The Kiwi has issued a statement confirming he’ll see out his contract with the Ford squad that runs through until the end of next season.
It puts a halt to the tug-of-war over his services, with General Motors having been eager to poach the contracted star for 2027.
“Over the past few months there has been a lot of speculation about my future, so I wanted to provide a brief update,” said Payne in a statement.
“Right now, my focus is on driving for Grove Racing and continuing to build on what we have achieved together.
“I have a contract with Grove Racing and I expect to be driving with the team to the end of 2027.
“For now, my priority is winning races, competing for the championship, and delivering the best possible results for Grove Racing, our sponsors and everyone who supports us.
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“I am excited about what lies ahead and remain fully focused on the remainder of the 2026 season.”
Payne’s wording suggests he’s still likely to be on the move to Team 18/GM, but simply waiting until 2028.
The proposed deal would see GM place Payne at its Supercars homologation team while also opening doors for him overseas.
It emerged last week that GM had offered Payne NASCAR opportunities at Sonoma later this month, which were blocked by the Grove team.
That came amid what were believed to be ongoing efforts from manager Michael Patrizi to extricate Payne from his Grove contract a year early.
Grove, which signed Payne as a junior in 2021, had stuck to its guns, adamant Payne would not be released.
Payne’s sudden statement pauses what could have proven a distracting saga, which first made headlines last December.
It could also prove a reprieve for Team 18 incumbent David Reynolds, who is out of contract at the end of this season.
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