It's an age old adage in Australian motorsport: a tough season can be overcome if you win the Bathurst 1000 this season. Could it be the case for Chevrolet this season?
It has certainly been a tough year for GM, which have been forced to rebuild in a post-Triple Eight world. However, The Bend offered genuine green shoots that there could be hope for Bathurst.
Chevrolet will be eager to bounce back in 2026, having been beaten at Bathurst for the first time in the Gen3 era last year, though they filled positions two through seven.
With entries in the mix for both the Ryco Enduro Cup and the last remaining Finals berths, there is a lot to play for among the Camaro line-up in 2026. What's hanging over the GM camp heading to the Mountain?
Can the teams stand up on the biggest day?
The facts don't make for the best reading for Chevrolet teams. While homologation outfit Team 18 is leading from the front, they are only sixth in teams' points, with Matt Stone Racing in eighth, and PremiAir Racing and Erebus Motorsport bringing up the tail end of the two-car teams in 10th and 11th. That's not to say these teams can't lift for Bathurst, both Team 18 and PremiAir were on the podium last year, while Erebus have won the Great Race twice. But, with Ford and Toyota both in form, they'll need to do the same once again.
Will the package be competitive in the right spots?
Whether or not parity will become a hot topic once again, only time will tell, but straight line performance has always been a strong suit of the Chevrolet product at Bathurst. Finger-pointing over potential sandbagging has already begun, with several Ford stars not convinced that Chevrolet are showing their best hand, especially after the parity changes made in the opening two days of the AirTouch 500 at The Bend. All that we know for certain is come Sunday, there will be no punches pulled on track.
Can the co-drivers do the job?
Last year, Chevrolet had several co-drivers put in phenomenal performances, with Lee Holdsworth, David Russell, and Jobe Stewart all finishing inside the top four. Holdsworth and Russell both remain in the Chevrolet camp, and are arguably in GM's two strongest chances alongside Anton De Pasquale and Jayden Ojeda. You can expect James Courtney to be fast alongside David Reynolds, while Erebus' young gun co-drivers in Lochie Dalton and Jarrod Hughes are out to prove their worth, as is Carrera Cup star Harri Jones at Matt Stone Racing.
Can the wildcards produce a shock?
The only two wildcards in the 2026 field will come out of the Chevrolet camp. For the first time, Team 18 run a third car at Bathurst, pairing Super2 rookie Bayley Hall alongside seven-time Bathurst winner Craig Lowndes, 20 years after the latter's emotional 2006 win. Lowndes is at his absolute best on the Mountain, and was a top 10 finisher last year. The Garry Rogers Motorsport wildcard is a fascinating one, with the experience of James Moffat and highly touted young gun Nathan Herne. The popular team will be keen to showcase Herne's talents, and fulfil Garry's wish.
Will there be more than one Chevrolet in Finals?
For large chunks of the season, it has looked as though De Pasquale would be the only Chevrolet contesting the Finals, but now there could be a further two 'bow-ties' in the mix. Jack Le Brocq is now in the hot seat in 10th, while Ojeda is looking to replicate the Kai Allen path of being a rookie Finalist. For both to get in is incumbent on Le Brocq having a great day, and Ojeda likely winning the Ryco Enduro Cup, not impossible given his fifth place finish at The Bend. Reynolds is an outsider, but needs victory and a heap of DNFs for those ahead of him.
The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of Supercars, teams or drivers.
