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Triple Eight Race Engineering will make the blockbuster switch from General Motors to Ford for the 2026 Supercars season.
Ford says “it is planned” that Triple Eight will take over homologation duties from the struggling Dick Johnson Racing next season.
The move reunites Triple Eight and Ford for the first time since their acrimonious split at the end of 2009.
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The defection is a major coup for the Blue Oval, which only one season ago threatened to quit Supercars if its concerns about parity under the new-for-2023 Gen3 rules weren’t taken seriously, forcing the sport into an extensive testing schedule to close the performance discrepancy between models.
Walkinshaw Andretti United subsequently announced it would become Toyota’s first homologation team in 2026, just three years after joining the Ford stable.
Ford teams have languished in the championship standings over the last two seasons, and Chaz Mostert’s brief foray into the top two of the 2024 title standings was the closest any driver on the blue team has got to the drivers crown.
The recapture of General Motors flagship squad Triple Eight, the most successful team in Supercars history, therefore completes a dramatic reversal of fortunes in a major boost to Ford’s standing in the sport.
“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,” Triple Eight boss Jamie 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 reunion comes after Ford and Triple Eight spectacularly fell out just five years into their relationship in 2008, resulting in the nascent team losing sponsorship from the American manufacturer.
The late decision, made in July of that year, forced T8 to run Ford Falcons in 2009, but the team removed the iconic Blue Oval from the front of the cars in a public airing of grievances.
It wasn’t until 2010 that the Banyo squad completed its move to the Holden camp, immediately winning the first of what would be seven consecutive teams titles in a glittering run that also featured five drivers championship.
In 2017 Holden gave Triple Eight official factory status at the expense of the current Walkinshaw Andretti United, which it has held ever since, delivering a further three teams titles and four drivers championships.
But rather than sour the prospect of a renewed relationship, Ford global director of performance Mark Rushbrook said the partnership’s controversial past made reunion only sweeter.
“There’s a shared history, a bond forged in the fires of competition, that makes this partnership feel so right,” he said.
“This is about looking forward, about building a future together, and conquering new challenges.
“We’ve always admired Triple Eight’s unwavering commitment to excellence. Their engineering prowess and tireless pursuit of victory are almost incomparable.”
Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup win the 2007 Bathurst 1000. (Supplied)Source: SuppliedTriple Eight’s impending defection will leave General Motors without any historic grandee teams in its stable, with 2023 teams champion Erebus Motorsport the biggest squad remaining in 2026.
“GM has had a long and highly successful partnership with Triple Eight Race Engineering,” a GM statement read.
“We share the disappointment with fans about their announcement, and the news that they will be moving to Ford in 2026.”
Erebus was the best-placed Chevrolet in last year’s championship, albeit finishing a distant sixth behind the table-topping Triple Eight.
The Victorian squad will be the early favourite to take over homologation status for the Camaro.
Ford’s planned switch of factory backing to T8 will be a major blow to Dick Johnson Racing, which has struggled badly as the homologation team in the Gen3 era.
DJR, which last won the drivers and teams titles in 2020, slumped from runner-up in the final year of the previous rules in 2022 to a lowly fifth in both 2023 and 2024.
It has stood on the podium just six times in the last two seasons, including only one victory, and last season was beaten by fellow Ford teams Tickford, Walkinshaw Andretti United and Grove.
The storied Supercars team will run Erebus-supplied chassis this season in its bid to return to competitiveness, with 2023 champion Brodie Kostecki joining incumbent Will Davison behind the wheel.
Based on current agreements, Triple Eight’s switch will see Ford retain its 10-car presence on the grid for 2026, while General Motors will see its stable thinned to 12 cars.
Either tally could change, however, with Toyota intending to field four cars in its first season in 2026, though only homologation team WAU is currently tied to the Japanese brand.
