Nick Percat

For the Australian racing driver Nick Percat, who is competing in the Supercars Championship since 2010, the biggest success so far is the victory at 2011 Bathurst 1000 race, and he did it in his first attempt at Mount Panorama.

Earlier in a career, before entering Supercars, Percat was the 2009 Australian Formula Ford Champion.

Nick Percat

Championship title in the first season of racing

Nick Percat was born on September 14, 1988, in Adelaide, South Australia. His first racing competition was Formula Ford Championship in 2005, both in South Australia and Victoria, and he took the title at the South Australian championship. Next year, he was the runner-up in the Aussie Racing Cars Super Series.

Nick was the 2009 Australian Formula Ford champion

In 2007, Percat stepped up into the Australian Formula Ford Championship, driving for Walkinshaw Performance Team BRM and finishing 7th in the points. In 2008, Percat was among the title contenders and he won nine races, but Paul Laskazeski took the title. In 2009 Australian Formula Ford Championship, Percat was a dominating driver, he took twelve wins in 23 races, and he became the champion with a big advantage over second-placed Mitch Evans.

Switching to V8 Supercars in 2010

In 2010, Percat changed the racing discipline and entered the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, the supporting series for the V8 Supercars Championship. He was driving the #222 Holden Commodore for Walkinshaw Performance and finished fourth in the points, with seven podiums in 18 races. In September 2010, Percat debuted in the main series, partnering Andrew Thompson in the #10 Walkinshaw's Holden at Phillip Island's L&H 500 race.

Nick Percat in 2010

Sensational win at 2011 Bathurst 1000

His second season in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series was again winless. With six podiums in 17 races, he was seventh in the points. Percat again had co-driving duties in the endurance races of the 2011 V8 Supercars Championship, with Garth Tander in the #2 Holden VE Commodore of the Holden Racing Team. After a fourth-place finish at Phillip Island, the sensational victory at Bathurst 1000 followed in October. Percat and Tander crossed the finish line just three-tenths of a second ahead of Triple Eight's Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife.

On October 30, Percat had a one-off return to the single-seater racing, participating in the Formula MRF races at Buddh International Circuit, which was the support event of the Formula One Indian Grand Prix. Percat won the first race, after starting from the pole, and retired in the second race.

2011 Bathurst 1000 winners

Six wins in the 2012 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series

For 2012, Percat stayed in the supporting series, that was renamed to Dunlop V8 Supercar Series. Still driving for Walkinshaw Performance, he won six races and finished fourth in the points. In the main V8 SC Championship, he was again partnering Garth Tander in the #2 Holden in the endurance races, participating at Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000. At Mount Panorama, Tander and Percat finished 25th, 22 laps down from the winners.

Runner-up in the 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia

In 2013 season, Percat's main competition was the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia. He was driving for the Team BRM and finished second in the points, behind Craig Baird. In twenty races, Percat was the winner five times.

In the V8 Supercars Championship, Percat's campaign with Holden Racing Team was expanded to seven races, as he competed not only in the endurance races but also in the last two races at Sydney Homebush Street Circuit. His best result was fourth place at Bathurst 1000, again with Garth Tander in the #2 Holden.

2014 - first full season in the V8 Supercars Championship

In 2014, Percat joined James Rosenberg Racing for his first full season in the V8 Supercars Championship. He was driving the #222 Holden VF Commodore. In August, he reached his first podium, finishing second at Sydney Motorsport Park.

For endurance races, Percat's co-driver was Oliver Gavin. At Bathurst 1000, in the longest race of Mount Panorama's history (almost eight hours), Percat and Gavin finished third and the best among Holden crews. At the end of the season, Percat was 12th in the final V8 SC standings.

Nick Percat joined LD Motorsport in 2015

Percat joined Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport for 2015

In December 2014, it was announced that Percat would have to move to Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport for 2015 season. The #222 Holden was far from the podiums and Percat's best result was sixth place at the Gold Coast 600. His co-driver in the endurance races was Oliver Gavin again. At 2015 Bathurst 1000, the duo finished 19th. Percat missed the last two rounds because of the foot injury and he finished 22nd in the final standings.

A dreamy start of 2016 season

Percat had a dreamy start of the 2016 season, winning the third race of the season-opening Clipsal 500 event at Adelaide Street Circuit. He became the first South Australian driver to win the South Australian round of the championship. By the end of the season, the #222 Holden was on the back of the field. For endurance races, Percat has a new co-driver: Cameron McConville. Their best result was third place at Bathurst 1000.

Besides driving #222 Holden VF Commodore, Percat also has occasional appearances in other series and non-championship races, for example, Bathurst 12 Hour with Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport's Lamborghini Gallardo or Porsche Carrera Cup with McElrea Racing's 991 GT3 Cup.

2016 Clipsal 500 winner

Moving to Brad Jones Racing in 2017

For the 2017 V8 Supercars season, Percat joined Brad Jones Racing to drive the #8 Holden VF Commodore. He isn't successful as in the previous season, scoring just one podium. He was third in the first race at Hidden Valley Raceway. At Bathurst 1000, he and Macauley Jones didn't finish the race. At the end of the season, Percat finished 18th in the points.

In 2018, he stayed in the #8 BJR Holden, scoring two podiums in Melbourne's championship round. He finished the season tenth in the points.

Photos:  adelaidenow.com.au