PremiAir yet to make manufacturer commitment for 2026

In the wake of Triple Eight's bombshell announcement of their switch back to Ford in 2026, Ford came out and stated that their plan was to stick to a five-team, 10-car model for 2026.

Those five teams have already been signed for next year, namely Triple Eight, Penrite Racing, Tickford Racing, Dick Johnson Racing, and Blanchard Racing Team.

Toyota, meanwhile, have also locked in their two teams for their entry into the sport, with Walkinshaw Andretti United acting as the homologation team, and Brad Jones Racing set to run four Supras next year.

Any potential manufacturer switches seem unlikely for 2026 with both Ford and Toyota locked away with their attacks on next year's championship, leaving PremiAir Racing to likely remain with GM next year.

However, when asked at the team representatives' press conference on Friday whether or not a deal had been signed to continue with Chevrolet, Xiberras declared: "No, we haven't signed up."

"It's getting pretty close, we'll be making a decision shortly."

Xiberras is a self-confessed GM fan, however there are several moving pieces for their silly season, with a complete reset expected on the driver front after what has been a torrid season in 2025.

PremiAir's year only went from bad to worse at The Bend, with finishes of 23rd for the Richie Stanaway/Nash Morris combination, and 25th for James Golding/David Russell.

Days for both cars were disrupted by an opening lap puncture for Morris, whilst Golding was penalised for turning off his pit lane speed limiter prior to the exit line, and Russell also pinged for contact with Jordan Boys.

It pales in comparison to 12 months ago, when Golding and Russell claimed the team's maiden podium with a stunning performance at the Sandown 500, which propelled Golding to a sensational seventh in the final standings.

However, that form has simply not translated into 2025, with Xiberras desperately searching for answers.

"The word I'd use is a little disappointed, I think for the effort we've put in, we've underperformed to this point. We've just got to work a bit harder, and find a bit more."

When further pressed about what was most disappointing about the season to date, Xiberras responded: "Just results. Either everyone has improved a lot more than what we have; it's hard to put your finger on the problem."

Golding and Stanaway are 16th and 20th in points heading to Bathurst, with Golding 220 points behind 10th.