Jones makes 2026 Toyota Supercars prediction

Supercars team Brad Jones believes Toyota can break through to win in its debut season in 2026.

Toyota will enter the Repco Supercars Championship with six GR Supras — two from Walkinshaw Andretti United, and four from BJR.

Outside Ford and General Motors, two of the last three new brands to enter the championship won in their first seasons — Nissan in 2013, and Volvo in 2014. Mercedes, meanwhile, broke through in its second season in 2014, while Chevrolet — which replaced Holden in 2023 — broke through on debut.

The current Ford and Chevrolet models have been on track since the start of 2023, with 2026 the fourth season of the Gen3 Mustang vs Camaro era.

The GR Supra will be on debut, yet Jones — whose team has won in Commodores and Camaros — said he would be "disappointed if a Toyota doesn't win a race next year."

"You have got to take confidence in the fact that with the dyno testing that they do and the wind tunnel testing that they do, that the car should be very competitive right from the get-go,” Jones told media in Sydney.

"We have got a lot of work to do just to get to the start of next year, so I can honestly say I haven't sat here and spitballed exactly where I think we'll end up, but I expect to be competitive and if we're not straightaway, then soon after.

"I don't want to make a crazy prediction because we have got so much more work to do, but you look at that car sitting out there, there's no doubt that it's different to the other two.

"People know it's a Toyota and I believe we will have a very strong support base behind us. Toyota owners have been waiting for something like this.

"So put that together with what we should be able to do, then I'll be disappointed if a Toyota doesn't win a race next year."

The Supra hit the track at Winton Motor Raceway for its first circuit test this week, ahead of the car’s competitive debut next year.

WAU Director Ryan Walkinshaw — whose team has been charged with the development of the car — was hesitant to make a prediction, given there are still six months of testing ahead of Race 1 of the new season.

However, Walkinshaw maintained the goal remains to turn up at the start of a new season and fight for championship and Bathurst glory.

"We don't know what's going to happen in the wind tunnel, we don't know what's going to happen during testing,” Walkinshaw said.

"It won't be perfect because these things aren't perfect and that's why you go to testing, because you're looking to try to see if things are going to fail or if things aren't working so you can fix them before you go and race them in the season.

"So, no predictions other than the fact that every single year when we turn up at the first round, our plans are to go and win Bathurst and win a championship and that doesn't change whether we're racing for GM, for Ford or for Toyota.

"There's no predictions because it's still a big work in progress but the ambition is no different to any other season."