Heimgartner talks up GR Supra after maiden Toyota Supercar laps
Andre Heimgartner drove new Supra for first time at Winton this week
Heimgartner to race for fifth brand in Supercars as BJR joins Toyota in 2026
New Supra to make competitive debut at Sydney 500 on February 20-22
An excited and intrigued Andre Heimgartner has found comfort in the Toyota GR Supra "straight out the gate" following his maiden laps in Supercars' newest racer.
The Brad Jones Racing driver got behind the wheel of a Supra for the first time this week at Winton Motor Raceway, as testing continued ahead of the new season.
Heimgartner was joined on site by BJR teammate Macauley Jones, who had steered the Supra at previous tests. Walkinshaw TWG Racing stars Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood got their first laps late last year, meaning Cameron Hill is the last remaining 2026 Toyota driver who is yet to steer the car.
While the car wasn't the finished product amid an exhaustive testing program, Heimgartner was pleased to finally get a taste of what to expect come the evening of February 20 at Sydney Motorsport Park.
“It was my first drive in the car, it's always interesting to get a taste of what a new car is like,” Heimgartner told Supercars.com.
“Macca has done a bit of running in it before, but I was keen to see what it's all about.
“It obviously has a different engine configuration to the Camaro, it sort of delivers the power differently, and there’s a lot that’s unique to the car.
“Things have their different strengths and weaknesses and traits. For sure, the first couple laps were a bit different, but once we got into it, I was comfortable, which is a nice feeling straight out the gate.”
When asked about differences and similarities to the Chevrolet Camaro, which he raced for three seasons, Heimgartner pointed to the power delivery of the Supra engine.
The Toyota has a 5.2-litre V8 engine, which is a Supercars version of the quad-cam 2UR-GSE V8. Heimgartner previously raced with a GM 5.7 litre, single camshaft V8.
However, the Kiwi remains patient with the process, and left Winton with clarity over all parts of the puzzle.
“It’s not too different to the Camaro,” Heimgartner explained.
"We're in the early beginnings of the development of it, so there's always gonna be things that are still works in progress.
“For example, with the drivability, it took the Ford a while to work that out and no doubt there's gonna be a process with this car.
“But I'm really pleased with where they're at with the whole project, and after quite a few laps, it all became pretty comfortable and natural and I could sort of see how it would all work and fit together.”
When it comes to the finished product, the Supra is also closing on having an homologated aerodynamic package following successful wind tunnel testing in the United States over the summer.
The car ran with updates this weekend, and the sum of all parts excites Heimgartner, who is chasing his first win since Taupō 2024, and first Finals appearance after falling narrowly short last season.
“They were trying to replicate basically what it would be like at the end," he said of the aero.
“The balance feels good. It doesn't feel too crazy in any direction. It actually feels pretty well-rounded, but again, it's sort of hard because you're guessing at a test day where there's no other reference on track.
“So far all the signs are pointing to that we should be able to roll out fairly competitively."
