History
2003
Ford Performance Racing was established in December 2002 after Prodrive, the world’s largest independent automotive engineering company, bought Glenn Seton Racing.
The team won its second 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)
2004
A difficult season for the fledgling team, race engine reliability proved difficult. 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)
2005
Rebuilding its engine programme, FPR struggled for consistent speed. This year’s work, however, laid the foundations for an excellent 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)
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)
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)
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)
2009
A tough year for FPR with mixed results. Richo made it to the podium three times, while Frosty finished the season with 12 podium finishes and a fifth place in the championship.
Drivers
Mark Winterbottom (5th overall)
Steve Richards (13th overall)
Dean Canto (endurance with Youlden)
Luke Youlden (endurance with Canto)
2010
Frosty was in the hunt for the championship until the second last race of the season in a super-competitive year for the #5 Orrcon Racing FPR Falcon. Third place provides a solid building-block for 2011. Richo struggled at times but delivered a number of good finishes. FPR announced a new naming-rights sponsor for car #6 for 2011, with the driver revealed as Will Davison.
Drivers
Mark Winterbottom (3rd overall)
Steve Richards (17th overall)
Luke Youlden (endurance with Winterbottom)
James Moffat (endurance with Richards)
2011
The team endured a mixed first half of the season with poles and podiums peppered with disappointing results. FPR then showed its ability and fighting spirit and turned its season around, with Winterbottom clawing his way back up the standings in the back end of the year to claim third overall. The team won two races, claimed eight poles and more than one dozen podiums to end the year as the coming team in the series.
Drivers
Mark Winterbottom (3rd overall)
Will Davison (7th overall)
Steve Richards (endurance with Winterbottom)
Luke Youlden (endurance with Davison)