|
Ford Performance Racing (FPR) was established in late December 2002 after Prodrive, the world's largest independent motorsport and automotive engineering company, bought Glenn Seton Racing.
Headed by 1981 World Rally Champion co-driver David Richards CBE, Prodrive had already achieved a lot since its inception in 1984, including:
- More than 200 international motorsport event wins
- Six World Rally titles with Subaru
- Five British Touring Car championships with BMW, Alfa Romeo and Ford
- Class wins at Le Mans with Ferrari and Aston Martin
- Runner-up in the 2004 F1 Constructors' Championship, managing BAR Honda F1won more than 200 events with customer teams as well as six World Rally Championship titles with Subaru
The addition of FPR to Prodrive's portfolio added a world-class race engineering centre in Melbourne, which was opened in 2005. It is Australia's largest and most advanced facility of its kind and is based close to both Ford and FPV.
All facets of FPR's technical operations are conducted in-house, including vehicle fabrication, engine design and building, electronics engineering and composite component design and manufacturing.
FPR has 40 full time staff members, 25 of whom travel to race events.
2003
The team won its second-ever V8 Supercar round when FPR's crew made a crucial weather call, keeping Craig Lowndes out at Phillip Island whilst others made early tyre stops. The rain FPR had anticipated came 17 laps from the finish bringing everyone in for wets. Lowndes, having not already pitted, emerged in front.
DRIVERS
Craig Lowndes (5th overall)
Glenn Seton (15th overall)
David Besnard (21st overall)
Owen Kelly (endurance with Besnard)
Darren Hossack (endurance with Macrow)
Adam Macrow (endurance with Hossack)
HIGHLIGHTS
One round win: Lowndes, Phillip Island
Three round podiums: Lowndes, Eastern Creek, Oran Park and Bathurst (with Seton)
2004
A difficult season for the fledgling team, race engine reliability proved alusive. Despite that FPR still managed to secure a second runner-up spot at the iconic Mount Panorama thanks to some shrewd tactics.
DRIVERS
Craig Lowndes (20th overall)
Glenn Seton (15th overall)
Alain Menu (endurance with Macrow)
Adam Macrow (endurance with Menu)
HIGHLIGHTS
Two round podiums: Lowndes, Eastern Creek and Bathurst (with Seton)
One fastest lap: Lowndes, Surfers Paradise
2005
This was a year for research and development, with all FPR's resources going into re-designing the BA Falcon V8 Supercar chassis and engine. By the closing stages of the season the team was turning in strong qualifying and race performances ready for a resurgent assault in 2006.
DRIVERS
Jason Bright (9th overall)
Greg Ritter (27th overall)
David Brabham (endurance with Bright + last two rounds, replacing Ritter)
Cameron McLean (endurance with Ritter
HIGHLIGHTS
Two sixth-place round results: Bright, Pukekohe Park and Symmons Plains
2006
The team's hard work and determination resulted in FPR's most successful season to date in 2006. Highlights included winning the prestigious Sandown 500 (Bright & Winterbottom) and the inaugural Bahrain Desert 400 V8 Supercar round (Bright), along with several top three results by both drivers. This earned FPR second-place honours in the Teams' Championship, along with third and fifth places in the Drivers' Championship.
DRIVERS
Jason Bright (5th overall)
Mark Winterbottom (3rd overall)
Matt Halliday (endurance with Brabham at Bathurst and McLean at Sandown)
Cameron McLean (endurance with Halliday at Sandown)
David Brabham (endurance with Halliday at Bathurst)
HIGHLIGHTS
Two round wins: Bright, Bahrain and Sandown (with Winterbottom)
Seven round podiums
- Winterbottom: Pukekohe Park, Surfers Paradise, Symmons Plains, Phillip Island
- Bright: Winton, Queensland, Symmons Plains
Three pole positions: Bright, Winton, Hidden Valley, Oran Park
Ten fastest laps
- Bright: 3 x Winton, 2 x Hidden Valley, 1 x Symmons Plains, 1 x Bahrain
- Winterbottom: 1 x Hidden Valley, 1 x Surfers Paradise, 1 x Phillip Island
2007
FPR recorded four pole positions during 2007, earning Mark Winterbottom the 2007 V8 Supercar Pole Position Award. Overall, FPR gained a top-five Championship result with Winterbottom fifth and Richards seventh overall.
DRIVERS
Mark Winterbottom (5th overall)
Steve Richards (7th overall)
Owen Kelly (endurance with Richards for Sandown and Halliday for Bathurst)
Matt Halliday (endurance with Winterbottom for Sandown and Kelly for Bathurst)
HIGHLIGHTS
One round win: Winterbottom, Bahrain
Four round podiums
- Winterbottom: Symmons Plains
- Richards: Oran Park, Sandown, Symmons Plains
Four pole positions: Winterbottom Pukehohe Park, Sandown, Bathurst, Bahrain
Five fastest laps: Winterbottom: 1 x Pukehohe Park, 1 x Oran Park, 2 x Bahrain, 1 x Phillip Island
2008
FPR's progress continued with its closest-ever title challenge in 2008. Mark Winterbottom led the points table in the season's mid-stages with dominant performances in Queensland and Perth as well as the team's first-ever 1-2 finish, when Steve Richards led Frosty home in Darwin.
DRIVERS
Mark Winterbottom (2nd overall)
Steve Richards (8th overall)
Dean Canto (endurance with Youlden)
Luke Youlden (endurance with Canto)
HIGHLIGHTS
Three round wins
- Richards: Hidden Valley
- Winterbottom: Queensland, Barbagallo
Five round podiums
- Richards: Hamilton
- Winterbottom: Eastern Creek, Sandown, Hidden Valley, Gold Coast
Four Pole Positions
- Richards: Hamilton
- Winterbottom: Barbagallo, Hidden Valley, Winton Raceway
Fastest laps
- Winterbottom: 1 x Eastern Creek, 1 x Barbagallo, 2 x Hidden Valley, 1 x Winton, 1 x Phillip Island, 2 x Surfers Paradise
- Richards: 1 x Surfers Paradise
|
