Ford Australia has confirmed it will remain in V8 Supercars next year and continue to provide support to Ford Performance Racing.
Ford has been Ford Performance Racing’s primary backer since the team’s inception 11 years ago, the association netting 40 race wins, nearly 120 race podiums and more than 40 pole positions during that time.
Ford’s announcement in May of this year, that it is to cease production in Australia by October 2016 had left a question mark over the the manufacturer’s V8 Supercars future, before Ford Australia president Bob Graziano, at Bathurst as a guest of the Ford Performance Racing team made the announcement ahead of the Top-10 Shootout.
“We are pleased to continue our association with FPR,” said Graziano.
“We have always had a very strong and positive relationship with the team, its principals and its drivers, and we look forward to building on that.
“Our most important priority right now though is to regain our dominance of the mountain this weekend.”
FPR team principal Tim Edwards, welcomed Ford’s continued presence.
“Everyone at the team is of course very pleased to see our close relationship with Ford continue and to keep representing the company as its official factory team in V8 Supercars,” Edwards said.
“We enjoy the support of very passionate fans because of our Ford relationship and our team and commercial partners enjoy being associated with one of the world’s iconic brands.
“Having Ford recommit to the team is obviously what we wanted. It has been a busy year for both parties with lots of changes in both of our businesses. The continuation means it is simply back to business as usual for everyone.”
V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said confirmation that Ford will continue was tremendous for the sport and its’ fans.
“This is fantastic news for the FPR team and the legions of Blue Oval fans,” Warburton said. “As the Car of the Future platform continues to attract newcomers to the grid it’s terrific that Ford has confirmed its ongoing commitment.”
Ford’s official factory entries of Will Davison and Mark Winterbottom currently sit third and fourth in the points ahead of this weekend’s 51st running of the Bathurst 1000 – the 11th of 14 events in the 2013 V8 Supercars Championship.
