2004 Castrol V8 Supercar team unveiled.

A bold new design, a fresh outlook and two familiar faces were revealed today when the covers were lifted off the Castrol V8 Supercar team for season 2004.

Castrol is supporting three Holden Commodores under its Castrol Formula R banner in this year's V8 Supercar Series for dual Bathurst winners Steven Richards and Tony Longhurst and former Konica V8 Supercar Series champion Paul Dumbrell.

Bathurst legend Larry Perkins welcomed Castrol's continued support of his Castrol Perkins Motorsport team along with the change in marketing strategy and livery.

"I am delighted that my long-time sponsor, Castrol, has decided to continue to use V8 Supercars as the vehicle to promote its products," Perkins said.

"Castrol Formula R is a range of four premium performance engine oils which have been developed to ensure there is the right oil for your engine.

"The change to product specific livery also gives us a fresh appearance and new outlook, and that never goes astray when you are in such a competitive environment."

Longhurst makes his full-time return to V8 Supercars in 2004, while also joining the Castrol team is racing legend Jim Richards, who will partner his son, Steven, in the annual endurance races.

"As well as being competitive on the race track, Tony has always been a great ambassador for our company and we are delighted to welcome him back into the Castrol fold," said Castrol marketing director, Andrew Johnson.

"We also often refer to our company as a large family and we now extend that to include the entire Richards family. It is very exciting for Castrol to have Steven and Jim driving together."

Perkins said the signing of Jim Richards to the team for the endurance races was a coup for Castrol Perkins Motorsport.

"When we began looking for a driver for this year's enduros it was important that we find someone who could run at the pace required to win and Jim is clearly still capable of performing at the highest level. His experience and skill will only benefit the team and enhance our chances of winning," said Perkins.

Richards, a seven-time winner of the Bathurst 1000 classic, said sentimentality was not amongst his reasons for accepting Perkins' offer.

"Naturally, I would rather be driving with Steven than anyone else, although I am not doing this for the sentimental reasons," Richards said.

"I only want to drive if I can add something to the team and have a genuine chance of winning the race. I believe I am still driving well enough and Castrol Perkins Motorsport can supply a competitive car, so the time is right for Steven and I to have a fair dinkum crack at winning Bathurst together."

The father-and-son duo has twice driven together at Bathurst, finishing second in a Commodore in 1997. The pair also enjoyed a spirited duel during the closing stages of last year's Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 when Jim was driving for the Holden Racing Team - Steven and co-driver Perkins finishing fourth, one place ahead of Jim and his co-driver, Tony Longhurst.

"Dad never fails to surprise me and watching him in the top 10 shootout at Bathurst last year just puts his talent into perspective - for me it was a major highlight of the weekend," Steven said.

"It is nice being able to share part of my career with him while I also figure after our panel-banging duel around Mount Panorama last October that it is better to have him on our side rather than competing against us!"

Dumbrell's return to Castrol Perkins Motorsport underlines Castrol's continued commitment to the future of Australian motor sport with its youth driver programme.

"Last year was a terrific opportunity for me, as well as being an incredibly steep learning curve," Dumbrell said.

"The new season presents me with even more challenges, but I intend using the lessons learnt last year and the experience and advice of the older guys on the team to my benefit, and to repay the faith Castrol and Larry Perkins have shown in me."

Forty-six-year-old Longhurst said he was looking forward to renewing his acquaintance with Castrol.

"Our association goes back well over 15 years and it's great we are able to renew our relationship with a full-time drive in 2004," Longhurst said.

"After nearly 20 years of racing non-stop, it was terrific to have a break last year. I learnt a lot sitting on the sidelines, mostly that experience is a valuable commodity, while finishing races is paramount. The longer race formats suit me and I'm excited about the possibilities of what we can achieve together this year."

The striking new, predominately red livery reflects Castrol's marketing strategy of directly communicating its range of Castrol Formula R performance oils through V8 Supercars.

"Castrol is the leading lubricants brand in Australia and our challenge as a business is not so much to use motor sport to maintain brand awareness, but more to use it in a way that gives consumers a reason to believe why Castrol is better - especially amongst the passionate motorists," Johnson said.

"There is no better way of doing that than through V8 Supercars and our flagship race team, Castrol Perkins Motorsport."

It is not the first time that Castrol has marketed specific products through motor sport, having previously launched the Castrol SLX product in V8s and with Australian drag racing champion and world record holder, Victor Bray promoting Castrol Formula R on his 3,000 horsepower Top Doorslammer.

Castrol Perkins Motorsport will enter the cars for Richards and Dumbrell, while Longhurst's Commodore will operate under the Rod Nash Racing franchise.

The V8 Supercar season begins with the Netspace V8 Supercar 100 at the Foster's Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne on 4-7 March, with the opening race of the 13-round championship, the Clipsal 500, following in Adelaide two weeks later.