Ford rejects talk of Mostert move

THE drivers’ merry-go-round may be about to start but Ford powerhouse Tickford Racing has denied Chaz Mostert will replace Supercars great Craig Lowndes in a Holden next year.

Ford star Mostert, pictured, is contracted until the end of 2019 but raised eyebrows at the latest Supercars round in Ipswich when he baulked at discussing his future.

The 2014 Bathurst 1000 winner has been linked with a move to Holden next year with the rumour mill in overdrive that Mostert will take over from Lowndes at Triple Eight Race Engineering after the legend retires from full-time racing at season’s end.

Asked if Mostert will drive for Tickford Racing next year, team co-owner Rod Nash said: “Absolutely … there’s nothing going on there because he’s currently contracted into next year.

“That is a bit of a rumour mill out there that started from the Lowndes announcement.”

Mostert appeared to turn his horror season around at the Ipswich SuperSprint round with his first 2018 podium — a third placing in the final 200km race on Sunday.

It was his first top-three finish since last October’s Gold Coast round, but Mostert — who is eighth in the drivers’ standings — did not want to talk up a Tickford Racing revival with his teammates well down the standings.

“It’s a good confidence boost for our team,” Mostert said. “[But] I don’t want to talk too much into it. Only results will speak for that.”

Meanwhile, Ford heavyweights DJR Team Penske has confirmed Fabian Coulthard will remain in 2019.

Questions were asked about his future after being overshadowed by teammate and series leader Scott McLaughlin this year, with Coulthard falling to sixth in the standings.

But Team Penske president Tim Cindric confirmed that the 35-year-old will return for a fourth season with the Ford pacesetters.