DJR Team Penske welcomes two big behind-the-scenes names this year, with Adam De Borre and Ben Croke joining the expanding team.
After engineering Chaz Mostert for the past three years, De Borre’s profile has risen as the two notched up pole positions and wins, including success at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 in 2014.
De Borre will engineer Scott Pye in 2016, and has an existing relationship with DJR Team Penske after running Mostert there in 2013, when the young driver was loaned to the team through Prodrive’s customer program.
Pye earned his first V8 Supercars podium in New Zealand late last season after stepping in for Marcos Ambrose from Tasmania, demonstrating his talent as a driver.
“We’re very excited to have Adam join us – he’s obviously well-known to us through the Prodrive relationship and the year he engineered Chaz Mostert here,” DJR Team Penske Managing Director Ryan Story told v8supercars.com.au.
“We’ve signed up Ben Croke, who is going to be our crew chief. Ben has a tremendous amount of experience and we’re excited to have him join the fold … we have a number of other new staff joining us, ranging from mechanics to other staff throughout the team.
“We’re confident we’ve effectively grown a group that did some pretty good things last year, so we’re very pleased with where we’re at and looking forward to going racing later on.”
De Borre departed Prodrive last year to move home to regional town Merimbula and will work by correspondence with some commuting to the Stapylton workshop and a presence on race weekends.
Pye’s 2015 engineer Mark Fenning – who has spent six years with the team in two stints – will focus on 2017 development, when the sport’s Gen2 phase comes into play.
Story emphasised the importance of planning for the future in a competitive environment and having an experienced engineer focused on the next phase of Supercars.
New addition Croke continues a role he filled for more than five years at Erebus Motorsport/Stone Brothers Racing after being the number one mechanic on Ambrose’s championship-winning car at SBR.
DJR Team Penske is set to debut two new chassis this season. New recruit Fabian Coulthard will steer a new car at the season opening Clipsal 500, currently being built, with Pye’s fresh FG X set to come online shortly after.
Coulthard’s engineer from Brad Jones Racing Phil Keed has shifted with him to DJR Team Penske, and is said to be settling in well.
The team is planning a test day is in early February, and will hold an open day before season start for fans.