Toyota’s new Supercars challenger breaks cover at Bathurst 1000

Toyota’s GR Supra has made its long-awaited public debut with some demonstration laps at Supercars’ Bathurst 1000.

The Walkinshaw Andretti United-built prototype was driven by retired driver and TV commentator Neil Crompton on Friday afternoon at the iconic circuit.

The car, which is powered by a 5.2-litre version of Toyota’s quad-cam 2UR-GSE V8, completed a number of trouble-free laps in the hands of Crompton, who has played a significant role in bringing the manufacturer into Supercars.

Toyota Supra Supercar

Photo by: Edge Photographics

The brand’s Supercars test program is well under way at racetracks throughout Australia and will continue until, in company of cars from Chevrolet and Ford, wind tunnel and AVL dyno assessment is conducted in the USA, to ensure parity is in place prior to the opening round of the 2026 Supercars Championship in February.

The black Supra is due to return to the track with two runs set for Saturday, 9:30am and 4:50pm, Sydney time, and at 7:40am on Sunday.

WAU will run two Supras in the 2026 championship for Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood, and Brad Jones Racing will run three, for Andre Heimgartner, Cameron Hill and Macauley Jones. BJR’s plans of running a fourth entry look to be up in the air as the Teams Racing Charter (the document by which entries are accepted into the championship) under which Jaxson Evans has raced this season now appears to be in play. SCT Motorsport, which owns that TRC and which has leased it to BJR since 2020, has recently been linked to a third Triple Eight Ford entry for next season.