Erebus Motorsport has announced Ash Walsh will join the team for the 2015 V8 Supercars Championship.
Walsh, who currently sits second in the Dunlop Series driver’s championship heading into next weekend’s final round at the Sydney 500, will replace the Charlie Schwerkolt Racing bound Lee Holdsworth in the #4 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG for the next two years.
Walsh will join his new Erebus Motorsport team-mate Will Davison in January next year after three-years in the Dunlop (development) series with Matt Stone Racing. The 26-year-old has also made six V8 Supercars Championship event starts as a co-driver with Dick Johnson Racing in the Pirtek Enduro Cup since 2013.
“I feel like it’s been something that I’ve worked towards my entire life really, trying to make it as a professional race driver. So for me, it’s the culmination of many years of hard work and I’m very proud to represent Erebus and thankful for the opportunity they’ve given me,” said Walsh.
“Will is a driver with a pretty impressive CV, so for me, I need to take all the benefits that adds and work with the great group of guys at Erebus to bring myself along as a driver. Obviously coming into the main series, I’ve got a lot of work to do and I’m looking forward to having that opportunity.
“Without people like Betty in our sport it doesn’t happen so I’m glad that I’m coming into a team that has a figure like Betty who really cares about what’s going on in our careers. For me, she’s given me this opportunity to come into the main series and I can’t thank her enough for it.
“Obviously next year is going to be a big learning curve for me so I’m just going to take it as it comes. Next year is going to be all about learning as much as I can and then hopefully from there, as we grow as a team and I grow as a driver, the results will start to come.”
Erebus Motorsport CEO Ryan Maddison said the highly-regarded Walsh deserved his chance in the V8 Supercars field having proven to be a consistent performer over a number of years in the Dunlop Series.
“Ash has consistently been one of the leading drivers in the Dunlop Series for the past few years and comes highly recommended from two of the most respected figures in the industry in Ross and Jim Stone,” said Maddison.
“For Erebus, Ash represents an attractive all-round package for our team and has earned the chance to take his career to the next level in the V8 Supercars field – a step that other young drivers such as Scott McLaughlin and Chaz Mostert have taken which great success in recent years.
“We believe there are similar synergies between Erebus Motorsport – as a young, developing team – and the point where Ash currently is in his career and we believe the best is yet to come.”
Walsh’s first official appearance in the #4 Mercedes-Benz will be at next year’s V8 Supercars official Test Day at Sydney Motorsport Park from February 7-8.
