Will Davison is still waiting for word on his future at Ford Performance Racing, and may look as far afield as the USA if forced to assess alternative 2014 options.
The 30-year-old has flourished at FPR since switching from the Holden Racing Team three seasons ago and is currently shaping as a major contender for the 2013 title.
Despite the success, Davison’s future with the squad beyond his current three-year contract remains uncertain as negotiations over funding continue between FPR and Ford.
Speedcafe.com understands that FPR’s option on Davison expires at the end of August, after which point the former Bathurst winner will be turned loose into the driver market if an attractive offer has not been made.
FPR has clearly been hesitant to commit to Davison prior to striking a deal with Ford, but may be forced to move first in order to secure the star driver.
Davison’s situation is complicated by the evolving puzzle at FPR that includes uncertainty over the 2014 destinations of David Reynolds, Chaz Mostert and Will’s brother Alex Davison.
Although not being drawn on any specifics of his deal or negotiations, Davison concedes that “some things have to happen pretty soon”.
“It’s not an ideal situation and I certainly didn’t envisage we’d still be talking about it at this point, but we’ll have to see what happens,” Davison told Speedcafe.com.
“Certainly my priority is to stay where I am and I’m pretty confident it’ll come to a resolution
“There are some other opportunities out there but I haven’t pursued anything, I’m focussed on doing a deal with FPR.
“Hopefully we can get it sorted soon as we need to focus on getting results and challenging for the championship.”
Davison would undoubtedly be a hot property within V8 Supercars if FPR cannot retain the one-time Formula 1 test driver.
Few teams, however, could be considered able to provide the level of equipment and salary that he has enjoyed in recent years.
The scenario could even tempt Davison, who raced Formula 3 in England prior to his time in V8 Supercars, back offshore.
“I’m definitely interested in broader opportunities, you’ve got to assess all your options,” he said when asked if he’d look beyond V8 Supercars.
“Having another crack overseas is certainly something I’ve thought about happening at some stage in my career.
“I wouldn’t have thought I’d be doing it at this point, but you never know. It’s going to be a pretty telling few weeks or months.”
When pressed further on any future overseas aspirations, Davison revealed that following Marcos Ambrose’s move into NASCAR would be at the top of his list.
“There’s some sportscar stuff that I’d love to do on a part-time basis in Europe, but realistically as a career I’d be looking in America at the NASCAR side of things,” he said.
“It (NASCAR) would be a big commitment and a tough thing to make happen, but I think it’s the most interesting one for me.
“Clearly though my first preference is V8 Supercars and FPR,” he added.
“I love the racing here, I enjoy the events we go to, the fans we have and working with all the guys in the team.
“I feel that we’re just hitting our straps and have the potential to do great things.”
Davison currently sits third in the 2013 V8 Supercars Championship after 24 races, scoring race wins at Pukekohe and Townsville.
