The unseen impact of 'force of nature' Mostert

For all of his successes on track, the impact of Supercars' newest member of the '400 club' is keeping Walkinshaw TWG Racing on track amid a moving year for the team.

Reigning champion Chaz Mostert will record his 400th Supercars start in Darwin, making the two-time Bathurst winner the 22nd driver in history to reach the milestone.

Mostert has evolved from a fresh-faced, 21-year-old debutant in 2013 to arguably Supercars' most recognisable driver, having remained the top of the sport for a decade.

While he cut his teeth across six seasons with Tickford Racing, Mostert's star has risen at Walkinshaw TWG Racing, which was in desperate need of results when he joined the team at the end of 2019.

What matters to the Walkinshaw TWG fold is what Mostert brings to the team away from the track, given all are confident of what he can do on it. However, a tough start to 2026 put strain on both parties, against the backdrop of the glorious end to 2025.

Then, Tasmania happened — Mostert won from pole, and the energy was back in a big way.

"It was epic for Chaz and the team and everyone concerned,” WTWGR CEO Bruce Stewart told Supercars.com.

“He's the reigning Supercars champion. We all expect him to be up there and competing for race wins and for poles, and hopefully a championship again.

"And in that respect, to see the glint in his eye on Thursday [in Tasmania] and to see the great man at work was really cool.

“When Mozzie is up, everyone's up. He’s a force of nature and positivity in the team. It's not like he hasn't been, but when he's up and about, we certainly feel it."

You don't start 400 races and not have hardship. Mostert has had plenty.

Bathurst has been a cornerstone of his career, for good and bad. For all of the highs of 2014 and 2021, Mostert's 2015 crash still haunts to this day, while hearts sank when his Ford crawled to a halt with engine issues last year.

In typical Mostert fashion, though, he keeps turning up — and adds his own flair along the way. Notably, bleary eyes in the Walkinshaw garage last year quickly turned into smiles when Mostert sunk a beer with fans at The Chase.

“He's an incredible guy,” Stewart said.

"He’s the son of a truck driver. He’s very humble. I think that's why he resonates so significantly with the fans, because he is a man of the people.

“Even at Bathurst last year, in the height of despair, he goes and has a beer with Robbo. That’s a real indication that he's a genuine guy and he understands people very well.

“When you see him on the top step, it's very gratifying for everyone, because we know that that's where he should be. He's a champion of the sport.

“With the number of races, it’s funny, he calls himself an old guy. But there's still a lot of kid in this 34-year-old. We love that in him, his energy and passion around the team.

“But make no mistake as well, when you see him in debrief and when you see him working on improving the car, he's a hard-ass racer."

Most ATCC/Supercars race starts*

*Driver on 2026 grid

^2026 Enduro Cup driver