Mark Winterbottom to leave Tickford Racing

Former champion Mark Winterbottom is to leave Tickford Racing at the end of the current Supercars season, bringing to an end a relationship going back some 13 years.

The 37-year-old had been expected to remain with the team into 2019, but as time went on, so the chances of a deal to extend his stay started to subside.

Instead, Winterbottom will instead move on to pastures new and has been linked in recent weeks with Charlie Schwerkolt’s Preston Hire Racing team – which is looking for a replacement for Lee Holdsworth.

“After ongoing discussions with us about his driving future, Mark Winterbottom has decided not to return to Tickford Racing in 2019,” a statement from Tickford read. “Frosty has been a part of our family since 2006 and we have enjoyed 13 fantastic seasons together.

“With a Bathurst win, a season championship and over 100 podiums together, few team and driver combinations have been as successful as this one.

“Whilst we are sad to see the partnership conclude at season’s end, we will all look back fondly on the accomplishments we’ve achieved together.

“Our work isn’t finished. We plan to fight hard in the last two rounds of 2018 and hope to add to our long list of successes.

“Tickford Racing’s plans for the 2019 Supercars season remain well under way and we look forward to sharing exciting news about our future in the coming weeks.”

Winterbottom joined the Ford team back in 2006 and went on to secure 39 race wins – including the 2013 Bathurst 1000 – as well as the 2015 championship title.

The driver himself issued the video below on Facebook in which he addressed the decision.