How Stanaway went from “forgetting how to drive” to taming the Mountain

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 9 October 2023

Richie Stanaway has taken no ordinary road to the Peter Brock Trophy, having endured the highs and lows of motorsport in recent years and has credited Triple Eight and Greg Murphy for putting him on the pathway to success.

Stanaway will forever be known as a king of the Mountain having won the 2023 Bathurst 1000 alongside Shane van Gisbergen.

They are just the second ever all Kiwi combination to do it and first since Greg Murphy and Steven Richards did it in 1999.

Whilst van Gisbergen is the biggest star for the sport, being so talented he is off the NASCAR in 2024 and not only winning three of the last four Great Races, but being close to winning them for the best part of a decade prior, few would have seen Stanaway on the Bathurst podium coming as recently as 2022.

Shane van Gisbergen and Richie Stanaway were both faultless throughout the day, with SVG taking his third Bathurst win in four years. Image: EDGE Photography

Stanaway watched the 2021 Bathurst 1000 from the couch, having not touched a Supercar since his first crack at full-time racing ended abruptly in 2019 after a tough time at Tickford and infamous spell with Garry Rogers Motorsport.

But the Kiwi made a comeback in an Erebus Motorsport wildcard with the returning Greg Murphy the following year and made a massive impression, qualifying fourth and eventually finishing 11th in tricky conditions.

This performance proved he had rediscovered his confidence and Triple Eight signed him for the biggest co-driver seat on the grid.

The move has well and truly paid off with not only a Peter Brock Trophy, but also a full time gig at Grove Racing.

Richie Stanaway celebrating a GP2 win at Monaco

Prior to having a crack at Supercars, Stanaway had already achieved a significant amount in motorsport, going to Europe and winning at both Formula 1 feeder series GP3 and GP2, most notably on the streets of Monaco in the latter.

After debuting in Supercars for Super Black Racing with Chris Pither in 2016, he spent more time focusing on racing down under then overseas for the first time in 2017 and it led to Sandown 500 glory in 2017.

Tickford was so impressed it offered him a full time drive in 2018 but it did not work out and he was on the move to GRM at the last minute the following year, but that also infamously went haywire.

Richie Stanaway topped the final session of the day - Photo: InSyde Media

Richie Stanaway had his first crack at full time racing with Tickford in 2018, but it did not go to plan.

The Kiwi took a complete break from the sport, but now he is back, refreshed and better than ever.

“I am feeling pretty good, it was a pretty rough time when I stopped racing,” Stanaway said.

“So if you asked me a couple of years ago if I would have been on the top step at Bathurst I would have said it felt like a million miles away.

“It is pretty surreal just to be here.”

Stanaway further opened up, revealing his confidence was so shot he thought he “forgotten how to drive” after the GRM episode.

Richie Stanaway made his last Supercars start at Winton - Photo: InSyde Media

Richie Stanaway completed his last full time Supercars season in 2019 with GRM and it led to him taking a break from racing all together.

But through the help of Murphy at last year’s wildcard and working with the most successful team ever, Triple Eight this year, he is ready to take on the challenge of racing in Supercars full time again.

“I definitely felt I made the right decision at the time (to take a break),” Stanaway said.

I do not regret it and enjoyed my time away.

“But I had enough time between stopping racing and the wildcard opportunity last year when I was open to the idea of coming back.

“Last year with Greg I needed that inspiration to come back and do the same again with Shane this year.

Richie Stanaway has credited not only SVG and Triple Eight, but also wildcard co-driver Greg Murphy for his comeback. Image: Mark Horsburgh

“It has been from my experience working with Triple Eight that has given me confidence because that was pretty low after 2019. I just felt like I forgotten how to drive basically.

“But now at a great team like this it has given me a huge boost and that is why when the opportunity to race at Grove I was certain it was the right thing to come back.

“It is very satisfying to get things back on track.”

Image: Peter Norton Epic Sports Photography

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How Stanaway went from “forgetting how to drive” to taming the Mountain

Stanaway watched the 2021 Bathurst 1000 from the couch, having not touched a Supercar since his first crack at full-time racing ended abruptly in 2019 after a tough time at Tickford and infamous spell with Garry Rogers Motorsport.

The move has well and truly paid off with not only a Peter Brock Trophy, but also a full time gig at Grove Racing.

Tickford was so impressed it offered him a full time drive in 2018 but it did not work out and he was on the move to GRM at the last minute the following year, but that also infamously went haywire.

“So if you asked me a couple of years ago if I would have been on the top step at Bathurst I would have said it felt like a million miles away.

“I definitely felt I made the right decision at the time (to take a break),” Stanaway said.

“It has been from my experience working with Triple Eight that has given me confidence because that was pretty low after 2019. I just felt like I forgotten how to drive basically.

Listen to our latest podcast episode here or on your podcast app of choice.

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