Coates Hire Racing and 2011 Bathurst winner Nick Percat are continuing their winning partnership in 2013, entering the Porsche Australia Carrera Cup, with Team BRM.
Percat and Coates Hire Racing have enjoyed a successful relationship since 2011 in V8 Supercars with Percat, one of the stars of the Dunlop Series in 2011 and 2012.
Now the distinctive Coates Hire orange and white hues, together with Percats familiar racing number 222, will be seen on a Porsche Carrera Cup car for the first time.
While this is Percats first foray into the ultra competitive championship, it's also a reunion for the Adelaide born driver and South Australian motorsport organisation, Team BRM, who ran Nick in his earlier Formula Ford and Formula Three days. Percat will also team up with former mechanic Roger Dutton.
Percats first race in the Porsche is on his home track this weekend at the Clipsal 500, where last year he finished second overall in the Dunlop Series races, driving the Coates Hire Racing Commodore V8 Supercar.
Before arriving in Adelaide, Percat had his first drive of the Porsche at Winton Raceway (Victoria) last week and said afterwards: I am very excited to be joining the Porsche Carrera Cup and want to thank Coates Hire for the opportunity. I am looking forward to the challenge of competing in this championship with everyone having identical cars. It will also be great to work with my old team at BRM once again.
The Porsche Cup car does everything you want it to; it stops and turns into corners brilliantly and really puts its power down well. It's one of the best cars Ive ever driven. Its fun to drive and as a driver you are rewarded for driving it hard, which is good.
My home track in the Adelaide parklands is great to race on. Ive been there in a Formula Ford and a V8 Supercar and its an awesome place. I think in a Porsche Cup car that does everything almost perfectly its going to be fantastic and to attack the chicane and that first sector is going to be a lot of fun. You also have the daunting turn eight and need to be on rails through there, I cant wait.
Jeremy Hill: Strategic Marketing Manager, Coates Hire We are delighted to support Nick as he moves into the Porsche Carrera Cup. Coates Hire Racing and Nick have enjoyed a successful partnership since 2011 and we are confident he will be highly competitive in this exciting championship.
"Coates Hire is the largest equipment hire company in Australia and the fifth largest globally. Success in our business is achieved by our people and their outstanding teamwork and it's no different to Nick and his team in the competitive motorsport landscape.
Mark Rundle: Team BRM This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved. Nicks a great young driver and to have him back with our team in our Carrera Cup operation, backed by Coates Hire is going to be exciting for everyone.
Nick ran with us in Formula Ford 2007 and also some rounds of the F3 championship in 2008 and with what he has achieved so far, its great to be a part of his future. To have a South Australian team and a South Australian driver competing at our home track in Adelaide is quite exciting. Hopefully we will get some strong hometown support.
"I think Nicks experience with street circuits should stand him in good stead for Adelaide. So we are looking at coming out of the blocks strongly from round one and being extremely competitive.
