Winterbottom leaves door open to 'fairytale' Ford reunion

Mark Winterbottom has not yet locked in his driving future, but said "sometimes fairytales get written" when posed about a possible Ford reunion in 2025.

The upcoming VAILO Adelaide 500 will be Winterbottom's final round with Team 18, with the 2015 series champion confirming before the Gold Coast that he will not be full-time next season.

It ends a 21-year run in the top flight for 'Frosty', who famously made his name as Ford's leading man for over a decade after joining Ford Performance Racing in 2006.

Between 2006 and 2018, Winterbottom won 38 races, including the 2013 Bathurst 1000, and claimed the 2015 drivers' championship after six top three finishes.

In 2019, Winterbottom traded a Tickford Falcon for a Team 18 Commodore, and remained with the Charlie Schwerkolt-owned team into the Gen3 era as it transition to Camaros.

Winterbottom claimed Team 18's maiden Supercars win in Darwin last year, and added podiums at the Grand Prix and Darwin this year. However, the team ultimately replaced him with Anton De Pasquale for 2025.

Now set for a co-drive, Winterbottom praised the fans who followed him across the divide in his 2019 move, and said he will weigh up his options.

"Honestly at the moment, to disconnect from [full-time Supercars racing] is like letting go of something that you absolutely love," he told media on the Gold Coast.

"I really appreciate the supporters. I don't just say it, people who swapped over from Ford to Chev which they would never do, just because they believed in you and backed you.

"Sometimes fairytales get written... we'll see what happens. I'm a very loyal person.

"I haven't done anything yet. There's options, but we'll weigh it all up."

In his initial announcement, Winterbottom said he will have more news "coming very shortly." Ford Australia later paid tribute to Winterbottom, hailing the driver's "stellar" Supercars career.

Tickford Racing CEO Simon Brookhouse told V8 Sleuth there is interest for Winterbottom, saying: "Mark has got to make up his own mind about what is going to do, but we're certainly there if he wants to come home."

Tickford currently runs two cars for Cam Waters and Thomas Randle, who were joined by James Moffat and Tyler Everingham for this year's enduros.

The only Ford co-drive already locked in for 2025 is at Penrite Racing, with Garth Tander recently signing an extension with Grove Racing.

Winterbottom's final 2024 starts will come at the season-ending VAILO Adelaide 500 on November 14-17. The 43-year-old sits 15th overall, finishing 13th and 12th in Surfers Paradise last weekend.