2013 V8 Supercars Discussion

FPR confirms ownership change

The Blue Oval’s official factory team, Ford Performance Racing confirmed the operation had been bought by Rod Nash and Rusty French.

Nash, who had run the Bottle-O Falcon as a satellite car to the FPR team for the previous few seasons and long-time competitor and identity French secured the team from Prodrive Racing Australia, a business run by David Richards’ English-based Prodrive operation since 2003.

Ford Australia fully supports the ownership shift with Speedcafe.com breaking the story last Friday. CLICK HERE for original news story.

There is no official word on what if any changes will be made to team personnel with Tim Edwards to continue as FPR Team Principal and be responsible for the daily running of the Melbourne-based squad.

“Rusty and I are pleased we’ve been able to acquire a business as strong as FPR which is not only an icon of Australian sport, but one of this country’s leading specialist engineering firms,” Nash said.

“In the last few years I’ve watched FPR grow from strength to strength and to see so many talented people from so many different industries working together is a real credit to Tim and the entire team.

“We are making a long-term investment in a great local business which allows us to assist with developing all aspects of the team.

“But at the heart of it Rusty and I are both keen racing enthusiasts so to now own this team makes us both very proud. We are committed to a long and successful future for the Ford brand.”

Edwards is not foreseeing any major internal structural changes despite the change in ownership.

“We welcome Rod and Rusty with open arms as they are two men very committed to ensuring our team continues to be successful,” Edwards said.

“They are not only extremely passionate about racing but both are very successful businessmen in their own right so I look forward to the fresh approach they can provide us across all facets of the team.

“Rod will certainly play a more active role, though for our engineers and race crew it will be business as usual as we continue our preparations for the 2013 season.”

FPR will continue to be part of the Prodrive family and its strong strategic and technical links with the company remain unchanged.

“We are delighted to pass our ownership of Ford Performance Racing to Rod Nash and Rusty French. Rod has been a tremendous partner to the team over many years,” said Prodrive chairman and chief executive, David Richards.

“Last season was the most successful in the 10 year history of FPR and we are pleased to be handing it over in such good competitive and commercial health, reinforced at the end of last year by the announcement of a major new partnership with Pepsi.

“I would like to pass on Prodrive’s appreciation and thanks to the FPR team members, Ford Australia, all of FPR’s current and past commercial partners and, of course, to the FPR fans, who make V8 Supercars one of the finest racing series in the world.”

V8 Supercars CEO David Malone said the series endorsed the change in ownership.

“The FPR brand is one of the most prestigious in world motorsport and an Australian sporting icon,” Malone said.

“As astute businessmen with a lifetime of motorsport history and success, Rod and Rusty will take the team to the next step after just missing out in 2012.”

FPR is coming off the back of its most successful ever V8 Supercars season with 11 wins, 11 pole positions and 35 podiums as all three of its factory-prepared Fords finished in the top 10 of the championship.

Erebus Motorsport completes SBR take over

The long-standing Stone Brothers Racing team name will not be seen at the Clipsal 500 in 2013, with Erebus Motorsport confirming it has officially taken over the Queensland-based team.

The three-car Mercedes Benz AMG team will be known as Erebus Motorsport, owned by wealthy Sydney-based property developer Betty Klimenko.

Erebus will field three AMG E-Class entries, with Lee Holdsworth and Tim Slade locked in. The third driver is yet to be confirmed.

The colourful new V8 team owner confirmed the acquisition via Facebook and thanked Stone Brothers Racing’s founders Ross and Jim Stone for their assistance during the sale process.

“When fans walk along the pits in Adelaide in 2013, and they don’t see the SBR sign, I think there will be some sad faces, I know mine will be, but to see Erebus Motorsport, for me will be amazing,” Klimenko said.

“A change of name, does not change the team, the history of it or the ability of it. I am not here to reinvent the wheel, I am here to carry on what two wonderful Kiwi’s started, SBR will be represented, as the founders of the team, in everything Erebus Motorsport V8 does.

