Supercars Champion Winterbottom: Pressure Mounts on Team 18 as New Chevrolet Homologation Leader
Supercars champion Mark Winterbottom has declared that significant pressure rests on Team 18 to deliver for General Motors teams in their inaugural year as the Chevrolet homologation outfit. Team 18 emerged victorious in the high-profile battle to replace the dominant Triple Eight Racing, positioning them to lead an eight-car Camaro assault against Ford's eleven Mustangs and the newcomer Toyota's five Supras.
Data Sharing Strategy and Team Dynamics
The Camaro teams could receive a substantial boost from General Motors' decision to open data sharing among the Chevrolet-aligned squads. This strategic move aims to create a unified front, though Erebus Motorsport has opted to continue operating independently, maintaining their traditional solo approach.
Life without Triple Eight's support presents a considerable challenge for GM teams, particularly Matt Stone Racing and PremiAir Racing, who previously relied on the perennial champions as customers. This transition places Team 18's drivers and engineers in a spotlight where they must prove their capability after being dramatically selected over PremiAir for the crucial homologation role.
Veteran Driver Expresses Uncertainty
Team 18 veteran David Reynolds openly admits uncertainty about how the new data-sharing system will perform. While hoping for positive outcomes, Reynolds acknowledges the system could potentially hinder all teams if not executed effectively.
"I don't really know, I've never really done this before," the 41-year-old driver stated during Channel 7's Supercars season preview show. "I've never had an open pool of six cars all sharing data sheets, setups and everything. It can be good, it can be bad."
Reynolds elaborated on historical precedents: "Generally back in the day if you saw this sort of scenario play out, if six cars shared and if they were fast they were all fast. If they were slow they were all slow. I don't really know, I've never been part of this scenario before."
Winterbottom's Analysis of GM's Strategy
Winterbottom praised General Motors' decision to "take ownership" following Triple Eight's departure from their homologation role. However, he noted that Team 18 remains somewhat unproven despite achieving their best season last year with four podium finishes and a fifth-place result in the teams' championship.
"They're trying to make their brand the strongest by sharing everything," Winterbottom explained regarding GM's approach. "Other teams are more individual, the teams have their IP and they don't want to share it. It's clever by Chev if that team's the right team for the job so if they're strong the whole Chev group's going to be strong ... it can work and be very successful, but a lot of pressure on Team 18 to get it right."
Toyota's Entry and Championship Implications
Winterbottom revealed that Walkinshaw Andretti United's switch from Ford to Toyota has forced him to reconsider Ryan Wood as his early championship favorite. "If he was in a Ford this year I'd pick him as the favourite," Winterbottom admitted. "But in a Toyota, he's going to have to take a couple of rounds to get going with the aero and all that side."
He predicted Wood could become a serious contender later in the season: "Come the back-end of the finals campaign, if he's in the top 10 he's going to have a good crack. That car's going to get better and better so I'd watch out for those guys."
Walkinshaw Andretti United, led by 2025 champion Chaz Mostert, and Brad Jones Racing continue final preparations of their Supras and new V8 engines ahead of crucial testing sessions. Winterbottom anticipates initial challenges but recognizes their competitive intent: "We expect them to come out with teething issues and those sorts of things. But they've spent years on this program and behind closed doors, for them, they're coming in to win. You don't come in to finish second or third."
Champion's Target and Parity Questions
Reynolds emphasized the significance of carrying the champion's number: "It sends a message, having the No.1 on the door. It says you are the current champion so the target's on your back and they're going to do everything in their power to keep that on their door."
While surprised by Toyota's entry after their absence during Supercars' peak years in the mid-2000s, Reynolds applauded their arrival despite the added complexity it brings four years into the Gen3 era. "We've had the Ford and the GM for a few years now. There's always complaints about parity issues and this is the closest we've ever had it," he observed.
Reynolds expressed skepticism about Toyota's immediate competitiveness: "It's going to be really hard for them to rock up and match the pace straight away, I think. There's a lot of engine question marks, there's a lot of raceability question marks, fuel burn question marks, which we don't actually know 100 per cent until we actually get involved in the simulation of racing. It's going to be interesting to see how they go."
The Supercars season commences with a 26-lap race on Friday night, followed by Seven Network's coverage beginning Saturday afternoon for a 52-lap race that evening and another on Sunday afternoon, marking the start of what promises to be a dramatically reshaped competitive landscape.
