Gold Coast 600 International Drivers details unveiled
The V8 Supercars Championship has announced a revised name and the full driver line-up for the inaugural Gold Coast 600 race at Surfers Paradise in October.
The event adds an international flair to a race weekend that used to feature the US based Champcar/Indycar series.
The race will take place over October 22nd-24th this year, as part of the usual V8 Supercar Championship races – the teams will be required to run an international star in the squad as part of the two 300km races that will take place on the circuit.
A provisional list was shown last week, but the full announcement today confirms the 18 competitors for this event.
From Touring Car racing, former World & British Touring Car Champion and current joint championship leader, Yvan Muller, will drive for Castrol Edge Racing – the French driver effectively driving for the Australian General Motors brand.
Three times World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will pair up with one of the drivers at the series dominating TeamVodafone squad, run by Triple Eight Race Engineering. Priaulx has experience of the cars after driving with the Bundaberg Red Racing team last year, as does his WTCC rival Muller, who also raced for Triple Eight in Australia.
Former DTM Audi & Opel racer (and of course F1 driver) Heinz-Harald Frentzen will drive for the Wilson Security squad, WTCC SEAT SR-Sport racer Tiago Monteiro will drive for Centaur Racing, whilst Italian Superstars Champion Gianni Morbidelli will also take part for Triple F Racing.
Newly confirmed, current BTCC championship leader and two times BTCC champion Fabrizio Giovanardi will drive for Britek Motorsport – whilst Yvan Muller’s WTCC team mate and another former BTCC champ, Alain Menu – will drive for Brad Jones Racing.
Two times Indycar champion and former DTM/ITC driver Dario Franchitti, will race for Jim Beam Racing.
In addition to these current and former touring car stars, a whole host of former F1 and past and present Indycar aces will also take part.
Sebastien Bourdais – Dick Johnson Racing – Ford Falcon
David Brabham – Stone Brothers Racing – Ford Falcon
Ryan Briscoe – Toll Holden Racing Team – Holden Commodore
Scott Dixon – Jack Daniels’ Racing – Holden Commodore
Dario Franchitti – Jim Beam Racing – Ford Falcon
Heinz-Harald Frentzen – Wilson Security Racing – Ford Falcon
Fabrizio Giovanardi – Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing – Holden Commodore
Patrick Long – Fujitsu Racing – Holden Commodore
Alain Menu – Brad Jones Racing – Holden Commodore
Tiago Monteiro – Centaur Racing – Holden Commodore
Will Power – Ford Performance Racing – Ford Falcon
Gianni Morbidelli – Triple F Racing – Ford Falcon
Yvan Muller – Castrol Edge Racing – Holden Commodore
Andy Priaulx – TeamVodafone – Holden Commodore
Scott Pruett – Lucas/Dumbrell Motorsport – Holden Commodore
Mika Salo – Bundaberg Red Racing – Holden Commodore
Alex Tagliani – Kelly Racing – Holden Commodore
Jacques Villeneuve – Bottle-O Racing – Ford Falcon
