DJR has elected to replace Davison, 43, with 18-year-old Super2 charger Rylan Gray, despite having previously insisted the contracted veteran was safe.
The move will almost certainly end Davison’s 20-year stint as a full-time Supercars driver, pending a final decision on the remaining seat at the Blanchard Racing Team.
Davison elected to split with DJR entirely rather than remain with the squad as a co-driver and will likely be a player in a fast-unfolding enduro market.
Fellow 20-year veteran Courtney has been able to go out on his own terms, having long ago announced 2025 as his final year – declining offers to continue along the way.
Speaking in an appearance alongside Percat and James Golding on Supercars’ Drivers’ Only podcast, Courtney said Davison’s scenario was what he’d feared for his own career.
“You first heard people talking about this in January, it’s been a long, drawn-out thing, it must have been hell for Will all year,” said Courtney.
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“I felt for Will. He’s had quite a good, long career, and to be told that way, that was my biggest fear. That’s why I called it early.
“You work your arse off for your whole life and then have someone tear it up right in front of you. For him not to have his moment that I was able to have, I think for him it’s pretty tough.”
Percat labelled it “sad” the way Davison’s situation has played out, adding it’s “a bit disrespectful” the way teams can suddenly axe drivers.
The Gold Coast-based Percat made the decision to call his retirement following a breakdown in his relationship with Matt Stone Racing, to which he had been contracted through 2027.
The situation began to unfold mid-year and resulted in a contract release agreement being struck ahead of the Bathurst 1000, where Percat announced his impending retirement.
“There was a bit of stuff going on just after Ipswich. I made the decision to not keep fighting to try and get another seat somewhere,” he said of his own scenario.
“I was like, I’m just going to call my retirement because I want to enjoy the last four rounds. That’s why I did it. Everything was a sideways step or the same kind of shitshow.”
Others to lose their rides in the 2026 silly season are Bryce Fullwood (Brad Jones Racing), Jaxon Evans (SCT Motorsport) and Richie Stanaway (PremiAir Racing).
PremiAir elected not to take up its option to keep Stanaway for a second season and parted ways with the Kiwi following the recent Gold Coast 500, effective immediately.
Teammate Golding had prior to Bathurst opted to sign on to replace Courtney at the Blanchard Racing Team for 2026 when it appeared PremiAir would not be retaining him.
Asked on Drivers’ Only about how Stanaway’s sudden exit unfolded, Golding said: “It was just like, debrief and then got a call a few days later. Thanks for that.”
Stanaway conceded PremiAir was likely his final full-time Supercars chance, having earlier completed single seasons with Tickford (2018), Garry Rogers (2019) and Grove (2023).
“It’s pretty cut-throat in terms of the time as well,” said Golding of the driver market.
“New people come into teams, things change, they’ll get through a season, maybe it hasn’t worked out, and then right when they’re starting to get used to it, ‘oh yeah, you’re gone now’.”
A silly season of change has left the 2026 field with five confirmed rookies and the youngest-ever average age of just 27, pending confirmation of Aaron Cameron alongside Golding at BRT.
2026 Supercars Championship line-up
Triple Eight (Ford)
Will Brown, Broc Feeney, Jackson Walls
Grove Racing (Ford)
Matt Payne, Kai Allen
Tickford Racing (Ford)
Cam Waters, Thomas Randle
Walkinshaw Andretti United (Toyota)
Chaz Mostert, Ryan Wood
Team 18 (GM)
Anton De Pasquale, David Reynolds
Brad Jones Racing (Toyota)
Andre Heigmartner, Cam Hill, Macauley Jones
Dick Johnson Racing (Ford)
Brodie Kostecki, Rylan Gray
Matt Stone Racing (GM)
Jack Le Brocq, Zach Bates
PremiAir Racing (GM)
Jayden Ojeda, Declan Fraser
Erebus Motorsport (GM)
Cooper Murray, Jobe Stewart
Blanchard Racing Team (Ford)
James Golding, Aaron Cameron*
*yet to be confirmed
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