Mark Winterbottom opens up on losing his seat for 2025 and hopes for his full-time racing future

Supercars veteran Mark Winterbottom has revealed his hope to secure a full time spot on the grid for 2025 after his shock axing from Team 18 last month.

Supercars veteran Mark Winterbottom has not given up hope of finding a full-time drive for next year, but has conceded there are “not many options” left available for him after the shock of losing his seat at Team 18.

Opening up on last month’s silly season bombshell when it emerged he had been dropped at Team 18 for Anton De Pasquale for 2025, the former series champion admitted he had been “shocked” by the decision but refused to be “bitter” about it.

Since then, defending champion Brodie Kostecki’s move to Dick Johnson Racing and rookie Cooper Murray’s signing as his Erebus Motorsport replacement have been confirmed, leaving scant options for Winterbottom on the grid for next year.

PremiAir Racing appears the only squad left with a question mark over its second seat with Tim Slade’s future up in the air.

Brad Jones has said he was not planning any change to his four-car line-up.

Supercars veteran Mark Winterbottom has lost his seat at Team 18 for 2025. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Still one of the most popular drivers among Supercars fans, Winterbottom has not given up on the possibility of finding a way to continue his full-time Supercars career and was focused on letting his racing do the “talking” in the final four rounds.

“I’m still trying. In every race you do, the better that you do, the better chance you have,” Winterbottom said at Sandown.

“I’ll see what happens. All I can do is do a good job. If I can win races, that’s probably the best talking you can do

“Who knows? There are not many options (available), but they are good options. But not many options.

“There is obviously a lot going on, but for me, I’m just focused on the weekend.

“Every driver hates negotiation time, not knowing what is going to happen and then every session seems more important than it ever is when in reality it’s not, it’s the same session.

“If it is the end, then I’m going to really enjoy my four rounds and some of the biggest races of the year and racing with Michael (Caruso), who is a good mate.

“If I get a gig next year then that’s awesome and round one I’ll be giving it my best crack.”

Winterbottom said he was “not really doing much talking” to potential suitors at the moment, but the 43-year-old felt he still had plenty to offer as a full-time driver.

Mark Winterbottom in action on track for Team 18. Picture: Kerry Marshall/Getty Images

The 2015 series champion and 2013 Bathurst 1000 winner sits 13th in the championship standings – three spots ahead of his teammate David Reynolds.

“I’m still driving well. The best part is you are relevant to your teammate,” Winterbottom said.

“Coming here, I have been really competitive with him (Reynolds) and we are pretty close really to each other.

“I think I’m doing a good job still and I’ve got a lot to offer – in the right car and the right weekend – (I’m) good enough to still get podiums.

“There are a lot of good drivers in the category, that’s the hard part. Getting the right package and being up the front regularly, that’s the hard part.

“I know I can do it on the day when I’ve got the car, but time will tell.”

Winterbottom has been with Team 18 since 2019 and said losing his seat at the team had jolted him, but preferred to focus on the positives from his time with the Camaro squad.

“I’m shocked. But the team is the team. They do their thing,” Winterbottom said.

“You can always look at it one way or look at the six years you had here and try and look at the positives and what we have achieved and look at the memories you made and not be bitter or anything like that.

“I have loved racing here and it is what it is.”

Anton De Pasquale will replace Mark Winterbottom at Team 18 next year.

Should his full-time racing days in Supercars come to an end, Winterbottom would no doubt become hot property on the co-driver market for 2025.

He said the prospect of his full-time racing chapter closing would be tough to take, saying he still loved the “addictive” sport.

“It’s hard, but it comes to an end at some stage,” Winterbottom said.

“It’s something that you love doing and it’s all you know. I still love it, that’s the thing, when you roll out of the pit lane, you tighten the belts, pop the visor down and go and have a crack – you can’t replace that anywhere. It is a really addictive, enjoyable sport.

“And even the behind the scenes stuff when you are going through engineering and then the commercial side and then supporters come and see you.

“I’ve got a beautiful family, if the downside is you spend more time with your family then that is not a bad thing.

“We’ll see what happens, but still trying and hopeful, but a good part about our sport is you get two or three endurance races as well with a chance to win some of the biggest races on the calendar.

“It is what it is, we’ll see what happens and try and get a main drive and if that doesn’t happen then you look at the next steps.”

Originally published as Mark Winterbottom opens up on losing his seat for 2025 and hopes for his full-time racing future