Supercars squad Team Sydney has been sold following much speculation regarding its ownership during the closing stages of last season.
Team sponsor and top fuel drag racer Peter Xiberras of PremiAir Hire is the new owner of the team, thus ending the Webb family’s Supercars team ownership, which began as a Dick Johnson Racing satellite operation in 2010.
Through its incarnations as Tekno Autosport, then later Team Sydney, the squad has taken five Supercars round wins and 10 pole positions, mostly under a successful partnership with star Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen from 2013-2015.
Its last victory was the 2016 Bathurst 1000 with Will Davison partnering Webb and completed a unique double at the Mountain after securing the 12 Hour in February.
It is understood the team will move from its Sydney base and a complete refresh will commence approaching the season opener in Newcastle scheduled to take place on March 4-6.
After winning the V8 Development Series in 2009, Webb stepped up with a re-formed Tekno Autosport for 2010 partnering with DJR, before ending this partnership for 2011 to become a single-car team the next season.
Big changes came in 2012 when not only did the team change to Holden, but it added a second entry for Michael Patrizi courtesy of a leased REC from Paul Morris Motorsport. During the endurance events, Tekno Autosports gave future triple Supercars champion his main series debut.
Van Gisbergen joined the team in controversial circumstances, but it proved to be a successful era for Tekno Autosports. In his three championship starts, the Kiwi finished in the top five each time with a best of second in 2014 as in the same year a Bathurst win went begging due to a starter motor failure.
After van Gisbergen’s departure to Triple Eight Race Engineering ahead of the 2016 season, Davison took on primary driving duties as the team began to enter a downturn despite its Bathurst win.
Super2 graduate Jack Le Brocq then joined the team for 2018 marking his main series debut, before it was announced for 2020 Tekno Autosports was to be re-branded Team Sydney and moved to a base at Sydney Motorsport Park.
James Courtney was the team’s star signing for 2020, but this lasted just one round as Alex Davison replaced the Tickford Racing-bound driver after Adelaide.
Another big signing in the form of former DJR driver Fabian Coulthard joined Team Sydney alongside Garry Jacobson, however it was a season of struggle for the pair.
It is expected the team will decide on its base and structure in the next week, but previous Team Sydney engineer Geoff Slater won’t feature after joining Walkinshaw Andretti United as race engineer to its new signee Nick Percat.
Read below a statement released by the Webb:
“Kobe [partner, Tekno Group CEO] and I are grateful that Peter Xiberras and PremiAir Hire will continue to build Team Sydney within the Supercars Championship,” he began.
“We are thankful for the support and friendships we have welcomed over the past 12 years of racing – significantly Tony Quinn [sponsor of multiple seasons], Triple Eight [car supplier], KRE [Race Engines], ARDC, Steve Hallam, Dr. Geoffrey Slater, Mick Shortus (our first employee who remained with us for our entire Supercars journey), and many more. Thank you to our drivers, crew, and families.”
“We look forward to seeing what the 2022 season brings for all involved – all the best.”