Bombshell: Mark Winterbottom axed by his Supercars team to be replaced by Anton De Pasquale in 2025

Supercars’ veteran Mark Winterbottom has been left blindsided by his team’s decision to go with another driver next year, REBECCA WILLIAMS reports.

The first bombshell of the Supercars silly season has gone off with former champion Mark Winterbottom left shell-shocked by his team’s decision to drop him to sign Anton De Pasquale in 2025.

The 43-year-old Winterbottom, who was the 2013 Bathurst 1000 winner and 2015 series champion, and just over a week ago celebrated his 600th consecutive race – took to social media to say he was blindsided by the Charlie Schwerkolt owned Team 18 outfit.

“The last 24hrs has been a whirlwind, as I was told that Team 18 signed a different driver for 2025,” the driver affectionately known as ‘Frosty’ said.

“I don’t really know what the future holds, I’m still digesting the news, but I know I can hold my head high as a professional sportsman.

“I have given 110% and loved working with the team crew and all the sponsors, you are great people.

“I truly value the support from my family, friends, sponsors and supporters, at a time when I need it most.”

Shortly after the team issued a press release confirming Winterbottom’s replacement would be De Pasquale, the driver who was signed to the Gold Coast-based Ford squad Dick Johnson Racing to replace Scott McLaughlin in 2021.

Team 18 said it had signed De Pasquale on a multi-year deal.

With Winterbottom’s future now in limbo, it adds spice to the driver carousel, with Erebus’ defending champion Brodie Kostecki almost certain to leave the Dandenong-based Camaro squad after a tumultuous start to 2024 when he missed the opening two events.

Kostecki is now widely tipped to replace De Pasquale at DJR from 2025 onward.

Anton de Pasquale is set to replace Winterbottom. Picture: Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

De Pasquale will reunite in 2025 with 2017 Bathurst winner David Reynolds, his Erebus teammate from his rookie years.

The nine-time race winner, who burst onto the scene with Erebus in 2018, said he was excited for his next step.

“It’s a really exciting next step for me in my career and I’m looking forward to progressing with Charlie, (team principal) Adrian (Burgess) and the team and being a part of what they’re building for the future,” De Pasquale said.

“Looking forward to chasing that common goal and getting stuck into it next year.”

Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt said De Pasquale was a standout of the sport’s next generation of drivers.

“Anton’s a clear standout in the next generation of drivers coming through the sport. He’s a proven winner and has what it takes to be a future champion of the sport,” he said.

“It’s great to have Dave and Anton back together and it’s an exciting driver lineup to take us through our next growth phase.

“I’d like to thank Mark for his contribution to the team. We have shared some great successes together, including our first pole position and race win, and have enjoyed every step of the journey together along the way.”

Winterbottom is a 39-time race winner in Supercars and remains one of the most popular drivers in pit lane with the fans.

For veteran Mark Winterbottom, his future is now in limbo. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

He sits just inside the top-10 (ninth) for the most Supercars race wins of all-time and is third behind Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander for the most round and race starts in the series.

Winterbottom is placed 13th in the Supercars driver standings this year, ahead of his 16th-placed teammate Reynolds.

The Supercars veteran told this masthead in June that his motivation to keep racing remained as strong as ever.

“It’s all about motivation,” Winterbottom said.

“Everyone gets caught up on an age number, but it’s about motivation and hunger to do well and I train harder than any of the blokes in pit lane.

“I don’t really like to say that, but I know that I do. I work my backside off to make sure that I am ready.

“It’s when you feel like you are not getting the results or you are not motivated to go there and all that sort of stuff that’s when it’s time (to step away), but I’m so not in that position at the moment.

Originally published as Bombshell: Mark Winterbottom axed by his Supercars team to be replaced by Anton De Pasquale in 2025