NO MORE EXCUSES
COURTNEY IN OVERDRIVE:
HOLDEN star James Courtney has opened up about the toughest year of his Supercars career and says the time for “excuses is now gone”.
Reflecting on the challenges of a horror start to 2017, Courtney admitted the season had been a “mental battle” but he remained hopeful the Mobil 1 HSV Racing team’s fortunes would turn around.
After finishing third in the opening race at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, the Gold Coast driver has endured a dramatic slide down the standings as the famous team’s form struggles snowballed into one of biggest storylines of the season.
The 2010 Supercars champion sits 18th in the standings after a horror last round at Winton as the series prepares to return from a four-week break at Darwin’s Hidden Valley this week.
Courtney, 36, said he had never experienced a season as challenging as this one.
“It’s been ridiculously frustrating. I think I’ve expressed it and people have seen it in my face, I haven’t been able to hide it at times,” Courtney said.
“I could 100 per cent guarantee you that yes, it is (the toughest year of my career).
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this far back in the championship, or any championship ever in my whole life of racing.
“Personally, it’s very tough, a mental battle with yourself as well as when you’re out there on the track doing it.
“You can never get away from it and constantly being reminded that you are not succeeding and the team isn’t delivering.
“But the time for excuses is gone and everyone has now accepted the drama for what it is and we are moving on.”
HSV Racing’s poor start to 2017 – Courtney’s teammate Scott Pye is also languishing 20th in the championship – claimed the scalp of team principal Adrian Burgess, who was given his marching orders the week before Winton.
While Courtney admitted the loss of Burgess had created a big shift in team dynamics, he said there had been some home truths delivered in the squad that he hoped would be the start of a form turnaround.
“Admitting the car isn’t up to scratch has probably been the biggest key for us over the last month and a bit,” Courtney said.
“It’s like being an alcoholic – if you don’t admit you’re an alcoholic, you’re never going to get better.
“As a group, everyone seems a lot happier now that everyone has admitted that the car is letting us down and now there’s been a light switched on at the end and we’re all chasing in the same direction rather than bumping into each other in the dark.”