“I would like to thank Ross and Jimmy Stone for bringing SBR to our shores and for the many years of truly exciting racing they have given us.

“I would like to thank them for all the help and guidance they have given me and my CEO Ryan Maddison during this transition.”

Erebus CEO Ryan Maddison did not return Speedcafe.com’s call this morning.

As reported by Speedcafe.com previously, Jim Stone has left the team, while Ross Stone will remain with the squad for the foreseeable future.

The team is currently building its three brand-new Mercedes Benz AMGs and is expected to test at Queensland Raceway prior to an official unveiling ahead of the compulsory pre-season test at Sydney Motorsport park on February 16.

Seven and 7mate - How It Will Work

SUPERCAR fans will find their 2013 broadcast schedules broadly similar to 2012,
according to V8 Supercars CEO David Malone.

A vast majority of the 2013 season will be showcased on the primary Seven
Network channel, only deviating to 7mate when clashes with Australian Rules
Football occur – much the same as how the broadcasting arrangement has
functioned in recent years.

It will ensure that every race will be broadcast live on the Seven Network
throughout the year.

“What you will see in 2013 is a very similar structure to what you saw in
2012,” David Malone told V8Supercars.com.au.

“The racing will be shown on Seven except in the instances where it conflicts
with AFL in certain markets. In those instances, our primary market will be on
7mate but as it did last year, Seven provided us with highlights packages on
the same day in the markets where clashes occurred. That will occur this year
as well.

“Overall we were actually able to increase our audience year on year, as a
result of that structure. We are pretty confident that it will work well for us
again in 2013.”

The
man behind the TV rights negotiations is also confident that international
broadcast arrangements are well underway, in a year that will see the
championship race in the United States of America for the first time.

“Those discussions are well advanced,” he said.

“Our international rights are well advanced, especially in New Zealand which is
a highly important market for us... there will be a separate announcement about
those rights in coming weeks.”

Malone has also indicated that with the critical free-to-air TV rights now
finalised, subscription TV and the digital media rights should progress rapidly
to a state of completion.

Stay tuned to V8supercars.com.au later today for our full chat with the V8
Supercars CEO. 

So in short, if your in tassie like me you will only see 1 hour highlights at 12ish because it will be pushed back 20mins because X-factor/dancing with the stars/my kitchen rules/what ever smeg reality show has run overtime.
So the timer on my HD recorder will be wrong and it will turn on in time to catch 80% of whatever program was scheduled to be on before it and the first 15 laps - sweet

Cant wait for the Clipsal this year!!! should be an absolute barn burner i reckon!

And me's got grandstand tickets this year

hey stikman you going this year, I promise Ill behave this time!

who else is going to the Clipsal?

RU

^^^
Was just about post this.
Absolute crackup
My favorite part, "Drives like shitbox, It drives like a Nissan"

My fave part, whincup "Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep"

Laughed my head off

RU four 86 wrote:And me's got grandstand tickets this year

hey stikman you going this year, I promise Ill behave this time!

who else is going to the Clipsal?

RU

Yeah mate, I got gold tix in the grandstand across from pits this year.
No need to behave mate, ill be getting shitfaced every day

I still got your phn no from our last session.

Not quite V8Supercar but NZV8 where the Toyota Camry won on debut last weekend.
Looks pretty cool IMO

JamieWhincup#1 wrote:Not quite V8Supercar but NZV8 where the Toyota Camry won on debut last weekend.
Looks pretty cool IMO

2014 V8 Supercars - DJR or Tekno - will have the aurion body though

Erebus completes shakedown of first Mercedes V8 Supercar:

Erebus Motorsport’s first Mercedes-Benz V8 Supercar has enjoyed an historic maiden track outing today at Queensland Raceway today (Wednesday).

Speedcafe.com understands that Tim Slade completed all of the permissible 20 laps, which were performed under the watchful eye of V8 Supercars officials.

The shakedown came less than four months after the team’s deal to compete in AMG E63 guise was finalised.

