Scott Pye will leave Team 18 at the conclusion of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, the squad has announced.

The news, if not the timing of it, has been expected for some time, with the Charlie Schwerkolt-owned outfit initially linked to Ryan Wood before David Reynolds emerged as the favourite for the seat which Pye currently holds.

The South Australian is midway through his fourth season with Team 18, which became a two-car operation when he joined in 2020.

He has scored three podium finishes with the squad, all at Hidden Valley in 2020, and is currently 13th in the drivers’ championship, two positions behind team-mate Mark Winterbottom.

“It has been an incredible journey with Team 18 over the last four years, and I’m grateful for the experiences we’ve shared as a group,” said Pye.

“I want to thank the team, the crew on my #20 car, and my fans for their unwavering support.

“I’m excited for what the future will bring as I look ahead to new opportunities in the sport.”

Schwerkolt remarked, “Scott Pye has been a valued driver for Team 18 over the last four years and has contributed immensely to the growth and success of the team.

“He has produced some amazing moments in his time, including when he delivered our first three podiums as a standalone outfit in 2020, as well as a host of standout performances that will be etched in our history.

“We thank him for his hard work, dedication and professionalism and wish him all the best in his future racing activities.

“We will continue to keep our foot firmly on the throttle as we aim to deliver our best possible performance in the endurance races and the remaining four rounds of the championship.”

Winterbottom is already contracted for 2024 while Reynolds officially entered the market when Grove Racing confirmed their parting of ways in recent days, before Richie Stanaway was announced as his replacement.

While a majority of seats are yet to be officially locked in for next year, it appears that Matt Stone Racing and the Blanchard Racing Team have the only genuine vacancies left.

MSR’s involvement in the driver market is an unexpected one, with Jack Le Brocq moving on to Erebus Motorsport to replace Will Brown after he chose to move on to Triple Eight Race Engineering to fill the breach left by NASCAR-bound Shane van Gisbergen.

Reynolds is not yet confirmed at Team 18, which has advised that “Further announcements regarding the team’s 2024 driver line-up will be communicated in due course.”