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WAU is set to field a pair of Toyota GR Supras from 2026, acting as the homologation team for the Japanese giant’s Supercars entry.
It means cutting its Ford relationship off after just three seasons – a major U-turn from what was heralded as a move that would return the team to its glory days.
While WAU lauded its ‘factory team’ status with Ford, it was very much in the shadow of homologation squad Dick Johnson Racing.
DJR has been the Ford homologation team since 2018 and beat Walkinshaw to taking control of the Gen3 engine program from Herrod Performance at the end of last year.
According to Ryan Walkinshaw, being able to control its own destiny with its own manufacturer was always the goal for WAU.
“It kind of feels like the final piece of the puzzle and it’s something we’ve been working towards for quite some time,” he said.
“I’ve made no secret about the fact that we’ve had ambitions to be a homologating team again in the future.
“We’ve had a great time with Ford, but that door was never going to really be open there, considering their relationship with their current homologation team.
“So when Toyota came and approached us and asked us if we’re interested, obviously we jumped at the opportunity with both hands.”
Today’s announcement from Toyota was two-fold.
It’s also given the Tundra pickup truck the green light for mass sale in Australia, which the Walkinshaw Automotive Group will perform left-to-right hook conversations on.
Walkinshaw had in 2022 missed out on a local conversion deal with Ford for its F-150s.
“It dovetails perfectly into my existing business relationship,” Walkinshaw continued of the Toyota Supercars project.
“Being a trusted partner with Toyota and having worked with them for the last four years on a very successful Tundra program thus far, and the work we’ve been doing in the 86 series as well.
“These things will just all just combine perfectly into a nice cake and [I’m] really excited about the future.”
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Although no financial details were disclosed, the investment into WAU from Toyota is certain to be an uplift on what the team is receiving from Ford.
WAU’s international co-owners Michael Andretti and Zak Brown also hailed what the Toyota relationship means for the team.
“We are incredibly excited to announce our future with Toyota Australia, and it’s a great honour to be the homologation team working with it and Supercars to bring it to life,” said Andretti.
“Being a homologation team is a huge part of our DNA and history, so this next chapter ahead of us is enormous, not only for us, but for the sport.
“We can’t thank Toyota Australia enough for its belief in us.”
Brown, who is also the CEO of McLaren Racing, heralded the news as a win for Supercars as a whole.
“To have a third OEM enter into Supercars shows the strength of the sport now and into the future, and it’s going to be pretty special to see all three manufacturers battle it out,” said Brown.
“We’ve got some races to win with Ford before that, they have been fantastic to work with and we are fully committed to finishing that relationship the best way.”
