TRIPLE Eight’s long-term protégé Oli Wickham has made quite the impression on the Banyo organisation as his second race meeting with them looms.

The teenager signed with Triple Eight last month on what is understood to be a 10-year deal, and responded by taking the round win on debut in Mustang Cup Australia.

The man who also leads the national Formula Ford standings will be back in the Mustang Cup field this weekend in Darwin.

“He’s going really well,” Triple Eight co-owner Earl Evans told V8 Sleuth.

“He has obviously got a lot of natural feel for the car.

“He probably doesn’t fear much, like most young kids don’t, and races with a bit of rawness. That’s a really good thing.

“We’re pretty thrilled with the outcome, to be frank. He has a lot of natural speed and is a real plus.”

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Triple Eight has outlined a roadmap to the top for Wickham that includes a likely transition to Super2 in 2028.

The Mustang Cup grid will expand to 13 cars for Hidden Valley, headlined by the addition of former Supercars full-timer Bryce Fullwood.