Chaz Mostert will join Mark Winterbottom in Ford Performance Racing’s two-car Pepsi Max outfit from next season, the team has confirmed.
The announcement comes a day after Speedcafe.com’s report that FPR incumbent Will Davison will move to Erebus Motorsport next season, to be replaced by Mostert.
The 21-year-old Mostert has been groomed for an FPR seat since joining the team in late 2011, racing in the Dunlop Series until graduating to the team’s customer outfit Dick Johnson Racing in April.
“To be able to call myself an official Ford factory driver is truly a dream come true,” said Mostert.
“I may only be young but I’ve been working my whole career towards this.
“It’s going to be cool driving alongside Frosty. He has helped me so much already and we’ve come through the ranks in a similar way so I am looking forward to learning as much as I can from him and the team.”
The statement from FPR confirming Mostert made no direct mention of Davison, although team principal Tim Edwards pointedly noted that the youngster’s arrival “gives us two drivers that are passionate about our team and committed to winning”.
A three-year extension to Winterbottom’s current contract, signed prior to his victory alongside Steve Richards in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, has also been revealed by the team.
“Mark agreed terms prior to his Bathurst win and with an extension to our Ford deal it is the ideal scenario to have our team continue with the most successful driver in our history,” said Edwards.
“He was already signed until the end of 2014 and the fact he wanted to recommit so early, and for so long, is a great endorsement.”
Winterbottom lauded the stability that his deal will bring.
“FPR and Ford are like family and by the end of my new deal it will be 11 years as a factory driver which makes me very proud,” he said.
“Winning Bathurst ticked off one of the goals we’ve been working towards but now we want the championship too so the stability we have with our engineering group, Ford and Pepsi Max provides the perfect platform.
“I am also really looking forward to working with Chaz. He is a great young guy and in just a few months he’s shown what he can do so our fans should be really excited.”
The make-up of Charlie Schwerkolt’s customer entry is now the only missing link at FPR, following earlier confirmation of David Reynolds being re-signed to drive the Rod Nash Racing-entered Ford.
FPR announced a new sponsorship agreement with Ford at Bathurst, although both parties have shied away from revealing details.