Today’s running was undertaken at a closed Queensland Raceway as the team seeks to hide the look of the car until its Australian launch.

The team could not be contacted for comment but provided a brief statement from its CEO Ryan Maddison.

“While the car is still in early stages of development we are very happy with the results and look forward to continuing to develop all three of our cars over the coming weeks, to achieve our homologation requirements,” he said.

The Mercedes V8 Supercar runs a bespoke, 5.0 litre, version of AMG’s 159 V8 engine that has been co-developed by AMG Customer Sports in Germany and the formerly Stone Brothers Racing engine shop in Queensland.

The team had completed a shakedown with its first Car of the Future chassis in Ford Falcon FG form last October. That car, converted into an E63, will serve as the three-car team’s spare chassis when the season gets underway in Adelaide on March 1.

Betty from Erebus Motorsport on V8 supercar rookie systems

"There is a lot of speculation on drivers, who is going where, and when, every team wants their driver to come along with a top brand, lots and lots of money , and win. That is a certainty, but , I have done my homework , like a good little team owner, and when you go back , and read where the 'legends" of motorsport started, you will find that 80% of them were hired because of someone's gut feeling.
I don't like looking at drivers like they are a commodity , as in " insert driver, ", all you end up with is a field of trading cards, and a game of poker starts.
This game of poker goes on and on and on. Throw 2 in , get 2more, now remember this is my opinion, that is why I started this page, I watch league, (parra) girl, I know I know, not my 'suburb' but loyalty is where the heart is , not your address. I mention league, because I don't want racing to end up like league, where salary caps were needed.
Ok back to drivers, well, as you will no doubt find out I am a great believer in Australian youth, don't jump on this speed cafe, the decision for drivers I leave to the experts, it is not a hint!!!!.
I honestly believe, that there is so much talent here and New Zealand, (cousins), that needs to be nurtured, would love to see something like an open rookie, weekend, where after registering, and stating there experience, in junior categories ( otherwise it would take a year), they get into an x v8 car and ( don't know all the logistics , so winging it), and show their stuff!
Somewhat like the Americans do in baseball, all v8 owners or reps would then talk to the ones they are interested in and you get the drift, the v8 association would give developmental grants , ( not like the development class we have now, those guys have to sell there souls to get the cash to run a season) and this is where I think differently, they would be full time employees, start from the bottom, learn, not just about driving , but every aspect of the industry, so when they are put in a car, as an enduro driver or whatever, they understand how much work and sacrifice has gone into, getting that car on track, how many nights , instead of being with there families, these men and women are under a car, sweating in the heat and freezing in the cold. They would see , what I do, the quiet side , the people who make it tick, have the feeling of "I did that" "I made that", learn to be part of a team, learn to say thank you, learn to respect, the car around you.
We as fans of racing , know that simply " buying " a drive or" buying " anything, doesn't always work, ( says she who just bought a team) , you have to believe, you have to respect, it's easy to stand in the lime light and have a camera pointed on you, what isn't easy is what every crew member, every person who works behind the scenes does, nothing just appears, not the food, not the pit area, not the car, and sometimes it's easy to forget, I myself am guilty of this, it's easy to not notice the garbage is empty, the fridge is restocked, the tools are all neat and clean, it's easy to go back to your hotel, and get a good nights sleep, and when you wake up, some little car fairy has fixed it all. Unfortunately there are no car fairies, ther are no short cuts, what there are ,are men and woman who stumble into bed at midnight, , knowing they need to be back on the track in 6 hours, , and this is what young drivers have to learn, be apart of, the biggest misconception is, that this is a glamorous life, it's not, teams of people work hard to get sponsors, organize the season, there are no gourmet dinners every night, it's eat in the tent out the back like a shovel, and get back to work, so when all the fans are gone, and all that breaks the silence is the sound of cars, being made ready, for the next day, and you are so tired you forget how to use any part of your body, you realize, that you are going to do it again tomorrow , and next race and the next race, so any young drivers out there, don't just jump in the car and drive, remember you are NOT the biggest cog in the wheel, the biggest cog in the wheel are the people who put you there. Who get paid less than a tenth of what you do ,if you make it to the big leagues.
Also remember that there are people who work at these tracks as volunteers , get paid nothing, do it for they love of the sport, walk among them, talk to them , these are GOOD people, add an extra 5 minutes to your toilet break, get to know the people , the fans, the millions of 'cogs' in the machinery, that it took to get YOUR ass into that seat, the people who save for weeks to buy the top or jacket, you got for nothing, and throw over a chair ,or floor when you get home.
The people who sleep on the ground in the camping grounds to support YOU.
Who stand out in the blistering heat, or freezing cold to just see you, or say hello.
Ok enough , I tend to have some pretty strong views , and don't mind sharing them, but, I will find a way, to show the youth of Australia and nz that , if you want a team to have faith in you, you have to have faith in yourself, the people around you and patience.
Have a good day everyone, I know I will.
Betty"

