Stanaway was "set up for failure" at Tickford, says new backer
Richie Stanaway's rookie Supercars campaign was 'set up for failure', says the backer that has handed him a career lifeline.

The former GT star endured a disaster of a debut Supercars season in 2018, his much-hyped deal with Tickford Racing yielding just 25th in the final standings.
The lack of results took its toll on the relationship between team and driver too, cracks beginning to show by the Townsville round where Stanaway clashed with Tickford chief Tim Edwards over an impromptu mid-race drifting display.
He was ultimately let go by Tickford after the season finale in Newcastle, just one season into his two-year contract.
However none of that is any concern to Boost Mobile founder Peter Adderton, who has orchestrated a surprise lifeline for Stanaway at Garry Rogers Motorsport thanks to a new multi-year sponsorship deal.
Adderton reckons Stanaway was 'set up for failure' heading into his rookie year, thanks to the hype he attracted with impressive outings at Sandown and Bathurst as a co-driver in 2017.
"I think the problem Richie had in 2018 is that he had such a build-up to the success that he had in the endurance races that everyone just expected him to get into a Tickford car and be in the top three," he told Motorsport.com.
"The expectations on Richie were way too high. And I don't think that Tickford managed that that well.
Read Also:
"What we're trying to do now is say 'hey Richie, you had a bad year last year. You can blame as many people as you want and you can take the blame yourself. But this year the expectations aren't on you. There's no hype about Richie Stanway coming in'.
"I think if we relieve that pressure on him, and we put a very good team around him, it's exciting.
"That's what our brand is all about, giving young drivers a chance rather than setting them up for failure. I think last year, Richie was set up for failure.
"He's a talent. Nobody who watched Richie drive in that 2017 Sandown and Bathurst doesn't think he has talent.
"He knows what he's doing, but if you don't get the driver's head right, I can guarantee you that the left and right feet won't be right either."
Adderton added that he's now looking for Stanaway to build on the hardships of 2018 and use his failed rookie season as motivation to take this second chance with both hands.
"I always say that I'd like to hire someone who's had a failure," he said.
"If you hire people who have just had successes, they've never been in a hard place like Richie was. Richie has had that year. Now he's got an opportunity to relieve the pressure and go out and do what we think he can do, which is drive the car fast.
"I think it's going to make for a very interesting year in Supercars. This is a team that most people are going to be watching."

Previous article
Tander to partner van Gisbergen at Supercars enduros
Next article
Tander admits losing Supercars drive was a 'complete shock'

About this article
Series | Supercars |
Drivers | Richie Stanaway |
Teams | Tickford Racing , Garry Rogers Motorsport |
Author | Andrew van Leeuwen |
Stanaway was "set up for failure" at Tickford, says new backer
Trending
Supershots Bathurst
Sam Brabham drives BT-19 at Mount Panorama
Todd Kelly builds André's Bathurst 1000 engine
Can DJR still be a Supercars powerhouse after Penske?
Roger Penske's whirlwind Australian Supercars sojourn is over. After six seasons, three drivers' titles, three teams' championships and a Bathurst 1000 crown, The Captain has sold his controlling stake in Dick Johnson Racing back to the squad and walked away from the category.
Can Whincup be Triple Eight's ruthless leader?
Supercars' most successful team of the past 15 years is set for a radical shakeup next year when Jamie Whincup retires from driving and takes over the reins at Triple Eight. But does he have what it takes to be the new Roland Dane?
How a lifetime Supercars deal broke down in one year
David Reynolds inked what was effectively a lifetime deal with Erebus in 2019 – only to walk out a year later. What went wrong?
Why Supercars now needs a new "human salt harvester"
Scott McLaughlin has been a controversial figure in Supercars over the past few years but, as he heads off to a fresh challenge in IndyCar, the Australian tin-top series needs to find someone else to fill his drama-filled boots as the category enters a new era...
Why 2020 isn't McLaughlin's greatest title
Scott McLaughlin was quick to describe his third Supercars title as his best yet. But even though it didn't match the dramatic backstory of his 2018 triumph, there's a good reason for him wanting to control the narrative this time around.
Why a Bathurst finale is risky business for Supercars
The Bathurst Grand Final may provide Supercars its greatest spectacle yet – but there's a risk it will force the series to face a hard truth.
Why Scott McLaughlin must become an IndyCar driver
Scott McLaughlin, two-time and current Supercars champion, should have been making his NTT IndyCar Series debut for Team Penske at the GP of Indianapolis, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced a rescheduling that has put the brakes on his career switch. But David Malsher-Lopez explains why the New Zealander deserves this opportunity as soon as possible.
Tickford's 10-year wait for James Courtney
When the Supercars season resumes James Courtney will be a Tickford Racing driver – but it's not the first time the star driver has flirted with the famous Ford squad.