Scott McLaughlin's former Supercars team have announced their 2021 driver lineup.
Two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Will Davison and rising young gun Anton De Pasquale will fill the seats vacated by Kiwi pair McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard.
Coulthard was let go a day after McLaughlin announced his departure to IndyCar, although both have been offered co-driver sports for the 2021 enduro campaign.
Davison is no stranger to Dick Johnson Racing, haven driven for the Ford squad for two years in the mid-2000s.
De Pasquale is just three years into his career, having been plucked out of virtual obscurity by Erebus Motorsport in 2018. DJR managing director Ryan Story says the excitement in the team is high after announcing such a strong driver pair.
"They are an excellent combination," Story tells Supercars.com
"They are both fast, they both have runs on the board, and they will do very well for Dick Johnson Racing and the Shell V-Power Racing Team."
"Will is someone who is incredibly experienced and also well-known to the team."
"He really kickstarted his full-time Supercars career here and drove for us from 2006 to 2008, so it’s somewhat of a homecoming, and we are pleased he’s joining the fold."
"In the case of Anton, he is one of the up-and-coming, next-generation drivers in the sport, and he’s shown his tremendous talent on the track and his professionalism off it. He’s a driver’s driver."
It's a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Davison who just four months ago was out of a job after the COVID-19 pandemic forced his Milwaukee Racing to fold.
A second-place finish alongside Cam Waters at Bathurst thrust Davison back into the limelight, and McLaughlin's departure set the wheels in motion for his DJR return.
"I’m thrilled to be joining the championship-winning team, and after a strong weekend at Bathurst, I feel I’m well-positioned to have my best season yet," he tells Supercars.com.
"I’ve always maintained close relationships with Dick [Johnson] and Ryan over the years.
"I’m massively motivated to be back where my Supercars career started and I’m looking forward to working closely with Anton [De Pasquale].
"I’m certainly going to grab the opportunity with both hands.
"I still feel like I have got a lot of things I want to achieve in the sport and obviously to join this team, rich with history and coming off so much success in the last three years, is a huge opportunity.
"I can’t wait to get started and get back in the car."
The future is far-less certain for Coulthard.
While McLaughlin has confirmed he will be back to contest Bathurst in 2021, his fellow Kiwi is yet to accept DJR's co-driver offer.
There are seats available for the 39-year-old to secure, including at Kelly Racing where he could team with New Zealand's own Andre Heimgartner.
