Triple Eight to re-unite with Ford in Supercars

The biggest bombshell to hit Supercars for some time landed at the end of January, when Triple Eight Race Engineering (aka Red Bull Ampol Racing) announced they would be switching from the Chevrolet Camaro to a Ford Mustang next year, in partnership with Ford Performance.

First years with Ford

While Triple Eight Race Engineering has long been thought of as a Holden and (more recently) Chevrolet team under various names (Team Vodafone, Red Bull Racing Australia, Red Bull Holden Racing Team, Red Bull Ampol Racing, etc.), their roots are with Ford.

From 2003 to 2009, Triple Eight ran Falcons, starting with Paul Radisich and Max Wilson before signing Craig Lowndes and Steve Ellery for the 2005 Supercars season, along with engineer Campbell Little from Stone Brothers Racing.

While Lowndes was successful, the arrival of Jamie Whincup in 2006 elevated Triple Eight to another level, with the Lowndes/Whincup pairing winning that year’s Bathurst 1000, then repeating the feat in 2007 and 2008. Whincup also won the Drivers’ Championship in 2008.

When Ford elected to limit their factory support to just two teams – Ford Performance Racing and Stone Brothers Racing – in 2009, Triple Eight ran the new FG Falcon Supercars they had helped develop for that season, but without Ford banding. In 2010, they made the switch to Holden VE Commodores.

Triple Eight and GM

As a Holden team, Triple Eight enjoyed an unbroken run as Teams’ Champions from 2010 to 2016, while Whincup won the Drivers’ Championship in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The addition of Shane van Gisbergen to the team in 2016 was immediately successful, with the Kiwi winning the drivers’ championship on debut. Whincup was champion again in 2017, while Triple Eight returned to the top of the Teams’ Championship in 2018.

In 2021, Triple Eight achieved the Teams’/Drivers’ Championship double, then again in 2022, which was Holden’s final year in Supercars. After missing out on both titles in 2023, Triple Eight regained them last year, with Will Bown winning the Drivers’ Championship in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

A return to Ford

With the Camaro no longer in production, and no replacement expected from GM in the short term, Triple Eight’s switch to the Mustang was perhaps inevitable. Toyota’s intention to enter Supercars in 2026 with the GR Supra at least presented an option, but Triple Eight say their decision to reunite with Ford after 16 years apart came after a carefully considered convergence of timing, ambition and a “shared belief in the potential of combining Supercars’ powerhouse team with the Ford Mustang”.

Beyond the change of car, Triple Eight’s switch to the Blue Oval in 2026 includes plans to become Ford’s Supercars Homologation Team next year, taking over from Dick Johnson Racing (Shell V-Power Racing Team) for the next phase of the Gen3 era. Apparently, this has the backing of Ford, but is subject to a vote by the Supercars teams.

“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,” said Jamie Whincup, Team Principal of Triple Eight Race Engineering.

"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.”

Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance, added: "We've always admired Triple Eight's unwavering commitment to excellence. Their engineering prowess and tireless pursuit of victory are almost incomparable. But more than that, there's a shared history, a bond forged in the fires of competition, that makes this partnership feel so right.

"This is about looking forward, about building a future together and conquering new challenges."

Andrew Birkic, President and CEO of Ford Australia, can see the benefits in the upcoming union, too.

"This partnership is about delivering an unforgettable experience for our fans and is a statement of our commitment to Australian motorsport,” Birkic said. “This is also a demonstration of Ford’s motorsport ambition, which is stronger than ever.”