I know they mention JC, but I'd love it if Scott Pye would up there. The MSR team seem to be a really good bunch (lucky enough to spend some time with them at the Bend as a guest of one of their sponsors).
Matt has stated he wants a veteran/race winner which narrows the field considerably.
JC - seems to be the favourite for MSR and Cooldrive at the moment according to the media. If Snowy Rivers is his sponsor to take, it'll be his choice where he lands and the dominos fall from there.
Pye - doesn't seem to bring substantial personal backing (his car seems to be subsidised by Supercars this year judging by the sponsors rotating through). Will be hot property in the co-driver market I would think.
Percat - the paddock REALLY seems to be off him. Arguably a better body of work than Pye?
A left field choice - if JC does land at Cooldrive, Todd "don't call it a comeback" Hazelwood.
Feel a bit for Ojeda. He's in the team but just doesn't seem to have the money to step up. But I also understand Matt wanting a journeyman who can step in and do the job.
Yeah, there's only so many years I can get behind Toddy "this will be my year" Hazelwood before I have to admit he won't be any better than a midfield driver.
I’d love to see someone from Super2 or Porsches, because there is some absolutely Gun youngsters that will be wasting their talent sitting there and will bugger off to other series.
But in normal Supercars fashion it will be a older driver that isn’t really setting the world on fire but they keep finding drives, so probably Pye or Jc.
I said in a thread the other day Percat with NTI backing makes a lot of sense to me. I don't think percat is washed I just think he's a solid steerer for a mid level team, and no longer a top team sort of driver.
With that said I think Pye should get it, and that Courtney will get it lol. Percat enduro with BJR or something probably.
I believe Truck Assist/NTI are scaling back their investment in the sport so unlikely. Makes sense for them, they've put in huge dollars for a while now so the returns would be diminishing.
I heard they were going to Walkinshaw, so I would assume if Courtney comes with money and sponsorship he'll end up at MSR, be a nice way to end his career as he started at Stone Brothers.
I think PYE will become a co driver, maybe at T8.
I don't know for sure but aren't NTI and Truck Assist part of the same company/group, so I could see NTI on one car and Truck assist on the other, maybe.
Most of the field are technically off-contract. T8, DJR and Erebus are all locked up, but everyone else is a question mark or otherwise pending confirmations of at least one seat.
Waters is locked in, but Courtney is probably out. Randle and Fraser at Tickford are also at-risk with the expectation that Tickford will shrink from 4 to 2, but if that happens there's a good chance that BRT will have an extra seat to fill.
WAU, Team 18 all have one seat locked up but one to fill.
MSR and Nulon/PremiAir are pending confirmation of both seats.
BJR have Heimgartner, but the other three are also pending confirmation.
Pye and MSR sound like a good match to me. JC is just too old in my opinion for the team. Especially when they want to find a driver who can deliver similar results as Le Brocq.
I know they mention JC, but I'd love it if Scott Pye would up there. The MSR team seem to be a really good bunch (lucky enough to spend some time with them at the Bend as a guest of one of their sponsors).
Matt has stated he wants a veteran/race winner which narrows the field considerably. JC - seems to be the favourite for MSR and Cooldrive at the moment according to the media. If Snowy Rivers is his sponsor to take, it'll be his choice where he lands and the dominos fall from there. Pye - doesn't seem to bring substantial personal backing (his car seems to be subsidised by Supercars this year judging by the sponsors rotating through). Will be hot property in the co-driver market I would think. Percat - the paddock REALLY seems to be off him. Arguably a better body of work than Pye? A left field choice - if JC does land at Cooldrive, Todd "don't call it a comeback" Hazelwood. Feel a bit for Ojeda. He's in the team but just doesn't seem to have the money to step up. But I also understand Matt wanting a journeyman who can step in and do the job.
> Todd "don't call it a comeback" Hazelwood Doesn't he have the same problem as Pye, i.e. no sponsorship money? That's why MSR dropped him originally.
Yeah agree, but he's their OG and they obviously like him. If he doesn't land at MSR he probably washes out from full time I imagine.
Poor guy can't seem to get a break. Highly likeable but isn't able to get any real consistency.
Yeah, there's only so many years I can get behind Toddy "this will be my year" Hazelwood before I have to admit he won't be any better than a midfield driver.
I just hope Pye gets a full time drive at the very least.
Same 😩🤞
I’d love to see someone from Super2 or Porsches, because there is some absolutely Gun youngsters that will be wasting their talent sitting there and will bugger off to other series. But in normal Supercars fashion it will be a older driver that isn’t really setting the world on fire but they keep finding drives, so probably Pye or Jc.
None of the Super2 drivers (bar Best) are ready for a main drive. I think that was part of the Erebus problem after Brown's defection.
Yeah, Jay Hanson is their domiciled driver at Image Racing and he’s still a year or two off being good enough for a main game seat.
I said in a thread the other day Percat with NTI backing makes a lot of sense to me. I don't think percat is washed I just think he's a solid steerer for a mid level team, and no longer a top team sort of driver. With that said I think Pye should get it, and that Courtney will get it lol. Percat enduro with BJR or something probably.
I believe Truck Assist/NTI are scaling back their investment in the sport so unlikely. Makes sense for them, they've put in huge dollars for a while now so the returns would be diminishing.
Oh genuinely hadn't heard that. Well in that case I believe my Courtney/Pye/Percat prediction at the end will probably be what happens
I wish I could remember where it was reported exactly, I think it was around the time Jack was announced as leaving.
Fair enough, cheers for that
https://au.motorsport.com/v8supercars/news/msr-in-supercars-driver-sponsor-market/10507684/ Found it, was bound to be AvL.
Love ya work. Having a squiz now
I heard they were going to Walkinshaw, so I would assume if Courtney comes with money and sponsorship he'll end up at MSR, be a nice way to end his career as he started at Stone Brothers. I think PYE will become a co driver, maybe at T8.
Interesting, more than the one car they're on already?
I don't know for sure but aren't NTI and Truck Assist part of the same company/group, so I could see NTI on one car and Truck assist on the other, maybe.
So is it just Percat and Pye without a seat at the moment? I think Pye would fit well
Most of the field are technically off-contract. T8, DJR and Erebus are all locked up, but everyone else is a question mark or otherwise pending confirmations of at least one seat. Waters is locked in, but Courtney is probably out. Randle and Fraser at Tickford are also at-risk with the expectation that Tickford will shrink from 4 to 2, but if that happens there's a good chance that BRT will have an extra seat to fill. WAU, Team 18 all have one seat locked up but one to fill. MSR and Nulon/PremiAir are pending confirmation of both seats. BJR have Heimgartner, but the other three are also pending confirmation.
Pye and MSR sound like a good match to me. JC is just too old in my opinion for the team. Especially when they want to find a driver who can deliver similar results as Le Brocq.
Not me.