Toyota will join the Repco Supercars Championship in 2026 entering with Walkinshaw Andretti United, which will develop its GR Supra to the Gen3 regulations in a five-year commitment.
It will be the first time in more than 30 years Toyota will be entered into Australia’s top-tier touring car championship after being a regular in Group C and A era for more than two decades.
Fielding a minimum of four Gen3 GR Supras, two of which will be entered by Walkinshaw Andretti United for Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood, with another two to be entered by another as yet nominated team.
Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood will pilot the two Walkinshaw Andretti United entries as Toyota makes a step up to Repco Supercars Championship competition.
The manufacturer is an eager supporter of local motorsport through its long-term commitment to rallying through Neal Bates Motorsport where it has won multiple titles, while it has supported the development of drivers through its GR Cup and Scholarship Series using its GR86.
Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley is excited by the program as it will demonstrate the manufacturer’s GR performance range in addition providing a stepping stone for drivers in its development categories.
“At Toyota, we have been toying with the idea of competing in Supercars for more than 20 years and now with the right car, the right team, and a very strong partnership with the Repco Supercars Championship, the time is definitely right,” Hanley said.
“This is truly an historic moment!
“Our GR brand and performance cars were built on the knowledge that we gain from participating in top-level motorsport and our entry into the Supercars Championship will cement that connection and give us the opportunity to showcase TOYOTA GAZOO Racing excitement to a wide audience of passionate fans.
“It will also provide an opportunity for a continuous career pathway for drivers and teams that we first established when we launched the one-make Toyota 86 Series nine years ago as an affordable grassroots circuit-racing category run as a support series at select Supercars Championship events around the country.
“It has been the perfect environment for up-and-coming drivers to learn and hone their racecraft, and such has been its success, that it is well recognised as a career pathway into the top tier of Australian motorsport.
“For proof, you only need to look at this year’s Supercars grid with Broc Feeney, Will Brown and Cameron Hill all having cut their racing teeth in Toyota 86s, with many more 86 alumni racing in Super2.
“With our entry-level Scholarship Series, and what is now branded the TGRA GR CUP continuing as a support category for Supercars, our joining the Supercars Championship was a natural extension of our support for Australian motorsport at all levels.
“And with our strong and ever-growing partnerships with Walkinshaw Andretti United and Supercars, we are in it, to win it.”
Supercars CEO Shane Howard is ecstatic to welcome Toyota to the championship.
“This is an incredible honour, to welcome Toyota to the Repco Supercars Championship from 2026,” Howard said.
“This is a landmark moment for Supercars, solidifying an iconic global automotive brand on our grid from 2026.
“It’s a testament to the immense popularity and international appeal of our sport that a powerhouse like Toyota has chosen to join our grid.
“We congratulate Toyota on its commitment to Supercars and are proud to be in such esteemed company as it continues its global motorsport legacy.
“There couldn’t be a more fitting time to make this historic announcement than in the lead-up to the Repco Bathurst 1000, our premier event that captures the attention of fans around the world.”
Each of Walkinshaw Andretti United’s directors are thrilled to align with Toyota in Supercars.
“To announce our future with Toyota Australia, as it enters the Supercars Championship from 2026, is a fantastic honour and privilege for everyone at Walkinshaw Andretti United,” said Ryan Walkinshaw.
“Toyota’s commitment to our team and to the sport is a historic moment, and one that shouldn’t be underestimated.
“We have developed a fantastic relationship with Toyota Australia through the Walkinshaw Group, and we are delighted to extend that partnership into Walkinshaw Andretti United – we can’t wait to share success together in 2026 and beyond.
“While the future is certainly exciting, our immediate focus is on the remainder of 2024 and the 2025 seasons, winning races, and sending off our relationship with Ford the right way.”
Zak Brown added: “Today is a hugeday for Walkinshaw Andretti United and for Supercars, and we are delighted to be partnering with Toyota Australia as it enters the sport in 2026.
“To have a third OEM enter into Supercars shows the strength of the sport now and into the future, and it’s going to be pretty special to see all three manufacturers battle it out,” said Michael Andretti.
“We’ve got some races to win with Ford before that, they have been fantastic to work with and we are fully committed to finishing that relationship the best way.”
“We are incredibly excited to announce our future with Toyota Australia, and it’s a great honour to be the homologation team working with it and Supercars to bring it to life.
“Being a homologation team is huge part of our DNA and history, so this next chapter ahead of us is enormous, not only for us, but for the sport. We can’t thank Toyota Australia enough for its belief in us.
“Having said that, we also need to acknowledge Ford, and thank it for its partnership to date, we are all committed to ending on a high note.”
Work has already begin on designing the GR Supra Gen3 at Toyota’s design headquarters in Altona. This includes using CAD and VR Technology to build a scale clay model.
The GR Supra will use Toyota’s 2UR-GSE, quad-cam V8 featuring in a range of its performance models in addition to the Dakar-winning Hilux.