Supercars driver Will Davison hasn’t won a race since the 2016 Bathurst 1000, but the 39-year-old’s belief he can push for a maiden championship in 2022 is burning bright.
Davison came agonizingly close to ending his drought last year in his first season with the Shell V-Power Racing team, rising to the pressure of replacing three-time champion Scott McLaughlin in the team’s No.17 Ford Mustang.
He was only deprived by an electrical failure during the second race at the first of four consecutive events at Sydney Motorsport Park at the end of last year, when he seemed to be odds-on to end that victory drought.
Having finished second – his fourth runners-up finish of 2021 – Davison was close to tears after the race.
The two-time Bathurst winner eventually ended the year fourth on the championship standings.
A championship runner-up in 2009, Davison is going into this year’s title race believing he has the form, the car and the stability within the team to make a serious charge to unseat defending champion Shane Van Gisbergen.
“The position we’re in now is what you strive for obviously, to be in a top caliber championship-winning team with continuity with crew and drivers,” Davison told AAP.
“Last year was a good, solid building year for me.
“Of course I can do some things better and main thing is I’m feeling hungry and more motivated than I can ever recall.
“I’ve been going around for many years now but being in this position it’s certainly a challenge that I’m up for.”
This year’s championship gets underway back at Sydney Motorsport Park from March 4 to 6 – the scene of Davison’s nearest miss.
Davison said time had allowed him to reflect and take away the positives from a race that was apparently his for the taking before fate intervened.
“Emotions can take over but it’s only once you step away, take a good, logical, philosophical view of things – you don’t need to change the world. You don’t need to look for the magic bullet,” he said.
“You’ve got to just work hard, prepare well, week-in, week-out and put yourself in those positions.
“Will there be times this year where I’ll maybe take a few more chances than last year? Probably, but I know what my goals are.
“I set a plan for how I wanted to attack last season and a few slipped between the cracks and that did hurt because I was doing everything I’d set myself.
“You’ve just got to make sure you keep putting yourself in those positions and the wins will come.”
