South Australian Supercars drivers Todd Hazelwood and Nick Percat will line-up for Brad Jones Racing in Adelaide
Croweaters Todd Hazelwood and Nick Percat will both drive for Brad Jones Racing at this weekend’s Superloop Adelaide 500, after the former swapped teams for the new Supercars season.
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A new season means a new teammate for two South Australian Supercar drivers who will race alongside each other for the first time at the Superloop Adelaide 500 this week.
Todd Hazelwood has switched teams to drive for Brad Jones Racing, joining fellow croweater Nick Percat.
The two South Aussies will get their first taste of season 2020 today, with Supercars holding the first test day of the year at The Bend Motorsport Park.
It is the first time any driver has sat behind the wheel of a Supercar since the final round in Newcastle last November, and it is just two days out from the season opener at the Adelaide street circuit.
Hazelwood, who has moved to Melbourne from the Gold Coast to be closer to the Albury-based operation, said there had been a few big differences to get his head around at his new team.
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The biggest is that the squad has four cars and drivers, meaning the number of staff is significantly larger than his former one-car team.
It is not a completely new setting, however, as he was employed as a co-driver with BJR in 2017.
“For me, there’s quite a lot of challenges to get used to in a short amount of time but we’ve had really good preparation coming into Adelaide,” he said.
“It definitely is an advantage having some sort of prior knowledge and understanding of the team.
“It’s a completely new car for me … I’m happy with the preparation going on behind the scenes and there’s no reason why we can’t have a great result if we’ve got a good package.”
Percat starts his fourth season with BJR hoping to “spray some champagne” this year, despite recording his best championship result in 2019 of ninth.
He said last year was the first time he had not achieved a podium-result since he was a boy and had set out not just for a top-five position in the championship but also to taste success.
While he does not have a new team to get his head around, he still will contend with the aerodynamic and suspension changes to the cars that are category-wide this year.
“The team cars (also) have got a few new bits and pieces,” he said.
Percat said the Adelaide 500 circuit was the most physically demanding, and despite the cooler weather forecast for the weekend, it would still feel “like an oven”.
“It’s definitely the hardest event of the year by far,” he said.
“The thing with this event is the last time you’ve driven the car was the last weekend in November – even if you’re fit enough to drive the car, it’s just the heat shock.
“In the AFL, they do 15 minutes and get to go off – for us, it’s ‘see you in two hours’.”
Originally published as South Australian Supercars drivers Todd Hazelwood and Nick Percat will line-up for Brad Jones Racing in Adelaide