Erebus secures major sponsor for #47 Mercedes

Erebus Motorsport’s Tim Slade-driven #47 Mercedes-Benz AMG will enjoy major backing from transport company Heavy Haulage Australia this season.

Announced by the team this morning at the HHA headquarters in Queensland, the deal ensures a full sponsor line-up for Erebus as Irwin Tools and SP Tools have already pledged their continued support of the #4 and #9 entries respectively.

The announcement comes the morning after Slade shook down the team’s first Mercedes V8 Supercar at Queensland Raceway

Heavy Haulage Australia entered V8 Supercars with Tekno Autosports last year, taking naming rights sponsorship of the team’s two Holdens for the Abu Dhabi and Winton events.

The company’s profile was also boosted late last year by the airing of a reality television program titled Mega Truckers on Foxtel’s A&E channel, which follows the firm’s hands-on owner Jon Kelly.

Kelly says that a desire to increase brand exposure was the driving force behind the deal with Erebus.

“This partnership with Erebus Motorsport, particularly with their move to Mercedes-Benz will provide us with massive national and international exposure and coincide with our recent entry into the Western Australia and Northern Territory markets,” he said.

“We are proud to be one of few logistics and transportation companies to support V8 Supercars and we are extremely excited to partner with Erebus at such an exciting time in the sport.”

HHA replaces Lucky 7 as the major sponsor for Slade’s entry, which is run under the Racing Entitlements Contract owned by James Rosenberg.

Erebus is not expected to reveal the look of its three V8 Supercars until the week of the category’s compulsory pre-season test, which will take place at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 16th.

Shane van Gisbergen to run full V8 SuperTourer season

V8 Supercar refugee Shane van Gisbergen has locked in a key piece of his 2013 racing puzzle, confirming that he’ll run a full season in New Zealand’s V8 SuperTourers.

The 23-year-old will drive the Ford Falcon raced last year by Colin Corkery, who is believed to be undergoing an operation which will put him out for the season.

It is understood that van Gisbergen will team with Corkery’s 2012 co-driver, the decorated Dutch racer Jeroen Bleekemolen, for the endurance races.

Van Gisbergen was candid in an interview with TV3, opening up on a frustrating 2012 V8 Supercars campaign that was run in the shadow of an impending takeover of SBR by Erebus Motorsport.

“We weren’t happy last year. We had won races the year before and we didn’t even really come close last year and all the changes that were happening for this year just wasn’t something to look forward to,” van Gisbergen told 3 News’ Shaun Sommerfield.

“It’s been worse because people have put the word retirement out there. I never said retirement. That means final. I just said I was leaving for a bit. That could be a week, a year who cares?”

“It’s a pretty exciting series the SuperTourers. I watched every race last year.”

V8 SuperTourers had been highly active in chasing Van Gisbergen since Speedcafe.com broke the news in November that the Kiwi was about to turn his back on the Aussie series.

