Ford Performance Racing (FPR) is delighted to announce that former Bathurst winner David Brabham and highly experienced Australian racing driver Cameron McLean will join the blue oval team for the Sandown and Bathurst endurance races.

Together with FPR 2005 season drivers Jason Bright and Greg Ritter, Ford's major V8 Supercar team now boasts one of the most experienced Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 driver line-ups ever assembled.

Brabham is currently racing for Prodrive in World Sportscars, piloting the Aston Martin DBR9.  His first race for the new team, the Sebring 12 Hour in March, resulted in a resounding maiden GT class victory and fourth place overall finish with co-drivers Stephane Ortelli and Darren Turner.

The 40 year old Australian driver has proven his versatility by racing successfully in several premier international motor racing categories over the past two decades. Highlights of his outstanding career include race victories and Championships in World Sportscars, the American Le Mans Series and in Touring Cars. Brabham also competed in Formula One with the Brabham Grand Prix Team in 1990 and with the Simtek Grand Prix Team in 1994. He was also the Footwork Arrows Grand Prix team test driver for the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

Brabham won the (Super Tourer) Bathurst 1000 with his brother Geoff driving a BMW in 1997 and returned to compete in the inaugural Bathurst 24 Hour race in 2002. Brabham also competed with Ford team DJR in the Sandown and Bathurst V8 Supercar endurance events in 2003 and 2004.

"I am very pleased to be able to come down again and do the big V8 Supercar endurance races this year. I am also pleased to be joining FPR this year for the first time. As this is a Prodrive owned company, and I drive for the Prodrive Aston Martin Racing Team, it is the perfect deal for me. Over the last two years I had a great relationship with DJR, learning a great deal along the way. This experience will be of great benefit, as this series is the most competitive in the world and I know now that I can be competitive in the car. My aim is to win Bathurst in a V8, as I have won it in a 2 litre BMW in 1997, but this is not enough. To win in a V8, in these cars and in this series, would be as good as winning Le Mans," David said.

Cameron McLean, 36, has forged a reputation for consistency and competitiveness in V8 Supercars following a career which has included Championship success in Super Tourers. He partnered Russell Ingall at Ford team Stone Brothers Racing to finish 6th in last year's great race and has gained five top ten finishes at Mount Panorama during his career.

"I'm looking forward to joining FPR for the endurance races as they have proven to be very strong at Bathurst and the team continues to improve with every race this season. Greg and I finished fourth at Bathurst in 2001 and Jason drove with DJR when I did in 2000, so I look forward to joining them again this year. Having David Brabham on board completes a highly experienced and determined endurance race line-up for FPR," he said.

According to FPR Motorsport Director Tim Edwards, "It is fantastic to have secured two highly experienced drivers for this season's endurance races. On a personal level, it is excellent to be re-acquainted with David as we both first ventured to Europe and worked in British Formula 3 at the same time. As a past Bathurst winner, we look forward to the major contribution that he will be making to our effort. Cameron McLean brings the team valuable experience and is an accomplished top flight enduro driver. Together with Jason and Greg, all four FPR drivers possess vast Bathurst experience. Combine this with FPR's results at Bathurst over the past two years and our 2005 enduro challenge is one of the most promising of the V8 Supercar field."

CAT FPR Falcon driver Jason Bright welcomes David Brabham and Cameron McLean to FPR's endurance season line up. "I think it is great for FPR to have secured David and Cameron for the endurance races. I competed with David in 2000 and we have stayed in touch ever since. Cameron was racing with DJR at the same time that I was and did a fantastic job there - we have two strong endurance race drivers that I believe will fit in very well with the team,"Jason said.

Ford Credit FPV Falcon driver Greg Ritter shares his team mate's sentiments, "I have driven with Cameron on several occasions and scored my equal best result of 4th at Bathurst in 2001 with him. A driver with the vast experience of David Brabham is a major asset to our team and I am eagerly looking forward to what this combination of drivers can deliver at Sandown and Bathurst."

FPR will be making an announcement relating to the pairing of the team's four endurance race drivers in due course. The team has not released any driver combinations to date and any FPR endurance race driver pairings which have appeared in the media to date have been based purely on speculation.