In a bombshell announcement that has rocked the Australian motorsport world, Premiair Racing has severed ties with former Bathurst 1000 champion Richie Stanaway, effective immediately.
The shock decision comes with just two championship rounds remaining in the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, leaving the New Zealand-born driver without a seat for the season's climax.
Season Cut Short for Former Champion
Stanaway, who famously claimed victory at Mount Panorama alongside co-driver Cameron Waters in 2017, had been piloting the #26 Penrite Racing entry this season. His departure creates an unexpected vacancy as the team prepares for the upcoming Gold Coast 500 and Adelaide finale.
The team confirmed the immediate nature of the split, stating they would announce a replacement driver for the remaining events in due course. This mid-season axing marks another dramatic turn in Stanaway's rollercoaster Supercars career.
A Career of Highs and Lows
The 31-year-old driver's journey through Australian motorsport has been nothing short of dramatic. After his spectacular Bathurst victory six years ago, Stanaway initially stepped away from full-time racing in 2019, only to make a celebrated return to the grid.
His comeback season has been closely watched by fans and analysts alike, making Premiair's decision to cut him loose before season's end particularly surprising.
What's Next for Stanaway?
While the racing community digests this unexpected development, attention now turns to Stanaway's future prospects. The talented driver brings proven race-winning capability to the table, despite the premature ending to his 2023 campaign.
With driver contracts and team lineups for the 2024 season already taking shape, this unexpected availability of a Bathurst champion could create interesting opportunities in the Supercars paddock.
The motorsport world will be watching closely to see where this accomplished driver lands next, and who will fill the suddenly vacant seat at Premiair Racing for the championship's decisive final rounds.
