Prodrive Racing Australia will provide the car for the all-female wildcard in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

The deal for Renee Gracie and Simona de Silvestro to share a Prodrive Ford in the Great Race has been announced this morning in Sydney.

It is the second straight year that Prodrive has fielded a Bathurst wildcard following its efforts with Super Black Racing last October.

Put together by Gracie’s manager Chris Jewell, the wildcard is a two-year program for the drivers and Prodrive.

A naming rights sponsor is understood to have been secured but is yet to be announced.

The event will mark the first time de Silvestro has raced a touring car, having concentrated on single-seaters during her career to date.

“The Bathurst 1000 race was actually the first V8 Supercars race that I ever watched and the cars look like a lot of fun to drive,” she said.

“The track looks great from what I have seen on TV. It looks really challenging and I can’t wait to see it for real and to drive around it.

“I haven’t had the chance to talk to anybody yet that has driven there but hopefully I’ll see somebody that I can ask some questions.”

Gracie meanwhile steps up from the Dunlop Series, where she drives a Ford Falcon FG with Paul Morris Motorsport.

“To be paired up with a high-profile international female like Simona, who I really look up to, is incredible,” said Gracie, who will race in both classes at Bathurst.

“So to say I am excited would be a complete understatement.

“The objective for this year is to just learn,” she added.

“It’s a big weekend and obviously we’re not going to go out and win it, but you never know what can happen. Chaz did it last year from last (on the grid).

“It’s one of those things. We’ve got to get as many laps as we can to maximise the weekend and then next year I’ll have another year of experience and the expectations will be much higher.”

The wildcard is the fifth Prodrive Ford in the field, joining the Mark Winterbottom/Steve Owen, Chaz Mostert/Cameron Waters, David Reynolds/Dean Canto and Andre Heimgartner/Ant Pedersen entries.