Coulthard defects to Holden 

Source: PhotosportKiwi Fabien Coulthard

Ford's V8 Supercar campaign has taken another big hit with the defection of rising young star Fabian Coulthard to Holden.

The 27-year-old from Auckland will join the powerful Walkinshaw Racing outfit next year, ending his contract with Wilson Security Racing after two years.

His shock move comes after TeamVodafone, with championship leader Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes at the wheel, announced earlier this year it would become a Holden team next year.

The move comes after Ford withdrew official factory backing for the cars in a decision which has clearly backfired.

Coulthard, who has a deal until the end of the 2011 season, said he was keen to prove himself alongside pacesetting Holden pilots Garth Tander and Will Davison at Walkinshaw Racing.

"This is a great opportunity for me and I am honoured to have been given the chance to step up and drive for such a professional outfit," he said.

"This new role is going to put me in a position to consistently contest top 10 finishes and podium results."

Walkinshaw Racing ceo Craig Wilson said the decision to sign Coulthard was about building a team that could put results on the board.

"We strive to have the strongest driver combination possible," Wilson said. "With Fabian joining Walkinshaw Racing we believe we have a stronger line-up for 2010.

"The last two years have shown that Fabian has the speed and consistency to be a real threat.

"We look forward to him joining the team later this year so we can hit the ground running for the start of the 2010 season in February."

Coulthard made his full-time V8 Supercar career debut at the start of the 2008 season with Paul Cruickshank Racing's single car outfit, which then became Wilson Security Racing in 2009.

He immediately impressed his rivals with a string of six top 10 finishes, including a fifth place at the inaugural Hamilton 400 event on home turf in New Zealand.

His first podium at Symmons Plains in Tasmania earlier this year was a highlight but the offer to work with a factory supported squad and the chance to drive alongside Bathurst champions Tander and Davison formed a major part of Coulthard's decision to make the switch.

He will close out the 2009 season with Wilson Security Racing before making the move to Melbourne from the Gold Coast during the off-season.