Triple Eight makes shock switch to Ford in Supercars

Ford has shocked the Supercars pitlane by signing reigning Supercars champion team Triple Eight Race Engineering for 2026 and beyond.

The squad, which won the Supercars drivers’ title with Will Brown and the teams’ title last year, will race two Ford Mustangs after the end of the new season.

It will also be responsible for the design and development of the Mustang from the start of next season – after fulfilling the same role with the Chevrolet Camaro Gen3 car it currently races.

The news comes 15 years after the team defected in the opposite direction, from Ford to Holden, in 2010. It transitioned to Chevrolet in 2023 following the demise of the Holden brand.

T8 Team Principal and co-owner Jamie Whincup, who won the 2008 and 2009 titles in Falcons, was in the USA at Ford Performance’s season launch and called the news a “huge strategic commitment.”

“Triple Eight’s success is first and foremost down to our people and a relentless, shared desire to win that has set us up for this partnership,” Whincup said.

“Our return to the Blue Oval isn’t just about winning; it’s about that feeling of shared purpose and determination that’s backed up by an exciting road car portfolio.

“What excites me most about our future together is the commitment Ford is demonstrating to our sport, to Triple Eight and to all Supercars fans through this long-term partnership. This is a huge strategic commitment that we are very proud to share.

“We’re very excited to be a part of the Ford Performance ecosystem and the potential opportunities this partnership will present.”

The news means that at least three teams will change manufacturers for 2026.

Walkinshaw Andretti United will switch from Ford to Toyota next year, as part of the Japanese global giant’s arrival in Supercars with the Supra. Ironically, like T8, WAU is a former Holden works team, before it defected to Ford.

Toyota will also support a second team running Supras next season, having revealed plans for a second two-car entry with a to-be-confirmed team.

As a part of its new arrangements T8 is also likely to run a Ford Mustang GT3 entry at the 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour, a race in which it has previously competed with Mercedes-Benz cars. There is no T8 entry in this weekend’s race, though Brown and team-mate Broc Feeney will drive, in separate entries.

This year’s Supercars series start in Sydney Motorsport Park on 21-21 February.