MOTORSPORT: Young Moffat in V8 Supercar 'main game'

Two great names of Australian motor racing come together, with Allan Moffat's son James to race for Dick Johnson and as teammate to his son Steven, while Australia is closer to having two F1 drivers

Champion Courtney's old seat goes to another legend's son
It's finally official – two of the great names of Australian touring car g racing, and Ford's motorsport history in this country, have united.
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James Moffat, 26, son of the legendary Allan, has been confirmed as a driver in the V8 Supercar Championship this year with equally famous Dick Johnson's Jim Beam Racing.

Moffat Junior replaces reigning V8 Super car games champion James Courtney, who promptly switched to the Toll Holden Racing Team within days of winning the title last December.

It is a complete second-generation driver line-up, with newcomer Moffat joining Johnson's son Steven in the team.

Moffat has arrived in the V8 Supercar "main game via the Fujitsu development series, in which he was a frontrunner. But he's warned not to expect him to repeat Courtney's success in a hurry.

However, Dick Johnson says the new Moffat is in the right place, because "we know how to nurture young drivers".

"I've watched James closely over the last few years and I've been really impressed with how he's developed," Johnson said.

"Not only does he have talent, he's Ford through and through -- which is really important to our fans."

Moffat said: "Obviously I've got some big shoes to fill and I need to be realistic about what I can achieve in my rookie year.

"However, I've got a great car and team to work with, so I'm looking forward to the challenge and can't wait to get started.

"Dick Johnson Racing is arguably the most iconic and one of the most successful teams in the country, so it's a great honour to drive for them.

"Working with Dick and Steven is going to be incredible and I can't wait to make the most of the experience."

Moffat will have his first public run with the team at the V8 Supercar pre-season test at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway tomorrow week (Saturday, January 29). The opening round of V8 Supercar Championship is in Abu Dhabi on February 11-12.

Jim Beam Racing general manager Glenn Turnor said that the Johnson and Moffat names were "iconic" in Australian motorsport.

"Dick and Allan were great competitors. To have their sons driving together for Australia's longest-established racing team will be something really special for fans," Turnor said.

"With Steven by his side and Dick as his mentor we are confident that James will continue to grow as a driver. This is the start of an exciting new chapter for Jim Beam Racing."

Meanwhile, Ford Performance Racing has formally announced Will Davison's return to the Blue Oval fold after two years at HRT – the second of them unhappy and unsuccessful.

While Davison will now be Mark Winterbottom's teammate at FPR, he previously sprung to prominence – and scored his first V8 Supercar victory – with the Johnson team in the seat that Courtney then took over.

A stream of V8 Supercar announcements is anticipated in the week leading into the pre-season test – although it's unlikely there will be an official release about teams having been told they will get $170,000 less per car this year in distributions from V8 Supercars Australia.

Last year the payment was about $850,000 per car.

Meanwhile, 2005 V8 Supercar champion and Paul Morris Motorsport/Supercheap Auto veteran Russell Ingall has declared this a "make or break" season for him. Ingall said he wanted to continue racing next year but it would depend on his performance this season.

"My game plan is to carry on through until the end of 2012 but I'm under no illusion that I have to perform and earn my seat."

Ingall's new teammate is Steve Owen, a development series champion and accomplished Triple Eight Race Engineering/Team Vodafone endurance race co-driver.

The Morris Motorsport cars are built by Triple Eight and Ingall said Owen's experience with that outfit would be an important benefit.

Ricciardo set for F1 start within a year
Another strong pointer this week that Australia might soon have two drivers on the Formula One grid.

Red Bull's motor racing supremo, Austrian Dr Helmut Marko, wants 21-year-old West Australian Daniel Ricciardo racing in F1 by next year "at the latest" -- most probably with Red Bull's second team, Toro Rosso.

Unless Mark Webber retires when his contract with world champion team Red Bull Racing ends this year that would mean two Aussies in the field.

Ricciardo will be driving in Friday practice sessions at grands prix this season and Dr Marko hinted that he could race for Toro Rosso at some point this year if either of its two contracted drivers, Sebastien Buemi of Switzerland and Jamie Alguersuari of Spain, don't perform well enough.

In the meantime Ricciardo will do a second season in the World Series by Renault for 3.5-litre Renault-engined open-wheelers. Ricciardo came within two points of winning the World Series title last year, pipped at the final wet race by Russian Mikhail Aleshin.

Instead of continuing with French team Tech 1 this season, Red Bull has switched Ricciardo to Czech team ISR, which won several races last season.

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