The questions that will define 2026 Supercars silly season

The July-August window is usually rife with silly season news, as teams look to lock down their driver line-ups for the new season.

It usually leads to a dramatic domino effect of headlines; last year, in early September, the bombshell announcement of Mark Winterbottom's exit from Team 18 was the first of many to shake up the 2025 Supercars grid.

In June, Tickford Racing made a big play by extending with Cam Waters and Thomas Randle. Waters was the big player in the market, with General Motors known to have approached the 30-year-old.

There are now a number of driver market dominoes on the verge of falling down, which Supercars.com highlighted at the time of the Tickford news.

As we approach crunch time in the 2026 silly season, we discuss what the big questions are, and what could happen next.

Where will Hill land?

James: A winner in 2025, Cameron Hill is set to make the biggest call of his young Supercars career so far. The Canberran has gone from rookie to winner in just two years, and his stocks have been rising this season. Matt Stone Racing has Nick Percat locked in through 2027, but Hill's future remains up in the air. MSR is keen to keep Hill. Brad Jones Racing, Team 18, PremiAir Racing, Erebus Motorsport and the Blanchard Racing Team have at least one seat unconfirmed for next season. Hill has options on the table should he choose to test the market.

Will Team 18 retain Reynolds?

Zac: It's no secret that David Reynolds has been under the pump after first a bruising end to 2024, and then a rotten start to this year's championship. However, you don't win Bathurst and come second in the championship without the talent to back it up, and his pole in Townsville was proof there might be fight in the old dog yet. More results like that will only help, especially if they come when points are on the line, however with General Motors entrusting the team with homologation duties, change could be afoot. GM have made no secret that they want a superstar driver, and whether or not they deem Anton De Pasquale worthy of being that leader could be the telling factor in Reynolds' future.

Will it be status quo at Erebus and PremiAir?

James: Erebus and PremiAir will be crucial players in General Motors' desire to stay at the front when Triple Eight joins Ford, and GM wants results. Cooper Murray is locked in at Erebus Motorsport, while Jack Le Brocq is off contract. James Golding and Richie Stanaway are with PremiAir Racing, which hasn't publicly outlined the details of their contracts. Le Brocq is a multi-time race winner, but Erebus also has young guns Jobe Stewart and Jarrod Hughes waiting in the wings. Hughes has significant support from GM, being recently locked in alongside Craig Lowndes for a TA2 enduro. Stewart is a Super3 champion, and Super2 race winner, while Nash Morris will undertake an evaluation with PremiAir. So, retain status quo with experience, or make another leap of faith with youth? Making the jump to the main game is a big move for young drivers, and while performance isn't quite there for Erebus and PremiAir at this stage of the season, it will be interesting to see what both teams do next.

What will BJR look like?

Zac: Four of the six brand new Toyota GR Supras will roll out of Albury in 2026, and there are still seats up for grabs. Andre Heimgartner has been confirmed as BJR's first Toyota driver, whilst Brad Jones has strongly suggested that son Macauley will return for the team's new era. The #12 SCT Logistics entry is officially vacant, and is a decision that will be made by license owner Pete Smith and SCT's Head of Motorsport Programs Andrew Jones, with incumbent Jaxon Evans highly thought of by both. The future of the #14 is less certain, despite Bryce Fullwood's recent form that has seen him soar into Finals contention. Cameron Hill has been linked to the seat in recent days, as the Matt Stone Racing driver ponders his future.

What next for BRT?

James: One thing is certain, James Courtney is out at the end of 2025, with the veteran bringing an end to his full-time career. Aaron Cameron is slowly improving, and team boss Tim Blanchard has affirmed the young driver has the inside running to secure one of the two available 2026 seats. So, what about the other seat? Zak Best has a great chance to show his worth with his enduro opportunity alongside Cameron, and has spent plenty of time with the team at recent rounds. Best was a constant at the front in Super2, and has raised eyebrows in the main game too. Beyond Best, Bailey Sweeny has put his hand up, but admits he needs more time. Could others from Super2 emerge as potential signings, and could additional backing play a big role?

Will anyone rise from Super2?

Zac: The Dunlop Super2 Series is never short on talent, and there are several names who could feature in discussions. 18-year-old series leader Rylan Gray is the hottest commodity at this stage, and if he finishes as champion, there's no reason why he can't make the step up. Reigning champion Zach Bates is also highly rated in the paddock, and his upcoming wildcard starts with Triple Eight are an enormous opportunity to make a name, much like Cooper Murray did last year. A left field option could be top rookie Jackson Walls, who has built a consistent season with six top 10s in six starts, and comes with considerable backing from father Tony's company Objective.

2026 Supercars grid (as of Wednesday July 19, 2025)