Toyota to enter Supercars Championship in 2026

After more than two decades of consideration and deliberation, Toyota has confirmed it will enter the Repco Australian Supercars Championship in 2026. Stating they’re “in it to win it,” Toyota have committed to racing in the category for at least five years.

The current GR Supra will be the basis for Toyota’s Gen3 Supercars entry, with Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) named as homologation partner. Toyota currently run Supras in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series in the USA, but use the Camry for the main NASCAR Cup Series.

Confident that Supercars’ parity process will make the GR Supra competitive against the existing Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro (part of the reason why they committed to enter the category in the first place), Toyota Australia has already begun design work on the racecar, with their in-house design team using CAD and VR technology to produce a scale clay model that was presented at the official announcement in September.

The Gen3 GR Supra Supercar will be powered by Toyota’s ‘2UR-GSE’ V8, a 5.0-litre, all-aluminium, quad-cam engine that has featured in a range of performance production cars, the Lexus LC500 GT racer and the 2019 Dakar-winning TRD HiLux.

A minimum of four GR Supras will be entered in 2026, with two to be campaigned by WAU’s Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood. Which team will receive the other two cars has yet to be revealed. Given the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is now out of production and there’s no obvious petrol-powered GM replacement, there’s potential for further Toyota entries beyond this initial four.

As with other forms of motorsport, what Toyota learns on the track in the Supercars Championship will be used to develop not only the Supra, but also other GR cars in the brand’s stable, like the GR86, GR Yaris and GR Corolla.

Toyota says entering the Repco Supercars Championship is a further demonstration of its commitment to Australian motorsport that includes the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia (TGRA) Scholarship Series, GR Cup and the TGRA Rally Team in the Australian Rally Championship.

It’s also the continuation of a sporting lineage in Australia that started with two Toyopet Crowns that were entered in the 1957 Mobilgas Rally – Toyota’s first international motorsport foray of any type.

“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,” said Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley.

“Our GR brand and performance cars were built on the knowledge 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.”

Toyota Australia believe the brand’s entry into Supercars will provide a more continuous path for drivers and teams that starts with the grassroots-level TGRA GR Cup (formerly the Toyota 86 Series), although the future of this category beyond 2026 is in doubt.

“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,” Hanley added.

“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.”

Repco Supercars Championship CEO, Shane Howard, says Toyota’s entry will bring a new level of competition to Australia’s premier motorsport category.

“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.”

WAU, who only switched to Ford last year after a long tenure with Holden and GM in Supercars, says joining with Toyota as homologation partner for the GR Supra project is the continuation of a “fantastic relationship” that the related Walkinshaw Group already has with the Japanese brand.

“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 WAU Director, Ryan Walkinshaw. “Toyota’s commitment to our team and to the sport is an 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.”

Director of WAU and CEO of United Autosports, Zak Brown, added: “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.”

Further details on the Toyota GR Supra for Supercars will be announced as development continues.