Bathurst 1000 shake-up to change Supercars forever

A massive change is coming to Supercars that will shake up the much loved motor racing series and its iconic Bathurst 1000 forever.

The famous Bathurst 1000 is set for a major change. Picture: Getty

Toyota has been linked to a tilt at the Bathurst 1000 in 2026.

Australian motorsport website Speedcafe.com reports the automotive giant will announce a tilt at Supercars racing this week.

The brand is rumoured to be set to announce a partnership with Walkinshaw Andretti United surrounding its involvement in Supercars racing.

Toyota is set to race around The Mountain in 2026. Picture: Getty

Toyota is building its racing presence in Australia to build its Gazoo Racing brand.

It supports entry-level racing in the Toyota GR86 series that sits below the Supercars championship, as well as the Australian Rally Championship that struggles to reach a mainstream audience.

It’s not clear whether Toyota would race the two-door Supra or four-door Camry in Supercars.

Toyota races the Camry in NASCAR, where it competes alongside the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro – the same cars found in Supercars.

Either way, the move represents a shock turnaround for WAU and its lead driver, Chaz Mostert, which sensationally defected to Ford after winning the Bathurst 1000 in 2021.

The Toyota GR86 series supports the Supercars championship.

It makes business sense as the Walkinshaw automotive arm has a technical partnership with Toyota to convert US-spec Tundra utes to right-hand-drive for use in Australia – something it also does for RAM and Chevrolet pick-ups.

Ford snubbed the Walkinshaw Group when choosing a conversion operation for its F-150 pick-up truck, instead going with Thailand-based RMA.

That decision backfired on Ford, which has had a tricky run of recalls and sales stoppages to rectify teething problems with the car.

It’s not clear whether Toyota would race the two-door Supra (right) or four-door Camry (left) in Supercars.

The current-generation Supercars Mustang struggled for pace in its debut season last year.

Chevrolet’s Red Bull outfit took a dominant 1-2 victory in the Sandown 500 last weekend ahead of the next Supercars race at the Bathurst 1000 on October 13.

Originally published as Bathurst 1000 shake-up to change Supercars forever