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Race engineer shuffle for 2021

Season 2021 will bring a shake up to the team’s race engineering structure, with Dave Cauchi set to take charge of car #97, driven by 2020 Bathurst 1000 winner Shane ‘SVG’ van Gisbergen. The latest member of the Red Bull Ampol Racing stables, Wes McDougall will become Jamie ‘JDub’ Whincup’s race engineer for the upcoming season.

Dave Cauchi joined the team in 2007 as a Data Engineer and was later promoted to Race Engineer for Jamie ‘JDub’ Whincup.

Together the pair claimed the Supercars Championship title in their first year working with each other in 2014 before going on to claim their second title in 2017.

As Dave Cauchi’s right hand man for the past seven years, JDub explains that the team’s engineering structure will allow the pair to continue to work closely with each other.

“Although I won’t be directly working with Cauchi this year, we’re all really excited to have Wes join the team. Wes and I were rivals back in Formula Ford in 2002 – him engineering and me driving, and we’ve had a similar progress through the sport.

“As we all work as a team at Red Bull Ampol Racing, both engineers will work on both cars, so Cauchi and I will continue to work closely throughout 2021 and beyond, although I’ve really enjoyed the last seven years working directly together.

“While I’d love to still be working with Cauchi, sometimes change is as good as a holiday, and I’m sure that’s the same case for him now working with SVG. I’m hoping being the elder driver in the team that I can help guide Wes in his new role – although he has a lot of experience – and make sure he’s comfortable in the engineering team.”

For Wes, the opportunity to work with a seven-time Supercars champion is an exciting prospect heading into the season.

“I’m incredibly excited to join Red Bull Ampol Racing in 2021, and in particular to engineer Jamie. To be able to work with an established, professional and fast driver such as Jamie is an awesome opportunity, and I plan to help him and the team continue their winning ways.”