With just a month to go until the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship begins under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park, The Garage is getting in early to highlight the five things to watch this season
Triple Eight and Ford
Ford scored a coup when it enticed Triple Eight Race Engineering back to lead the Blue Oval fight in 2026 as not only the lead team, but the homologation partner.
Triple Eight enjoyed a strong association with General Motors spanning from 2010 to 2025, but prior to this led the way for Ford as Jamie Whincup won three titles in a row.
Now the leader of Triple Eight off the track, Whincup and Co have taken to the new project with vigour, so it won’t be surprise for the Red Bull Mustangs to be on the front row.
Feeney will use the motivation from his title disappointment in Adelaide to make sure it doesn’t happen this season.
Will the Triple Eight Ford association take the title straight away? Time will tell.
How will the Supras go?
It’s the perfect situation for Toyota.
One of its Supras will run #1 for its inaugural season and after near-two years since the announcement five will feature on the grid in Sydney.
Walkinshaw TWG Racing will target another title after breaking through for the first time in some time to take the championship courtesy of Chaz Mostert. Together, Mostert and Ryan Wood will continue to be a competitive proposition for Walkinshaw TWG Racing.
Brad Jones Racing enter 2026 with a reduced entry to three spearheaded by Andre Heimgartner. Competition for the New Zealand will come from former Matt Stone Racing driver Cameron Hill. Macauley Jones rounds out the line-up.
Lots of work has gone into the development of the Supra as it adds another dimension and is hoped leads to a longstanding commitment from Toyota to Supercars.
How will the rookies stack up?
There are an unprecedented amount of rookies making the step up into the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship, but will it spawn a new era for the top class?
First of all, Zach Bates enters the equation through Matt Stone Racing after winning the Super2 Series in 2024 and was backed up by a disappointing season last year. Bates has the runs on the board after impressive performances in the Triple Eight Wildcard and will be eager to impress.
Erebus Motorsport continues to follow its youth policy by installing co-driver Jobe Stewart as its second main game driver. Another to impress during the Ryco Enduro Cup, particularly at The Bend, Stewart will be one to watch following teammate Cooper Murray’s strong performances during his rookie season of 2025.
One rookie eagerly awaited is Jayden Ojeda. The New South Welshman did get a taste of Supercars action at Sandown and Adelaide, but receives a fully fledged opportunity in 2026. A frontrunner in Super3 and Super2, Ojeda went off to pursue sportscar racing recently where he became a Mercedes-AMG factory driver. PremiAir Racing has plenty of eager eyes on it courtesy of staff reshuffles and Roland Dane in particular.
Jackson Walls replaces Jaxon Evans at SCT Motorsport in what is a first year association for the team at Triple Eight. Walls is a race winner in Super2, but there’s plenty of pressure after being a shock signing at the squad.
Finally, the reigning Super2 champion will step up as Rylan Gray replaces veteran Will Davison at the Shell V-Power Race Team. Gray will have a great person to learn from in the form of 2023 Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki as the legendary team aim to improve its performances from the last few years.
Can Penrite Racing continue to contend without David Cauchi?
With respected team principal David Cauchi gone, can Penrite Racing continue its golden run after its Bathurst success last year?
Well, the team has all the right ingredients thanks to its two star drivers supported by a mix of young and experienced personnel.
Matt Payne won an amazing Repco Bathurst 1000 and rookie Kai Allen was a Supercars Finalist in his rookie season, so both will enter 2026 as contenders.
Penrite Racing will continue to be competitive and keep an eye during the Finals for the two Ford Mustangs from Braeside.
Welcome Ruapana
How good is it to have not one, but two New Zealand rounds back-to-back.
It’s probably a long time coming given the first Supercars trip to Pukekohe was more than two decades ago, but better late than never.
Ruapana is a 3.330km lap featuring fast sweeping corners and a long main straight, so will provide a unique test for drivers.
Having hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix twice and a current venue on the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceanic Trophy, Ruapana will provide an exciting new layout for the Repco Supercars Championship.