James Courtney says his contract on the Blanchard Racing Group is more likely to be his final as a full-time Supercars driver.
The 2010 Supercars champion has signed with the increasing Ford squad for the following two years as a part of an all-new driver line-up alongside younger gun Aaron Love, who will make the step up from Super2.
BRT is rising from a single to a two-car operation and Courtney stated he was excited to assist mentor the following technology at an outfit that’s entering into a brand new path after bidding farewell to Todd Hazelwood.
Courtney’s end-of-season departure from Tickford Racing, which is slicing again from 4 automobiles to 2 subsequent season, was confirmed on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old stated he was excited concerning the “clear slate” at BRT and the position he may play in serving to information Love, 21, at first of his Supercars profession.
“It’s just about a clear slate with these guys with the growth and the path (workforce co-principal) Tim Blanchard is desirous to take the workforce,” Courtney stated. “It’s very thrilling.
“Pairing up with Aaron can be one other thrilling prospect. He is among the rising stars of the Supercar ranks and I stay up for taking him below my wing as a mentor.
“I’ve little question he has the velocity to essentially push me and the workforce ahead.
“With the expansion and the path Tim and the entire workforce at BRT are attempting to take all of it, I hope that my expertise, calmness and every part I’ve accomplished beforehand may also help with that and attempt to velocity up that entire course of.”
In his fourth season at Tickford, Courtney sits thirteenth within the Supercars championship this yr however steered his new deal was more likely to be his final as a full-time driver.
“We’ve two years on this set-up and I feel that’s nearly it,” stated Courtney, who has raced in Supercars since 2006.
“There was loads of considering on my half. I’m within the twilight of my profession, so to talk.
“I really like racing and would like to preserve going and race without end however I’m a realist as effectively and with what we’re making an attempt to do with BRT, it’s about constructing the workforce after which the following technology as effectively.
“We’ll do these two years after which we’ll see how we go. I feel the world can have seen sufficient of me by then however I’ll squeeze a little bit bit extra juice out of this lemon.”
Love is campaigning for BRT within the feeder Supercars sequence and ran in a wildcard for the workforce on this yr’s endurance races at Sandown and within the Bathurst 1000, the place he completed nineteenth alongside Jake Kostecki.
The rookie stated he was grateful to be given the chance to make the transfer to the primary sport however acknowledged it was going to be a “problem to step up”.
Blanchard stated the combination of expertise and youth was the proper mixture for the workforce.
“It’s thrilling to have Aaron and James on board as we take the following step in our improvement as a workforce,” Blanchard stated.
“We’re additionally excited to observe Aaron develop as he has rapidly confirmed himself as being certainly one of Supercars’ hottest prospects.
“Todd Hazelwood has been an vital a part of the BRT story up to now.
“We thank him for his contribution to our improvement in 2023 and we hope to work with him once more sooner or later.”
Initially revealed as Supercars 2023: All the news and analysis ahead of the Gold Coast 500
