BIG expectations and big pressures but big opportunities - that is how Anton De Pasquale is viewing the 2021 Supercars season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When De Pasquale buckles in at Mount Panorama for opening practice in the Bathurst 500 on Friday, he will be sitting behind the wheel of the #100 Shell V-Power Racing Mustang.
The switch comes after three seasons racing an Erebus Commodore.
De Pasquale knows joining an outfit which won three consecutive drivers' championships with Scott McLaughlin - who has departed to race in the IndyCar series - and the last two teams championships brings with it certain expectations.
But he's excited about what lies ahead.
"It's always exciting with new things in life, it's pretty cool to join a new team and obviously the team which won the last drivers' championship and team championship and so on, so I've got a good opportunity," he said.
"It's one that comes with big expectations and pressures and all that, but it's really good and I'm really excited.
"There are a couple of people you'd probably call favourites based on previous years, but having no defending champion is something we haven't seen for a fair while. That leaves an opportunity, a gap to fill in terms of results, and obviously Scotty was a big fan favourite too."
De Pasquale and his fellow competitors will tackle a pair of 250 kilometre races at the Mount and no doubt the 25-year-old will have some new fans - those loyal to his team boss Dick Johnson - cheering him on.
"As soon as it came out I was coming here I got a lot of messages from fans who were excited and you can see the amount of passion and loyalty people have to the brand and to the team," he said.
"Ultimately motivation comes from winning the races, but when you know there's a lot of people counting on you, supporting you and pushing you all the way, it definitely doesn't hurt," he said.
"For me back-to-back races now in a different car with a different team is going to be really cool. It's going to be the first real test of what are the real differences."
De Pasquale joins Will Davison in a new look line up for Shell V-Power Racing with both McLaughlin (IndyCars) and Fabian Coulthard (Team Sydney) having departed after spending the past four seasons with the team.
Opening practice for the Bathurst 500, which has been reportedly increased from a 40-minute session to an hour, is expected to start at noon on Friday.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.westernadvocate.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News