The V8ST Championship does not, however, clash with any V8 Supercar dates, leaving the door open for van Gisbergen to explore a return to Australia and do both series if he chooses.

As reported in an earlier story, Van Gisbergen is being linked to a return to V8 Supercars this year with the Gold Coast-based Tekno Autosports Commodore team.

Tekno currently has a full-time seat vacant alongside its owner/driver Jonathon Webb and is also yet to confirm a sponsorship package for the new season.

http://www.3news.co.nz/FULL-INTERVIEW-Shane-Van-Gisbergen/tabid/317/articleID/283473/Default.aspx

Giz interview, i cant embed it cause its from a Kiwi site.

Shane van Gisbergen set for hectic 2013 schedule

Shane van Gisbergen will be one of the busiest drivers in the Antipodes this season as he appears set to tackle full-time campaigns in both the BNT V8 SuperTourer and V8 Supercars Championships.

After fleeing his V8 Supercar gig with the Stone Brothers Racing at the end of last year he returned home to Auckland to spend time with his family and work out his immediate motor racing future.

The 23-year-old confirmed his V8 SuperTourer campaign this week, and is expected to announce a full-time return to V8 Supercars with Tekno Autosports in the coming days.

In addition to his SuperTourer announcement, the Kiwi also spoke this week of driving in the NZ Rally Championship, D1NZ National Drifting Championship, dirt track and the possibility of tearing around in a Sprint Car.

Van Gisbergen will be one of 60 competitors in Round 3 of the Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series at Tauranga’s Baypark this weekend.

‘SVG’ will jump behind the wheel of the Federal Tyres Ford Falcon V8 after being gifted the opportunity from friend Shane Allen in his Rattla Motorsport machine.

“We’ve got Tauranga this weekend and we’ve been smoking tyres and its a lot of fun,” van Gisbergen said during an interview with TV3’s Shaun Summerfield.

“I did a rally test before Christmas and I’m looking at doing the championship as well. So there’s enough there to keep me busy.

“I’ve got some pretty good opportunities this year with SuperTourers, the rally, the dirt track, the drifting and the speedway maybe.”

van Gisbergen had a few tests of Colin Corkery’s V8 SuperTourer last year that for the most part was kept under wraps.

“With this SuperTourers thing I see that we have a good opportunity to win races. The cars are pretty equal. If we get a lot of testing and get the car right we can go out there and have some fun and get good results.

“I had a couple of tests last year which not many people knew about. They’ve got quite a good tyre on them which makes them quite easy to drive. The whole field is covered by one second and they are all Kiwi tracks which is what I know so I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ve liked being home over Christmas and seeing the family so to be able to race in New Zealand there’s seven rounds here so it’s going to be really good to see the Kiwi fans and the races I’ve seen the crowds look quite big as well.”

Van Gisbergen admitted that quitting his V8 Supercar role at SBR, which has been taken over by Erebus and will run E63 AMG Mercedes-Benz cars this year, was the hardest decision he has had to make.

“Hopefully this year I can place myself in a bit better spot. It was the toughest thing I’ve ever done to tell everyone I wasn’t going to be racing in the V8s anymore.”

“It was pretty tough to come out and say that. I’ve been working, selling wheels and stuff and I’m in a pretty good place at the moment.”

Alex Premat confirmed for second season at GRM

Frenchman Alexandre Premat will remain with Garry Rogers Motorsport for a second V8 Supercars Championship season, the team has confirmed.

Although Premat was said to have signed a three-year contract with the team prior to his rookie 2012 campaign, a series of poor performances saw the now 30-year-old benched for October’s Armor All Gold Coast 600 – throwing his future into serious doubt.

Team owner Garry Rogers, however, has pledged his commitment to Premat, affirming that the international will partner the squad’s new signing Scott McLaughlin for the 2013 season.

”Alex was a gamble last year and he struggled,” Rogers told Fairfax Media.

”There was no doubt he has the skills, but we didn’t get the best out of him. I was disappointed. Based on his history, we believed he could do better.

