Bates to lead WAU Super2 return

One of the biggest names in Australian motorsport will be fronting Walkinshaw Andretti United’s return to the Dunlop Super2 Series in 2023.

Zach Bates joins the team to make his debut in the Supercars pathway having been a winning machine in the Toyota 86 Australia Championship.

From 28 starts the teenager recorded 16 wins and 23 podium finishes across two seasons and just missed out on championship glory this year to Lachlan Gibbons.

The son of former World Rally Championship and Supercars Championship competitor Rick Bates also led the Toyota 86 championship standings in 2021, but was not crowned with the ultimate prize due to COVID-19.

Zach Bates has dominated the Toyota 86 Series in recent years.

However, he enters the Supercars world with plenty of momentum and cannot wait for the biggest challenge of his career.

“I’m really excited to be joining Walkinshaw Andretti United for the 2023 Super2 season,” said Bates, who jump in WAU machinery before his Newcastle debut.

“To join a team with so much experience is super cool, it is a big step for me, but there will be no shortage of people to learn off.

“It’s amazing already to be learning off some of the best in the business, and the entire Walkinshaw Andretti United team couldn’t have been more welcoming.

“I am really excited to get underway.”

Bates arrives at WAU at an interesting time as it enters the development series for the first time in a decade.

The last time the Walkinshaw name was seen in the Dunlop Series was 2012 when Nick Percat drove a Coates Hire backed Holden VE Commodore to five race wins against the likes of Scott McLaughlin, Scott Pye and Chaz Mostert.

Zach Bates will be the first WAU Dunlop Series driver since Nick Percat 10 years ago and the teen might possibly drive his 2022 Holden next year.

With Percat now racing in the Supercars team, WAU will turn to his Bathurst co-driver Warren Luff in a driver development advisor role to assist Bates and his yet to be announced teammate.

But leading the WAU Super2 programme is an even more entrenched member of the famous team, Rob Starr.

Starr has been at the team since the early Holden Racing Team days in 1991 and will be the team manager in the development series.

WAU will run this year’s two Holden ZB Commodores in the Dunlop Series despite making the high-profile to Ford next year.

“We are so excited to have Zach Bates join us in our Super2 programme for 2023, he is such an impressive young man in every aspect,” said Walkinshaw Andretti United team principal Bruce Stewart.

Warren Luff will be a key part of the WAU Super2 programme in a driver development position. Image: Daniel Kalisz/LAT Images

“Returning to the Dunlop Super2 Championship has been a big focus of ours, but only with the right people involved. 

“It’s a really important pathway for not only Zach and other drivers, but staff as well, from mechanics, engineers, it creates a pathway for a variety of different roles within our sport, so we are rapt to be competing, and to have Zach representing us.

“Importantly, we have some incredibly talented people involved, with Rob Starr leading the programme, with over 32 years of experience in our team, as well as Luffy there to help guide and nurture the young drivers with everything they have to deal with across the season… who better to learn from.

“We are really excited to see Zach develop in 2023, I’m sure his talent will become clear to all pretty quickly.”

The 2023 Dunlop Super2 Series kicks off on the streets of Newcastle on March 10-12.

For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport.