Mostert wary of Darwin challenges
Chaz Mostert is determined to finally have a crack at the Supercars title in 2024, but is wary of the challenges the Darwin Triple Crown throws up this weekend.
Whilst Mostert is regarded as one of the best drivers on the grid with close to 100 podiums, he is yet to mount a serious championship challenge.
By his own admission 2015 was his best shot, but that was cut short by a scary crash at Mount Panorama and he missed the final four rounds.
On a high from his first win in two years at Perth, Mostert believes 2024 could be his next best chance.
After being in the top five in the last five years, the 32-year-old currently third as the best of the rest behind the Triple Eight drivers, the #25 driver hopes his Wanneroo win can spark the title challenge both he and WAU have been waiting for a long time.
Chaz Mostert’s WAU 24 Indigenous Round livery. Image: RACE PROJECT
“The championship has alluded me and I have only really had one year where I thought I had a shot and I didn’t event finish it in 2015 (but) I feel like it is a good opportunity this year,” Mostert said.
“But everyone can have a big round and say ‘we are back’ so we just need to keep building across these next couple of rounds.
“We have a few points away at the start of the year which hurt a bit like losing the wheel at Taupo and the Grand Prix where I was a bit aggressive with the car.
“It is good to think hopefully our championship can start now and hopefully some of these other guys can make some mistakes along the way.”
Mostert heads to Hidden Valley where he has enjoyed previous success at in 2015, 2021 and 2022, but last year WAU struggled.
The best the #25 could qualify was 17th, while on Sunday it started both races from the very back.
Chaz Mostert celebrates his first win since Adelaide 2022. Image: RACE PROJECT
The race pace was much better with Mostert impressively still managing two top 10 finishes, but that will be the minimum required this weekend on the SuperSoft tyre if the dreamed championship pursuit will become a reality.
Mostert feels overcoming the SuperSoft tyre around Hidden Valley could be a big factor.
“The biggest challenge will be the SuperSoft tyre and how the three different compounds change the car a lot,” he said.
“I don’t think the degradation will be the factor.
“Last year I don’t think I qualified off the second to last row so it will be great to know we have made some improvements and delete last year out of our minds.
“We will need to see if we are good on the Supersoft tyre.
“If not we have some things to bank on to chuck at it to see if we can make it happen.”
Despite last year’s Darwin pain, Mostert and WAU are high on confidence fresh from their drought-breaking win at Wanneroo.
“It feels awesome,” Mostert said.
Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Chaz Mostert racing hard at Darwin last year.
“We were super close at Bathurst and Taupo so to finally be able to achieve it was awesome.
“The car was unreal, super fast and the team was great in the pit stops.
“We have been working extremely hard so looking forward to Darwin and we will look to just keep the momentum going.
“We have a pretty good car but there are always little things to work on.”
Image: Mark Horsburgh
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