Triple Eight makes shock switch to Ford in Supercars

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

The squad, which received the Supercars drivers’ title with Will Brown and the groups’ title final 12 months, will race two Ford Mustangs after the tip of the brand new season.

It would even be accountable for the design and growth of the Mustang from the beginning of subsequent season – after fulfilling the identical position with the Chevrolet Camaro Gen3 automotive it at the moment races.

The information comes 15 years after the workforce defected in the other way, from Ford to Holden, in 2010. It transitioned to Chevrolet in 2023 following the demise of the Holden model.

T8 Workforce Principal and co-owner Jamie Whincup, who received the 2008 and 2009 titles in Falcons, was within the USA at Ford Efficiency’s season launch and referred to as the information a “enormous strategic dedication.”

“Triple Eight’s success is at the beginning all the way down to our individuals and a relentless, shared want to win that has set us up for this partnership,” Whincup mentioned.

“Our return to the Blue Oval is not nearly successful; it is about that feeling of shared goal and willpower that’s backed up by an thrilling street automotive portfolio.

“What excites me most about our future collectively is the dedication Ford is demonstrating to our sport, to Triple Eight and to all Supercars followers by way of this long-term partnership. This can be a enormous strategic dedication that we’re very proud to share.

“We’re very excited to be part of the Ford Efficiency ecosystem and the potential alternatives this partnership will current.”

The information signifies that a minimum of three groups will change producers for 2026.

Walkinshaw Andretti United will change from Ford to Toyota subsequent 12 months, as a part of the Japanese world large’s arrival in Supercars with the Supra. Paradoxically, like T8, WAU is a former Holden works workforce, earlier than it defected to Ford.

Toyota may even assist a second workforce working Supras subsequent season, having revealed plans for a second two-car entry with a to-be-confirmed workforce.

As part of its new preparations T8 can be more likely to run a Ford Mustang GT3 entry on the 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour, a race by which it has beforehand competed with Mercedes-Benz vehicles. There isn’t any T8 entry on this weekend’s race, although Brown and team-mate Broc Feeney will drive, in separate entries.

This 12 months’s Supercars sequence begin in Sydney Motorsport Park on 21-21 February.