Newly-crowned V8 Supercars champion James Courtney has been announced as the Holden Racing Team’s high-profile signing in a three-year deal believed to be worth $3.6 million, confirming that the Sydney-born driver will leave the Dick Johnson Racing stable, with whom he has had a sometimes fractious relationship during his championship-winning year.

Part of the motivation behind Courtney’s switch from the ‘Blue Oval’ to the TOLL-backed HRT outfit was speculation that DJR was set for a change of ownership, but the deal fell through when shareholder Charle Schwerkolt sold is stake in the outfit last week.