About Team Vodafone

TeamVodafone enters 2010 proudly displaying the #1 on the window after another dominant year on track in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The road to championship glory has been built on dedication and a work ethic unrivalled within the paddock.

The Australian outfit was established in 2004, as owners Roland Dane, Ian Harrison, Peter Butterly and Derek Warwick sought out a greater challenge to accompany their various successes in the highly-competitive British Touring Car Championship.

A significant step in beginning its first full-time season was the signing of multiple champion Craig Lowndes, who brought winning experience and a freakish ability to control a car in any conditions.

In Lowndes’ first year with the team, it claimed more pole positions, race and round victories than any other, finishing a close runner-up in the series title chase. A second key to success was the signing of young gun Jamie Whincup, who had a number of standout performances under his belt in the season prior.

Whincup made an instant impact with the team, winning on debut on the streets of Adelaide. Paired with Lowndes, Whincup completed a formidable endurance line-up that would go on to win the world-renowned Bathurst 1000. Lowndes maintained his strong run in the championship, once again finishing runner-up.

The team took another step forward in 2007, announcing a three-year multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with leading mobile communications company Vodafone. TeamVodafone went on to win a number of key rounds and added a second Bathurst crown to the mantle. It was also the year that Whincup stood up as a genuine title contender, ultimately losing out by a mere 2 points after a hard-fought season right to the final chequered flag.

Keen to build on this momentum, Whincup kicked off 2008 in a dominant fashion, winning his second Clipsal 500 and setting up for his biggest year yet. He overcame a massive hurdle after a zero-points round in New Zealand saw the pack reel him back in.

Whincup teamed with Lowndes to win the team’s third Bathurst title, a history-making effort for the outfit. He went on to win a total of six rounds, claiming a deserved series title on the way.

2009 was a landmark year for the team, which shifted its headquarters in the off-season to a purpose-built facility in Banyo. Behind closed doors the crew toiled endlessly to bring online a brand new race car, not only for itself, but for a variety of customer teams who had opted for chassis’ designed and built on Triple Eight know-how.

The car was unstoppable on debut, steamrolling the opening four races and setting up a strong championship campaign for both Whincup and Lowndes.

With rivals at the height of their competitiveness, the team forged onwards and upwards, enjoying success at a variety of events. The introduction of a grippier sprint tyre to the mix created more winners on track but consistent performances and strong strategy kept TeamVodafone high above the rest in the points race.

Whincup would overcome a number of challenges on track and within to fight back in the closing stages and show why he is the class act of the championship. He won 11 races and claimed 6 pole positions in 2010 to seal his second straight driver’s title.

The mid-season announcement of a move to Holden was the talking point off-track. After taking time to savour its second driver title, the team was back hard at work, preparing an all-new racecar for what is set to be its greatest challenge yet. Accompanying the announcement was the news that both Whincup and Lowndes had signed with the team to campaign Commodores until at least the end of 2012, with the support of naming rights sponsor Vodafone.

Major partners Nokia, Toshiba, Komatsu and Norton from Symantec maintain their association with the team on its 2010 journey with Holden. Caltex is welcomed back to the line-up of major partners after a brief hiatus from the sport.