After 15 seasons with General Motors running Holdens and Chevrolets in the Supercars Championship, the championship-winning Red Bull Triple Eight Racing has announced it will defect back to Ford.
Having run Ford Falcons from 2003-2009, the team shocked the sport by crossing the manufacturer divide to join Holden for 2010, and then Chevrolet when the Holden brand finally exited the sport in 2022.
The team will run Ford Mustangs from 2026, and will also take over from Dick Johnson Racing as the homologation team that develops new parts for all the Ford teams.
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In a statement, team principal Jamie Whincup said the partnership was a “huge strategic commitment.”
Whincup won the 2008 and 2009 championships and did the Bathurst 1000 three-peat between 2006-2008 for the team driving a Falcon.
“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,” he 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.
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“We’re very excited to be a part of the Ford Performance ecosystem and the potential opportunities this partnership will present.”
With General Motors, the team won eight drivers’ and 11 teams’ championships.
Whincup told Speedcafe’s Full Credit to the Noise podcast, the defection came about after a chance meeting with Ford head honchos at last year’s Bathurst 1000.
“Towards the middle of last year we were assessing which manufacturer we should align with,” he said.
“We obviously assessed who was available. And the further through the due diligence it went, it became highly obvious that Ford Performance were definitely going to be the best performance partner for us – not only for next year, but for many years to come.
“So it was absolutely a no-brainer. And then when we crossed paths at Bathurst last year, that’s what got the conversation going.
“Once you get into it, it makes absolutely so much sense that a partnership is a big benefit for both parties.”
The announcement came on the same day Ford announced it would be returning to top-flight endurance racing by entering the LMDh class of the World Endurance Championship – which includes the Le Mans 24-hour – for 2027.
The team’s 2024 champion Will Brown and teammate Broc Feeney are both contracted with the team into 2026.
The team remains committed to running a Wildcard for the endurance races, although Craig Lowndes’ role as a GM ambassador means his involvement in the project is under a cloud.
The 2025 Supercars season gets underway in Sydney on the weekend of February 21-23.