bull Racing in 2015 where he engineered Craig Lowndes’ 888 Commodore, including the Holden star’s sixth Bathurst victory.

McPherson also spent seven years at Ford Performance Racing where he worked with drivers including Will Davison and Mark Winterbottom, among others.

In a new role, McPherson will add to the talented engineering squad at the Clayton-based team, which saw race engineer Adam De Borre join with Chaz Mostert from Tickford for 2020 and is not expected to replace any of the existing engineering staff.

A source from the team said the move is part of its continued push to the front of the Supercar field: “We want to win championships.”

McPherson joins technical director Carl Faux, Rob Starr and Terry Kerr at Walkinshaw in a formidable brain trust of engineering experience and know-how, with a concerted effort including the arrival of Mostert and De Borre in a revitalised team for 2020.

In a compounded 2020 Supercars championship, Mostert finished fifth in overall in his first year with the Holden team, with highlights including second place at the season-opener in Adelaide, a Pole Position at The Bend and a Bathurst podium with co-driver Warren Luff.

Bryce Fullwood has also been re-signed for 2021 following a strong rookie year with the team.

Triple Eight Racing has not yet confirmed the move, with a replacement for McPherson is yet to be determined on the highly fancied No 97 ZB Commodore.

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