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Team statement from Ford Performance Racing/Prodrive Racing

Leading V8 Supercars team Prodrive Racing (Australia) has been informed by Ford Australia that from 2016 the car manufacturer will no longer support the team and its racing program.

Prodrive Racing (Australia) (PRA) has raced under the guise of Ford Performance Racing since the team’s inception in 2003, acting as Ford Australia’s primary manufacturer team throughout this period.

PRA Chief Executive Officer, Tim Edwards responded to Ford Australia’s decision.

“Ford Australia’s decision to not extend its commercial relationship with our team beyond the end of next season is extremely disappointing for our large and loyal fan base, but as a business this decision now allows us to concentrate on our long-term future,” Mr Edwards said.

“We have enjoyed a highly-successful relationship with Ford Australia with just shy of 50 race wins, 150 podiums and the last two Bathurst 1000 crowns together.

“This on track success, along with the engineering and commercial strength that underpins our racing activities, provides us with a very viable business and a strong platform for our future in the sport.

“We will run the new FG X Falcon next season as planned with support from Ford, and we’ll possibly campaign the car in 2016 ahead of the major regulation changes coming from 2017.

“Now that we know where we stand we can further develop other opportunities. We have a range of options, some existing and some that were awaiting this decision, so we can now begin to explore these further.

“Whatever happens, I know our loyal fans will support our team whatever direction we take.”

Team owner Rod Nash also expressed his opinion.

“When [fellow co-owner) Rusty French and I purchased the team two years ago we did so because we saw a strong and diverse business, filled with vibrant people and all with a desire to succeed,” Mr Nash said.

“That hasn’t changed today and nor will it based on the decision of one of our commercial partners. We have a broad revenue base and this decision does not weaken the viability of our business.

“Our team of people have been working tirelessly, with support from V8 Supercars, to ensure a blue presence in our sport so while we don’t agree with today’s decision, we have no choice but to accept it.

“While I sympathise with the legions of Ford fans, they are also fans of our team and our drivers, so whatever direction we take we firmly believe that support will continue.

“Our immediate focus is of course this week and finishing off the season strongly in Sydney. We want to secure Mark second in the points and try and top off Chaz’s Bathurst-winning year with more success.

“Once we’re done in Sydney we can begin working on the future and exploring our range of opportunities.”

The team will look to add to its Bathurst triumph and win tally this weekend at the season-ending Sydney 500 at Sydney Olympic Park.

Why's Ford pulling out again?

They haven't really said why. They said a week ago that motorsports didn't have a affect with car sales in Australia however. I have also heard rumors that they aren't happy with the new TV package. Ford overall I think has pulled from 3 or 4 series now recently. Mixture of that and the only thing they will be able to run until 2017 would be old Falcons or the Mondeo/Fusion until the Generation 2 regulations come out for multiple engine packages and 2 door cars (cars are required to have a backseat I believe) for 2017.

Ahh, 10-4. Would be a really short hiatus if they are back for 2017, should the new regs entice them enough.

A 2L Falcon was always going to bomb as it defeated the purpose of why these cars sold in the first place. There was never really a time when people "needed" a 6L V8 but such cars were never a need but more of a desire and that desire seems to be going away now. Part of it is down to ever-increasing fuel prices, no doubt, plus, guess more of the younger generation just don't love that type of car anymore and probably even see them in a bad light environmentally.

And the TV deal reason makes sense. The series was perhaps looking out for its own interests a bit too much more than the manufacturers with that move, it seems.

And the really bad thing is, a death of the V8 Supercars is basically guaranteed to result in negative consequences for motorsport on a national level in general in this country. In the worst case scenario, it could set the sport back 40 or 50 years even on the national front. A lot of people watch V8 Supercars and nothing else, and if the V8s died, it's quite likely that those people would be lost outside of maybe the 1000. Ford going completely on its own would result in people losing interest. In some ways, that's probably not such a bad thing. The trouble is, the more people stop watching, the less ticket revenue the sport makes. And if not enough people are watching, sponsors will start cutting back and pulling out, which would mean that teams would have budgetary issues, and it would just go on and on.

Of course, who's to say that there won't be Fords on the grid after 2015. But I doubt that any Fords on the grid without factory support would be particularly competitive, unless they were getting some serious sponsorship money, or all the other factory sponsorships fell over. But who knows. Even if they do go completely, perhaps it won't be as bad as it looks right now. We'll just have to wait and see.

You really think the series will die because of Holden and Ford pulling out?

It'll die because of bad management.

Realistically speaking, the series won't die from Holden and Ford pulling out, but unless it successfully moves beyond the whole Holden/Ford thing, it will probably degrade in some regards, if you will.

The thing is, Holden vs Ford is an intricate part of the very fabric of touring car racing in Australia (and car culture in general for that matter, even though it is no longer particularly relevant), and that especially applies to V8 Supercars. Touring car racing was already a fairly big deal by the time Harry Firth & Bob Jane were winning Bathurst in Cortina GTs, but open wheel racing was still the major form of motorsport in the country. It wasn't until Holden vs Ford came along that touring car racing really took over as the top form. And the whole basic concept of V8 Supercars is that Holden vs Ford rivalry. It's literally the very reason the whole V8 Supercars formula came into existence, and it's also a major part of the reason that V8 Supercars is basically the only domestic championship that gets any attention or has any popularity in Australia outside of motorsport circles. And if you want to see what happens when you remove the Holden vs Ford aspect (and V8's, for that matter), take a look at what happened when the 1000 split in 97/98. The Super Touring race ended up with about a quarter of the V8 crowd. The serious motorsport fans went, but the more casual fans for the most part just weren't interested.

I always knew the Ford vs. Holden thing was a big deal down under but didn't know it ran quite that deep. Well, anyway, the market is a different place today too, let's not forget that. Back then, a lot more people bought Fords and Holdens than they do now, so perhaps a move to a non Ford vs. Holden series with Nissans, Mercs, Volvos and whoever else joins in, will lead to a new era. That is, if the current management doesn't cock it up on its own first..

I think it will dip for a couple of years then be back as popular as ever, as long as things run the right way. When it does dip, they need to put more focus on the personalities, the drivers.

The cars will still reflect the ones we see en masse on the roads. Volvo's done a fine job of being a part of the series, but that's because Garry Rogers is smart.

I think the taxi industry has more to suffer than the motor racing industry in a whole without Falcons and Commodores.

In other news, Greg Murphy is going to be replacing Mark Skaife as the co-commentator alongside Neil Crompton. I suppose it could be worse. Aaron Noonan or someone would probably be better though.

And if you thought Scott Pye being left without a drive was bad, take a look at this:
http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/12/03/rosenberg-dumps-license-in-walkinshaw-shock/

The next generation blueprint has been revealed. The series also has a new logo:
http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/12/03/v8-supercars-outlines-2017-gen2-blueprint/

New regs are damn exciting and will keep development continuing within the sport. Keen.

New logo:



http://www.campaignbrief.com/2014/12/v8-supercars-launches-new-posi.html

I think setting the sport back 50 years is a tad dramatic.

The championship has been going strong for over 50 years, it was strong before the "Cochrane revolution", and it will do so again if/when the V8 regime falls.

The way things are going currently with the current mob running the circus, i can only see positives for Australian motorsport if the current V8 management ran the thing into the ground....

Fine form from Ch7 today, taking ad breaks during a 10 minute qualifying session

Lowndes crew in a rush to get the car ready after a hefty hit at the end of qualy

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Looking like yet another Whincup win