Winterbottom signs new multi-year Team 18 deal

Mark Winterbottom will continue in Supercars until at least 2024 with the signing of a two-year Team 18 contract extension.

Winterbottom left behind 13 years with Tickford Racing and joined Charlie Schwerkolt’s team in 2019.

The 2015 series champion will be 43 when his new contract expires.

Critically, Team 18 has secured the services of the veteran into the Gen3 era.

Winterbottom was a significant force in the backend of the Project Blueprint era and into Gen2.

The 2023 season will be Winterbottom’s 20th in the top flight.

The 41-year-old currently sits 12th in the standings with 13 top 10 finishes to date.

Winterbottom and Scott Pye will be teammates for a fourth straight season.

"It’s great. I really enjoy racing at Team 18,” Winterbottom said.

"I really love working with Charlie and racing for him so it’s fantastic.

"I think the future looks really bright for us… I have signed there to try to win.

"It’s going to be a great couple of years and hopefully successful, that’s the plan.”

The upcoming Gen3 platform was key to Winterbottom’s retention.

Winterbottom reiterated that he and Schwerkolt are racing to win.

“I’m really excited about Gen3,” he continued.

“At the same time I feel like I’m driving well, I feel like the team is going in the right direction.

'I really enjoy racing at Team 18'

"I race to win… I don’t race to just make up numbers and Charlie doesn’t either.

"Gen3 is a big opportunity for Team 18, it’s massive.

"I’m motivated, fit, hungry and I have won before so I know what it takes.

"I feel like Team 18 is on that path to success and I don’t want to miss out on that.”

Schwerkolt said it was "really exciting” to extend with Winterbottom.

"He’s been an integral part of Team 18 from those early days,” Schwerkolt said.

"He’s the real deal. The sponsors absolutely love him, the fans love him, he’s got more fans than anyone at the moment I think.

“But as a driver he has still got it… he just came off P5 at Sandown.

“It was an easy decision to get it done.”

2023 Repco Supercars Championship grid (as of September 11, 2022)