Morris not so excited, but confident of more success
21/2/2002 14:14 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
Paul Morris will be a little less excited this year, but he’s confident he will find the consistency that has eluded him in his V8 Supercar assault.
World Motorcycle champion Mick Doohan got behind the wheel of Paul Morris' new-look Sirromet Commodore for a few hot laps on the Gold Coast yesterday
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Sirromet Wines, a Queensland winery owned by the Morris family, will take up major sponsorship of Morris’ campaign this season, replacing troubled cleaning guru Big Kev as principal backer.
AVESCO Chairman Tony Cochrane and Motorcycle champion Mick Doohan helped launch Morris’ 2002 campaign at the team’s Gold Coast headquarters today.
"We've proved we can win so now we've got to do it more often," said Morris, who caused the biggest upset of last season with his round win at Calder Park Raceway.
"Winning championships is all about consistency – you've got to be able to run with the front group regularly, regardless of the conditions and circumstances. That's what we're aiming to do, to take another step forward."
Sirromet Wines will sell its one-millionth bottle this year, and Chief Executive Adam Chapman is hoping this sponsorship will “uncork” greater promotional opportunities.
"We have quickly become Queensland's biggest winery, and securing naming-rights sponsorship of Paul's Commodore will give us a tremendous vehicle to promote our range of wines, both on television and to fans at the various race tracks around the country," Mr Chapman said.
Morris will debut the new “spectacular” Sirromet livery at the Australian Grand Prix support meet in Melbourne next week, before baptising a brand-new, in-house built VX Commodore at the opening round of the championship, next month’s Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
Kiwi Ashley Stichbury will receive the old car to campaign in this year’s five-round Konica V8 Supercar Series. He will later share the Sirromet Commodore with Morris for the Queensland 500 and Bathurst V8 Supercar 1000.
Morris has expanded his impressive 800sq/m workshop at the Holden Performance Driving Centre to 18 full-time personnel, led by experienced Team Manager Greg Wooster.
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