General Motors explains Roland Dane role

General Motors is leaning on Roland Dane for advice and consulting amid the brand’s plans to remain at the top of the Repco Supercars Championship.

Dane was the key figure in Triple Eight Race Engineering’s rise to power in the sport, and stepped away from leadership at the end of 2021.

Last July, Earl Evans and Steve Blackmore purchased Jessica Dane’s 30 percent share of the team. Roland then stood down from his role as non-executive Chairman of Triple Eight Race Engineering at the end of 2024.

However, Dane senior remains an influential character, now playing an important role in advising GM on its next moves in the championship.

It comes amid Triple Eight’s looming switch to Ford in 2026, with GM securing the services of Triple Eight tech guru Jeromy Moore, KRE Race Engines, and Craig Lowndes.

GM bosses are on the ground at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, as is Dane, with Supercars also contesting its second of the season at Albert Park.

Speaking to media in Melbourne, Executive Director GM Motorsport Competition Eric Warren, said: “To be successful in this series, there’s multiple factors.

“You have to understand. Roland has obviously built a successful enterprise at Triple Eight, and understanding how to win in this series.

“It’s important in every series we’re in, we win. We care about winning. That’s why we’re in it.

“There’s a long history with Roland, so we will lean on him for advice and consulting as much as anything, and helping, whether it’s a homologation team, or helping all the teams together.

“We have different people that we trust, and whether it’s with the series, with the teams, or just knowing the business of the sport, all those elements are important.”

Dane could also prove a key player in which team lands GM's Supercars homologation team role.

A process is well underway to find a replacement for former GM homologation team Triple Eight Race Engineering, which will switch to Ford in 2026. Warren said a decision is imminent, following meetings with Chevrolet team owners.

PremiAir Racing is the favourite to land the role, with 2023 champion team Erebus Motorsport recently ruling itself out. Chevrolet is also represented by Team 18, Matt Stone Racing and Brad Jones Racing.

GM reiterated its desire for a collaborative approach between Chevrolet teams for 2026 and beyond, with Warren confident the void left behind by Triple Eight will be filled.

Toyota will also join the championship in 2026, with the Japanese brand also looking for a second team to join Walkinshaw Andretti United.

"We wanted to personally meet with them and understand capabilities and really figure out how we can lift the support in the series up a little bit,” Warren told media on Thursday in Melbourne.

"We'll make a decision before the next race, the next week or so.

"I want to see some of the cars and some of the teams in the garage a little bit and then continue our discussions, but we have a good sense of it.

"I want to make sure we consider all of the factors involved and not make a rash decision. We're going to be in the series a while and we want to make sure we're doing it right."