”I decided I had invested a lot in him and he has invested in us, moving his family over here. We can get more out of him.”

Premat finished 27th in last year’s championship having failed to see the chequered flag higher than 13th all season.

The former factory Audi sportscar and DTM driver is hopeful that the introduction of the Car of the Future into the V8 Supercars Champion will help him gain ground on the category’s established stars.

”I have set my expectations to finish in the top 10,” he told Fairfax.

”Everyone will be learning from zero and we will be doing the same. I want to start the year as I finished in 2012 and I’m looking forward to the new season.”

GRM has already completed both of its Accredited Manufacturer test days with its first COTF chassis, and is expected to give its almost complete second car a maiden outing at Winton in the week leading up to February 16′s compulsory hit-out at Sydney Olympic Park.

The Winton test, scheduled for February 12, should see the team’s cars run with the yet-to-be-released VF model Holden Commodore bodywork for the first time.

The team has retained both of its 2012 endurance co-drivers, Jack Perkins and Greg Ritter, for this year’s Sandown and Bathurst events.

Thankyou Garry.

Stoner makes Triple Eight Dunlop Series drive official

Casey Stoner has confirmed the long held speculation that he will compete in the 2013 Dunlop Series with Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Stoner, who quit MotoGP at the end of the 2012 season after a career that netted two world championships, will race with his traditional number #27.

The seven-round Dunlop Series kicks off at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide in late February before taking in Barbagallo, Townsville, Queensland Raceway, Winton, Bathurst and Homebush.

“Since I was 12, I’ve always been interested in it,” Stoner told the official Clipsal 500 Adelaide race program of V8 Supercars.

“It was always my plan during my whole career to drive a V8.

“It’s now the new chapter in my career but I have to be realistic and see if we’re capable of doing anything.”

Stoner’s Holden Commodore VE is currently being prepared in Triple Eight’s Banyo, Queensland, workshop alongside the outfit’s fleet of Car of the Future V8 Supercars Championship entries.

Reports premature on Stoners Dunlop Series debut

Two-time MotoGP champion Casey Stoner

One of the most anticipated announcements in V8 Supercars history looks to have been gazumped by an article in The Sunday Mail newspaper in Adelaide today.

It is believed that a story that has been prepared in advance for the official program of the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide next month has been re-worked into a news story – claiming that Casey Stoner’s move from MotoGP to V8 Supercars is “official”.

Stoner was quick to close down the premature announcement, tweeting a denial a few hours after the story surfaced.

He wrote: “Don’t believe everything you read! Haven’t decided what I’m doing yet, of course V8 Supercars is on the cards. Will let you know when I do!”

Given long editorial lead times for such events, most stories for official event programs are prepared and kept under embargo until they hit the newsstands a few weeks before the actual event.

The nature of the event program business always means there is always some ‘risk’ and that many stories are prepared in a manner to ensure they are not dated.

It is believed that is how the Stoner story was prepared, but on being discovered by another journalist, it was turned into a news story.

There has been plenty of speculation about Stoner joining V8 Supercars’ Dunlop Series with Triple Eight Race Engineering and his long-time sponsors, Red Bull, for sometime, but there has been nothing made public or confirmed by any of the stakeholders.

The story also claims that Stoner, who quit MotoGP at the end of the 2012 season after a career that netted two world championships, will race with his traditional number #27.

If Stoner is to race under the #27, it would have required Triple Eight to obtain the Level 3 contract from long-time holder Matthew White Motorsport.


The seven-round Dunlop Series kicks off at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide in late February before taking in Barbagallo, Townsville, Queensland Raceway, Winton, Bathurst and Homebush.

While it is almost certain that Stoner will be a part of the Triple Eight Race Engineering outfit in 2013, the role, and with what sponsors is not expected to be made ‘official’ for another week.

NoRecoil wrote:

To have a Top 10 would mean he had more than 10 hits... oh do you mean hits in to other drivers. lol

Captain Kaos!