Motorsport:Team Kiwi switching to Ford for next V8 season

Ford Performance Racing, one of the top teams in the Australian V8 Supercar championship, will be the key factor in the success of Team Kiwi from next season.

The Auckland-based team yesterday confirmed that it is shifting its allegiance from Holden to Ford at the end of this season.

But, as team owner David John said in the Herald a couple of weeks ago, the change was not a "Ford v Holden thing" but the best chance to achieve its goal of running at the front of the toughest touring car championship in the world.

"It's not really a financial thing," he said. "It's a technical alliance, not only with Ford Performance Racing but with Prodrive, who own FPR and have had world success in rallying, sports cars and will field a Formula One team in 2008.

"I would hope to see us on the podium in 2007 on more than one occasion and our goal will be to win our first race outright. Not a reverse grid race but first race outright."

Rod Barrett, commercial director of FPR, guaranteed that the Team Kiwi Falcon would be identical to the two FPR cars in the 2007 championship and his team would provide technical expertise both at the circuits and between events.

This season the team's drivers, Mark Winterbottom and Jason Bright, are fourth and eighth in the championship. Winterbottom was on the podium at the Pukekohe round in April.

Team Kiwi was approached by Ford to make the switch after six years with Holden during which, despite the handicap of being the only overseas-based team, they achieved a podium finish last year in China and won pole position at Winton the previous year.

Richard Matheson, managing director of Ford New Zealand, recalled Ford's famous 1-2-3 at the 1966 Le Mans 24-hour race with Kiwis Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon and Denny Hulme in the first two cars.

"Our loyal customers and fans have said they would love to see Ford New Zealand support a NZ team and driver in the V8 championship."

Team Kiwi will complete their obligations to Holden for the rest of the year with Paul Radisich and Fabian Coulthard combining for the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst.

John rates Radisich highly and he will be a contender when the driver choice for 2007 is made. It will definitely be a Kiwi.