HAIL A HOLDEN

Gold Coast V8 star Will Davison is ready to walk out on the final year of his $1 million Erebus deal to drive a Commodore next year

DRIVER Will Davison could walk out on Westfield heiress Betty Klimenko and his multimillion-dollar deal, with the former Bathurst 1000 winner considering quitting Erebus Motorsport V8 to rejoin Holden.

As the V8 Supercars stars prepare for this week’s Gold Coast 600 with off-track activities near the famous Surfers Paradise street track beginning yesterday, details of a bombshell switch have emerged with Davison linked to Tekno Autosports.

The former Barry Sheene Medal winner is being hunted by Tekno to replace Red Bullbound driver Shane Van Gisbergen in a move that would see him drive a Triple Eight Race Engineering-built car and share a garage with manof-the moment Craig Lowndes next year.

Tekno run Triple Eight cars and share data with the team under a customer arrangement that makes them an unofficial satellite team.

They are expected to share a boom with the all-powerful outfit next year after Red Bull Racing Australia signed Van Gisbergen and Triple Eight expanded to three cars with Craig Lowndes switching to a Caltex-backed Commodore.

Tekno – co-owned by former full-time driver Jonathan Webb – have been on the hunt for a new driver since Kiwi gun Van Gisbergen took up the irresistible offer to drive alongside V8 immortal Jamie Whincup at Red Bull.

Off-contract drivers including Dave Reynolds had been linked to the role – while others speculated the one-car outfit, sponsored by Darrell Lea, would fold.

But the V8 silly season has taken a twist with Davison’s management making inquiries about being released from the final year of his Erebus deal – rumoured to be worth as much as $1 million a year.

Yatala-based Erebus – who run Mercedes-Benz AMG’s without factory support – have faced well documented financial challenges this year and may look to save money by allowing Davison – and his star power salary – to leave.

It is unclear whether the team would sell one of their Racing Entitlement Contracts (RECS) and scale back to one car or keep both RECS and recruit a cheaper driver – or one that brings cash.

Erebus have made several significant changes since entering the sport with the team owned by Klimenko buying back the rights to multi-million-engine program with AMG in Germany.

The team has also trimmed the fat from the organisation with veteran engineer and administrator Campbell Reed recruited to the team to lead the downsizing operation.

Davison did not return calls yesterday.