V8 great Craig Lowndes will end his two-decade association with powerhouse squad Triple Eight
Supercars great Craig Lowndes has won six of his seven Bathurst 1000 crowns with Triple Eight. But he has made a huge call about his future ahead of their defection to Ford in 2026.
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Supercars great Craig Lowndes is set to end his two-decade association with Triple Eight, closing the curtain on one of the most successful partnerships in Australian motorsport.
The seven-time Bathurst 1000 champion and long-time fan favourite has announced he will not be renewing his contract with the powerhouse Supercars squad at the end of the year.
Since his retirement as a full-time Supercars driver in 2018, Lowndes, 50, has continued to race as a co-driver for Triple Eight, leading their wildcard program and mentoring young drivers for the past three years.
Lowndes holds an ambassadorial role with General Motors and Triple Eight is making the switch to Ford from 2026.
The three-time V8 series champion indicated he still wanted to race at a professional level, although no details have yet been confirmed about whether he will continue as a Supercars co-driver.
Lowndes has been part of the Triple Eight family since 2005 when he won the team’s first ever race in the Supercars championship.
The following year Lowndes won the team’s first Bathurst 1000 in an emotion-charged race – after the death of his mentor Peter Brock – alongside Jamie Whincup in what would be the first of a famous Mount Panorama three-peat.
In all, the 20-year relationship with Triple Eight accounts for more than half of Lowndes’ 110 Supercars race wins, six of his seven Bathurst 1000 wins and nine podium finishes in the Great Race.
“I have nothing but good feelings and great memories from my time at Triple Eight,” Lowndes said.
“I have nothing but respect for them as a race team, engineering organisation and importantly the people within – at all levels.
“This has been a very tough decision and one that has taken a lot of time and thought to work through.
“Loyalty has always been a key factor in my time with Triple Eight, but at this stage of my career I think it is the best decision to make for my future.
“It is rare that anyone works with the same people for ten years, let alone twenty, so to be able to look back on two decades with the same racing team and all the memories we have shared along the way is very special.
“To be part of the team from their formative years and through to them becoming the powerhouse they are today has been the most fulfilling part of my career and during that we have shared amazing success together and huge milestones in my career – I can only say ‘thank you’ to everyone who has been part of the journey, inside the team and beyond as well.”
This year’s Bathurst 1000 will mark Lowndes’ final Bathurst start as a Triple Eight driver, pairing with Super2 graduate Zach Bates for his 32nd Great Race campaign.
“We have a plan for the future and that plan includes continuing to drive competitively,” Lowndes said.
“However, right now 100 per cent of my focus is on the Supercars enduros with Zach Bates in the Supercheap Auto Wildcard and doing the best job we can to get a result in both races.”
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Originally published as V8 great Craig Lowndes will end his two-decade association with powerhouse squad Triple Eight
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