Triple Eight to add Shane van Gisbergen for 2016 V8 Supercars

The 25-year-old New Zealander has completed a three-year deal to move from Tekno Autosports to partner Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes, who himself has signed a new two-year contract.

Red Bull's backing of the team will continue until the end of 2017, with an option for 2018, although whether it will be the title sponsor of all three entries is yet to be outlined.

Van Gisbergen has won nine races since making his debut in 2007, and finished second to Whincup in the 2014 title fight.

Triple Eight has traditionally fielded two cars despite the emergence of four-car squads from Prodrive Racing Australia (formerly Ford Performance Racing), Walkinshaw Racing and Nissan Motorsport, and the three-car Brad Jones Racing.

"Given the growing trend of larger teams and the intense competition that this brings, we felt that this is the ideal time to add another entry to our championship campaign to enhance the competitive depth of the team," Triple Eight managing director Roland Dane said.

"With Jamie, Craig and now Shane at the wheels of the Triple Eight Holdens, we will be fielding the strongest line-up in one of the world's most closely fought categories, but for now we are focusing on the 2015 championship."

Following an amicable split with van Gisbergen, Tekno will continue to field a single car in 2016 and maintain its technical alliance with Triple Eight.

"Obviously we are sorry to be losing Shane at the end of the year; we have shared a lot of success over the past two years and we are looking forward to another fantastic year together in 2015," team boss Jonathon Webb said.

"I have had a long relationship with Roland and Triple Eight Race Engineering and we look forward to working together into the foreseeable future with a new face behind the wheel of our racecar."