GM ‘acting with urgency’ to replace Triple Eight

Triple Eight’s announcement last month that it will return to the Blue Oval after a 16-year stretch with Holden and Chevrolet shocked GM chiefs.

Although unwilling to pinpoint an exact handover date, local Chevrolet Racing boss Chris Payne hinted that Triple Eight will be asked to relinquish its HT duties sooner rather than later.

In a press briefing that included GM Australia and NZ MD Jess Bala revealing GM’s ongoing commitment to Supercars, Payne declared Chevrolet Racing is acting with urgency.

“You can expect to see a very different approach from us going forward,” said Payne.

“We’re taking advantage of the opportunity to really reset and develop a collaboration among the Chevrolet Racing teams like never before.

“We do intend to work quickly in conjunction with Supercars on the appointment of a new homologation team.

“We aren’t going to put a definitive timeline on that today, but be assured we will be acting with urgency, it is a top priority.

“We are also working very closely with our US motorsports leadership on that decision.

“We will create a new formula for success and in the new era that will leverage the very best of the Chevrolet Racing teams.”

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Triple Eight is still contracted to operate as the Chevrolet HT this season, although its position appears borderline untenable considering its impending switch.

Ford has already declared it wants Triple Eight to act as its homologation team this year for any work aimed at 2026.

“We will continue with Triple Eight until the appropriate time when we pivot to a new homologation team,” added Payne when pressed on a timeline.

“We anticipate there to be a very cohesive transition and handover period to the new HT.”

Payne admits there’s no natural replacement for Triple Eight within the GM ranks, given that Ford teams finished second through fifth behind the squad last season.

Its current line-up consists of Triple Eight, Erebus Motorsport, Matt Stone Racing, PremiAir Racing, Brad Jones Racing and Team 18.

“There’s work to be done and we have a 21-point evaluation score that we’re looking at with the teams,” he said.

“We’re visiting face-to-face, talking with every single one of those teams to try and make the best decision possible for the organisation, for the brand, but at the same time try and bring all of those teams on that journey to that cohesive approach we want to have in the future.”

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Although GM is likely to lose at least one more squad for 2026 with Toyota in the market for a second team, Payne effectively ruled out poaching a current Ford outfit.

“Probably not in the short term because we want to focus on the reset that we’re talking about here,” he said.

Part of GM’s revised approach will be a stronger technical link with its North American motorsport resources.

“We do intend to form a much stronger alliance with our GM Motorsports resources in North America from this,” said Payne.

“In North Carolina, Charlotte, our motorsports technical centre is an enormous facility of some 180 odd employees, mostly engineers, who work with our teams around the world.

“We’ll be tapping into that resource like never before, not on an ad-hoc basis, but a firm competition basis in support of the homologation team and all the Chevrolet Racing teams.”

GM’s executive director of motorsport, Jim Campbell, and executive director of motorsport competition, Eric Warren, are both expected to attend the Australian Grand Prix next month.