WAU 'all in' with Ford before Toyota switch

Walkinshaw Andretti United remains “all in” to chase championship and Bathurst glory with Ford before its Toyota switch, says Ryan Walkinshaw.

In blockbuster news revealed Wednesday, Toyota will join the Repco Supercars Championship grid in 2026, with WAU selected as the Japanese brand's homologation team.

Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood, currently two Ford stars, will swap Mustangs for GR Supras in 2026.

After a winless first season with Ford in 2023, WAU has won three races courtesy of Mostert this year, with the team expected to challenge for victory at Mount Panorama in three weeks’ time.

Mostert is 189 points behind Triple Eight Chevrolet driver Will Brown heading to the Repco Bathurst 1000, marking WAU's best chance at a title since its Holden Racing Team days.

Amid the Toyota fanfare, WAU Director Walkinshaw wrote an impassioned letter to fans, insisting the team is determined to deliver with the Blue Oval.

"It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the journey we are on with Ford right now and our laser focus on winning the races ahead of us for the remainder of our time together. Ford have been absolutely fantastic to partner with,” he wrote.

"Looking ahead, we can't wait to welcome the entire Toyota dealer network, the loyal Toyota customer base, and all Toyota motorsport fans around the world to our Walkinshaw Andretti United family.

"But before that, you better believe we are desperate to conquer the mountain in a few weeks time.”

Ford Performance Motorsports global boss Mark Rushbrook welcomed Toyota to Supercars, but admitted disappointment in losing WAU.

“While we’re disappointed to lose such a strong competitor in Walkinshaw Andretti United, we welcome the additional competition that comes with the addition of a third manufacturer to the Supercars Championship,” Rushbrook said.

“Ford Performance always welcomes competition, and we race against Toyota in many series across the world including Dakar, NASCAR and sports car racing.

“We look forward to competing against them in the Supercars Championship from 2026.”

The full WAU letter reads:

Dear WAU fans and members,

Today is one of the most significant days in recent history, for Walkinshaw Andretti United, for Supercars, and for the Australian sporting landscape as a whole.

I wanted you to hear this directly from us, because you're along for the ride as much as anyone.

I've said it before, and I'll say it until I run out of breath... I believe our fans are the most passionate and loyal in the sport, and I hope you'll be there for this incredibly exciting chapter, because we wouldn't want to do it without you.

To be the homologation team of Toyota's entry into the Supercars Championship from 2026 is nothing short of enormous.

Being a homologation team is in our DNA, it's been a huge part of our history, and now and even bigger part of our future.

We thank Toyota Australia for their trust and belief in us, and in our sport.

Our values align, and most importantly, we are both here to win.

Toyota's rich history and success in motorsport around the globe speaks for itself and we are fully aware of the responsibility that we have as a race to race with the Toyota emblem on our cars.

From 2026, we write the next chapter, with our team, and our drivers Chaz and Ryan.

Now, we work together to bring the Toyota GR Supra from concept to reality.

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the journey we are on with Ford right now and our laser focus on winning the races ahead of us for the remainder of our time together. Ford have been absolutely fantastic to partner with.

To the Ford fans, thank you for embracing us with open arms. We aren't done celebrating together yet, I can promise you. We are all in on 2024 and 2025, finishing our journey in the blue oval as strong as possible, which is what it deserves.

Looking ahead, we can't wait to welcome the entire Toyota dealer network, the loyal Toyota customer base, and all Toyota motorsport fans around the world to our Walkinshaw Andretti United family.

But before that, you better believe we are desperate to conquer the mountain in a few weeks time.

Bring it on.

A full scale Toyota GR Supra Supercar will be on display at the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 10-13. Tickets for the October 10-13 on sale now.