He laughs off talk of a team rift and smiles when asked about speculation he will switch to Mercedes next season.

But leading V8 Supercars driver Will Davison is deadly serious when the topic turns to a race that usually ends in tears for the Ford threat – Sunday’s Bathurst 1000.

Since his maiden Bathurst triumph in 2009, the Ford Performance Racing (FPR) gun has mis-fired with only one top 20 finish despite starting the last two Great Races on the grid’s front row.

It’s typical of FPR’s woeful Bathurst form.

The team has not secured a podium finish at Mount Panorama since 2004 despite starting on the front row in six of the last seven years, including three from pole.

It’s enough to make a grown man cry, but Davison is more inclined to find the funny side of things ahead of the Great Race thanks to the rumours swirling around him.

There were reports of disharmony at FPR after Davison initially appeared unhappy that a pre-race agreement to give precedence to the team’s leading car in the traditional Bathurst warm-up event, the recent Sandown 500, was not enforced.

Davison’s car dropped to 22nd in the enduro after being held up by Ford teammate Mark Winterbottom’s vehicle and being forced to pit behind him amid confusion caused by a safety car.

Remarkably, Davison fought back to finish third.

It kept Davison (3rd; 2050pts) in sight of series leader Jamie Whincup (2147pts), and Holden teammate Craig Lowndes (2nd; 2051pts) ahead of the round that looks set to make or break his championship hopes.

While Davison believed the pit lane misunderstanding may have cost him a precious victory, he had nothing to complain about on the FPR front.

“The media has blown it way out of proportion. There are no dramas internally,” Davison told AAP.

“We sat down the day after the race and were laughing over what had been reported.

“We would do it differently in future but we have spoken about that. But there is no in-fighting.”

Then there were claims a cashed-up Mercedes deal had snaffled up the off contract Davison.

The rumour mill went into overdrive after Davison suspended talks with FPR until after Bathurst.

Mercedes is yet to announce whether they will increase their current three-car assault next year as they ride high on Lee Holdsworth finishing fourth at Sandown – their best result to date.

And Davison would need to take a pay cut if he remained at FPR, who may lose their factory backing next year.

Davison said a deal was far from finalised with any team but claimed that was not his focus this weekend.

“I am just looking forward to finally having an enduro without something going wrong,” Davison said.

“It’s been a long time since I have had a clean enduro race, hopefully that is Bathurst this year.

“I have been distraught the last two years there because we were in contention then it has all gone pear shaped.

“But it is the type of event that always makes you come back. It is still a very special event to me.”

The first of two practice sessions start on Thursday at 1020 (AEDT).