'That's 100% the reason': PremiAir boss explains early Stanaway exit

PremiAir Racing team owner Peter Xiberras has shed light on the immediate release of Richie Stanaway, claiming the team had "no benefit" seeing the year out with the New Zealander.

Stanaway and PremiAir Racing parted ways, effective immediately, following the last round at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.

The 2023 Bathurst winner joined the Chevrolet team for the 2025 season, after parting ways with Penrite Racing. However, the Stanaway/PremiAir union delivered few highlights, with the Kiwi sitting 22nd following the Surfers Paradise round.

Ahead of this weekend's Penrite Oil Sandown 500, the team confirmed incoming driver Jayden Ojeda would step into the vacated #62 PremiAir Camaro for the final two rounds.

In the team statement regarding Stanaway's exit, PremiAir Racing stated the decision will "ensure continuity while maintaining our focus on building strong momentum into next season."

"It's the $64,000 question, isn't it," replied Xiberras to media at Sandown, when asked why Stanaway battled for results.

"Look, for various reasons, it didn't work. It is what it is."

Stanaway began the season with Competition Director Ludo Lacroix as his race engineer. Stanaway felt he began to make gains in New Zealand, and it paid immediate dividends in Tasmania with a top five as he shifted away from Triple Eight set-ups.

Lacroix then stepped aside to focus on his overarching role with the team, Andrew Gilliam stepping up in his place from Darwin. However, the rollercoaster form trend remained, Stanaway and teammate James Golding battling through Perth, Darwin and Townsville.

Speaking ahead of the enduros, Stanaway told Supercars.com that his season had been an "interesting challenge," but stopped short of saying it was frustrating. He called for consistency and insisted he was set for 2026, before Ojeda and Declan Fraser were announced after Bathurst.

At the time of his exit, Stanaway wasn't drawn to comment on his exit, but vowed to claim a strong result in his final rounds. As it would turn out, he only had one chance, with Ojeda called up early.

Speaking pre-Sandown, Xiberras said it was using the final rounds of the 2025 season to get incoming rookie Ojeda up to speed.

When asked on Friday if it was a mystery as to why it didn't work, Xiberras replied: "Yeah."

"The way I see it, what's the point of finishing the year and getting no benefit out of it.

"For us, the focus going from this point onwards is it's all about next year. That's 100% the reason."

Ojeda will make his PremiAir Racing debut at Sandown this weekend.