Stanaway linked to WAU 2020 Supercars drive after GRM controversy
Former GP2 driver Richie Stanaway could find a Supercars career lifeline at Walkinshaw Andretti United
Stanway's Supercars future has become uncertain after Garry Rogers Motorsport announced its departure from Supercars at the end of 2019.
A further twist came when Stanaway was stood down for the Gold Coast race after missing scheduled fan signing session before qualifying, and it is yet to be determined if he will return for Sandown and Newcastle.
Stanaway's benching is the latest twist in his turbulent Supercars career after falling out with Tickford Racing during 2018, and he suffered the setback of a neck injury this year. Stanway is understood to be talking to several teams about a 2020 drive, including WAU.
WAU is set for an all-new line-up next season as Chaz Mostert is expected to take one seat, and Stanaway is among those in contention for the other.
There is also a link between Stanaway and sponsor Boost Mobile, which played a key role in landing him the GRM seat for 2019.
- The Supercars silly season
- GRM exits the series
- The many twists of the driver market
- Nissan to leave the grid
- The new team making moves
Boost boss Peter Adderton is currently in a stand-off with Supercars over improving technical parity, having pledged to not be a major team sponsor until a control upright is introduced.
Supercars is not planning to make such a move until at least 2022, and it played a key part in GRM's exit from Supercars.
Adderton has indicated via social media that the company is still open to backing individual drivers, which leaves the door ajar for a potential Stanaway/WAU tie-up.
After winning yesterday's Gold Coast race, close friend Shane van Gisbergen made a public plea for Stanaway to not give up Supercars.
"I had some good chats with him the last few weeks and then again told him to call me this week," said van Gisbergen.
"He's been through a tough few years, and he's probably a bit misunderstood in some ways publicly.
"He's a ripper of a kid, and what he went through in Europe, pretty isolated there when he broke his back and stuff.
"It's taken a long time to recover from it, but he's a star driver and probably hasn't had the right stuff to show his potential here and obviously he's been frustrated by it.
"When you race in Europe and that, you don't do any media stuff, you just race the car and that's it, and that's a lot of your job here.
"He probably hasn't had the right training or the right attitude for it, and that's reflected a bit.
"He's a ripper of a kid, I just hope he doesn't give up with his racing and keeps charging. I thought Garry would have been good for him, but he hasn't really moved forward.
"I hope we all don't give up on him. He's a good kid."
Supercars plans Super2 support revamp to keep talent on "pathway"
Jamie Whincup working on post-Supercars retirement plan
When Nissan ruled Australia with its 'Godzilla' Group A special
The Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R was the fastest Group A touring car ever. It cleaned up at the Bathurst 1000 and in the Australian Touring Car Championship, and is fondly remembered by the drivers who monstered it to success on the world-famous Mount Panorama
Ranking the top 10 Supercars drivers of 2021
It may have been a one-man title fight in Supercars this season, but behind dominant champion Shane van Gisbergen were some fascinating performances. Autosport picks out the best drivers of the 2021 campaign.
The well-travelled racer now Supercars' elder statesman
James Courtney has been around the block in his motorsport career it's fair to say. After a single-seater career cut short, he's won everything there is to win in Supercars. Following a rocky ride recently in the Australian category, he's found a happy hunting ground with Tickford Racing, as Andrew van Leeuwen explains
How taming his temper shaped Supercars' slow-burn star
His decision to leave Brad Jones Racing was the biggest shock of the Australian Supercars silly season so far. But for Nick Percat, it comes as the culmination of a personal journey that has made him into one of the most rounded drivers in the series, now in search of a seat that can make him a champion
Why replacing Supercars' GOAT with a teenager is worth the risk for T8
On the face of it, picking an 18-year-old rookie to replace arguably the greatest Supercars driver of all time is a risky move. But as Jamie Whincup takes up a team principal role and hands his car to Broc Feeney, it's one that he is confident will be rewarded in the fullness of time - time which wasn't afforded to Whincup in his early days
Can DJR still be a Supercars powerhouse after Penske?
OPINION: Roger Penske's operation helped lift Dick Johnson's faltering Ford team back to the top of Australian tin-tops. But, despite The Captain's departure, along with star driver Scott McLaughlin, there's no reason to expect an imminent decline from DJR
Why Whincup's next move is no calculated gamble
Supercars' most successful team of the past 15 years is set for a radical shakeup next year when Jamie Whincup retires from driving and takes over the reins at Triple Eight. But the team's outgoing boss Roland Dane has full faith that he'll be up to the task
The top 10 Supercars drivers of 2020
In a year of few constants, the Australian Supercars championship could be relied upon for its usual blend of rough and tumble racing with a V8 soundtrack. But who were its top performers in 2020?