KEY POINTS:
New Zealander Steven Richards will drive a Ford in this year's Australian V8 Supercar series.
Richards, the son of V8 legend Jim Richards, has signed a five-year contract and replaces Jason Bright at the Ford Performance Racing (FPR) team.
Richards drove for the Jack Daniels Holden Commodore team last season and finished seventh.
He has been a regular V8 Supercar contender for 10 seasons.
Richards, 34, known as one of the most consistent drivers in the series, had Bright as a partner when they won Bathurst in 1998.
Richards said he could not wait to get behind the wheel of the Falcon.
"There is no settling in period and the intention is to get the new season started on the pace with FPR at the Clipsal 500 [in Adelaide in March]," Richards said.
- NZPA
