Ford confirms 2016 V8 Supercars withdrawal

V8 Supercars boss James Warburton has called on Ford fans to find a new team to support after the Blue Oval officially killed off its famous rivalry with Holden by confirming they would quit the sport by 2016.

On the week of the season-ending V8 event in Sydney, Ford yesterday robbed Australia of one of its greatest sporting rivalries by announcing they would not sponsor reigning Bathurst-winning team Ford Performance Racing after next year.

More than one million Ford supporters - almost half the sport's fanbase - have been bracing for almost eight weeks since The Daily Telegraph revealed on the eve of the Bathurst 1000 the carmaker's plan to abandon the sport. Warburton, who has spent the last 18 months negotiating to keep the Holden v Ford rivalry alive, urged Blue Oval fans to follow their favourite drivers to other teams.

"I am certainly disappointed for their fans," Warburton said. "They are the ones who are losing out. We are now going to have to get the Ford fans to barrack for other brands. The fans are also very loyal to the drivers they support so we would encourage them to keep on following them." With the Falcon to be axed in 2016 amid a global manufacturing restructure, Ford cut V8 Supercars from its $60 million marketing warship in a move Ford Australia boss Bob Graziano confirmed in a statement yesterday.

We will provide technical support to teams racing Ford Falcons in 2015 but will not renew our sponsorships after the season.

"Ford is transforming our entire business - from our product line-up to consumer experience - that meant we had to make difficult decisions such as not renewing our V8 Supercars teams' sponsorships after the 2015 season," the statement said.

"Performance is part of our DNA, and will continue to be, as we increase our vehicle offerings and enthusiasts look for a wider range performance of models such as smaller cars like Mustang, Fiesta ST and Focus ST. Ford is proud to launch the FG-X Falcon, including building on our performance heritage by racing the new model in V8 Supercars in 2015. We will provide technical support to teams racing Ford Falcons in 2015 but will not renew our sponsorships after the season"

"We are proud of the teams and our history in the series but have made this decision so we can move forward by focusing our attention on our great products and consumer experience." Ford will continue to sponsor television programs like The Bachelorette in a move Warburton said would do little to rescue the suffering business from being outmuscled by Asian car manufacturers.

Ford have ignored thousands of fans who said they will stop buying their cars if the company quits V8s. "I certainly don't think pulling out of the third-most attended sport in the country will help their cause," Warburton said.

"Clearly I am going to say it is the wrong move and I truly believe that. The size and the scale of the platform is there for all of them to see." Warburton was amazed the company would announce they were quitting the sport just days before Ford hero Marcos Ambrose is due to make his V8 comeback at the Sydney 500, starting Friday.

"I find it amazing they are making this announcement ahead of the series finale this week when we have a global star in Marcos Ambrose campaigning in a Ford," said Warburton. "I am sure they will be back at some point."

"I don't want to let emotions take over and say too much. The reality is that it is a disappointing result and they are having a tough time. Pulling out will not help them. They have pulled out before and come back and I have no doubt that at some point in the future they will be back."