Tekno Autosports

Tekno Autosports
Manufacturer Holden
Team Principal Jonathon Webb
Race Drivers 19. Will Davison (V8)
59. Jonathon Webb (GT)
59. Grant Denyer (GT)
60. Nathan Morcom (GT)
61. Nathan Antunes (GT)
61. Elliot Barbour (GT)
Chassis Holden VF Commodore
Debut 2010
Drivers' Championships 0
Round wins 5
Pole positions 10
2015 position 9th (2,737 points)

Tekno Autosports is an Australian motor racing team, established in the early 2000s initially for the motor racing activities of Stephen Webb, and later his son Jonathon Webb. The Gold Coast based team runs a single car team in the International V8 Supercars Championship using Holden VF Commodore chassis built by Triple Eight Race Engineering and three Melbourne-based McLaren 650S GT3s in the Australian GT Championship. The team's current V8 Supercar driver is Will Davison, with Webb, Nathan Antunes, Elliot Barbour, Grant Denyer and Nathan Morcom making up the McLaren GT team.

History

Formed originally as a Porsche team running in the Australian Porsche Cup by Stephen Webb, having previously raced Kaditchas in the Australian Sports Car Championship and Ralts in the Australian Drivers' Championship. Webb raced Porsches with modest success for several seasons, moving into the Australian Nations Cup Championship, a GT based racing series later in the 1990s. Gradually as the 2000s progressed the team's emphasis shifted from Steve to Jonathon as he emerged through the ranks of Australian motor racers. Jonathon Webb joined the Australian Carrera Cup Championship when it was formed in 2003 and finished third in his best ever season in 2005.

V8 Supercar Development Series

For 2007, Tekno moved into the second-tier Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series and operated a Ford BA Falcon in the series with the assistance of Stone Brothers Racing under the racing number of #94, Webb placed fourth for the season. This relationship continued into the 2008, with Webb placing third. In 2009, Tekno wound down as an operational racing team with Webb moving to the MW Motorsport team.

International V8 Supercars Championship

In 2010 Tekno entered the V8 Supercar Championship Series with a Racing Entitlement Contract (REC) purchased from Tasman Motorsport. It linked up with veteran Queensland Ford racing team, Dick Johnson Racing with Webb racing a former Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford FG Falcon as #19.[1] Mid season the team attained title sponsor, Mother Energy Drinks. David Russell joined the team for the endurance events at Phillip Island and Bathurst. Sebastian Bourdais joined the team for the Gold Coast 600. At the final race of the year, the Sydney 500, the team recorded their first win, with Webb winning the rain-affected Saturday race.

Tekno severed their relationship with Dick Johnson Racing in 2011 and became an independent single car team, still utilising the #19. The team maintained the sponsorship links with Mother Energy Drinks and had their engines built by InnoV8 Race Engines. Richard Lyons was the Endurance Co-Driver for Phillip Island and Bathurst, with Gil de Ferran joining Webb on the Gold Coast.

2012 saw the team expand to two cars which included a move to Holden and becoming a Triple Eight Race Engineering customer.[2] Webb continued to drive the #19 car, with Michael Patrizi recurited to drive the #91 Commodore with a REC leased from Paul Morris Motorsport.[3] Scott McLaughlin and Jonny Reid were the endurance drivers for Sandown and Bathurst, with Marc Lieb and Lucas di Grassi joining Webb and Patrizi on the Gold Coast. Webb finished Season 2012 in 12th Position, with Patrizi in 18th despite competing without a full-time title sponsor all year.

Michael Patrizi was replaced in 2013 with Shane Van Gisbergen, in a controversial move after Van Gisbergen was granted a release from his Stone Brothers Racing contract on the basis he wanted time away from the sport. Both entries acquired new sponsors, with Darrell Lea sponsoring Webb's car #19 and VIP Petfoods Van Gisbergen's #97 entry. Van Gisbergen quickly established himself a race winning threat in the team's new Triple Eight constructed Holden VF Commodore taking victory at Race 2 at the 2013 Clipsal 500 and Sydney 500.

For 2014, the team returned to a single car operation with the leased REC returned to Paul Morris Motorsport and Van Gisbergen driving the single entry to finish second in the championship. Webb co-drove in the endurance races. In 2016, Will Davison replaced Van Gisbergen.[4]

Endurance/GT racing

Tekno Autosports campaigned two McLaren 650S GT3 cars in the 2016 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. Shane van Gisbergen, Jonathon Webb and Álvaro Parente won the race, with the sister car of Will Davison, Robert Bell and Andrew Watson finishing 9th. With a third car this relationship continued into the 2016 Australian GT Championship.

V8 Supercar drivers

The following is a list of drivers who have driven for the team in V8 Supercars, in order of their first appearance. Drivers who only drove for the team on a part-time basis are listed in italics.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Third DJR entry for webb finalised
  2. ↑ Webb confirms switch to Holden in 2012
  3. ↑ "Patrizi joins expanded Tekno Autosports". V8X Magazine. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
  4. ↑ "Davison Joins Tekno". V8Supercars. 23 October 2015.
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