Nine seats left: 2023 co-driver market

NOTE: Story updated after Warren Luff joined Team 18 on loan from Walkinshaw Andretti United on Friday afternoon.

Seven teams have now locked in 2023 enduro co-drivers, with Jamie Whincup and Warren Luff confirmed at Triple Eight and Team 18.

On Thursday, Whincup was confirmed as Feeney’s co-driver for a second straight season at Red Bull Ampol Racing.

Triple Eight now has a full suite of co-drivers, with Richie Stanaway confirmed alongside Shane van Gisbergen in January.

Luff has since joined Team 18 on loan from Walkinshaw Andretti United, which ruled out a 2023 enduro wildcard.

The six-time Bathurst podium-finisher was confirmed in Team 18's line-up along with Michael Caruso, who will partner Mark Winterbottom.

What we know

Triple Eight and Team 18 join Tickford Racing, WAU, Shell V-Power Racing Team, Penrite Racing and Erebus Motorsport as having publicly announced their co-drivers.

However, only Triple Eight, WAU, DJR, Erebus and Team 18 have confirmed their driving line-ups.

Fabian Coulthard will race with Nick Percat at WAU, with Lee Holdsworth returning alongside Chaz Mostert.

It ensures that two of the three podium line-ups from the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 have changed, with changes to the Mostert and van Gisbergen pairings.

Waters and Moffat have taken two podiums in two years

Tony D’Alberto and Alex Davison will return alongside Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison respectively at DJR.

Championship leaders Erebus have retained Jack Perkins and David Russell alongside Will Brown and Brodie Kostecki respectively.

Garth Tander and French sportscar ace Kevin Estre have signed with Penrite Racing, but haven’t been allocated to a car.

Tickford incumbents James Moffat and Super2 points leader Zak Best will be joined by Garry Jacobson and Tyler Everingham, but the team hasn’t locked in its pairings.

Moffat is set to remain with Cam Waters for a third season, having scored Bathurst podiums together in 2021 and 2022.

Tickford is the first team to formally announce its four co-drivers, and will confirm pairings on a later date.

Moffat is expected to remain alongside Cam Waters, with the pair finishing on the Bathurst podium in 2021 and 2022.

What’s left

Who will race with Hazelwood at BRT?

All told, of 25 full-time combinations, only 10 have been formally announced — but there are nine vacancies at Brad Jones Racing, Nulon Racing, Matt Stone Racing and Blanchard Racing Team.

Dylan O'Keeffe and S5000 champion Joey Mawson have had seat time in Nulon Camaro’s already this year.

Michael Caruso is set to remain alongside Mark Winterbottom at Team 18, but Everingham's departure ensured Scott Pye needed a new co-driver.

The Pye vacancy was officially filled by Luff just hours after this story was initially published, and shortly after WAU benched its wildcard.

In 2022, Dale Wood, Jordan Boys, Jaxon Evans and Dean Fiore raced for BJR, while Aaron Seton and Jayden Ojeda raced for MSR.

BRT co-owner Tim Blanchard raced in his own car in 2022, but could also opt to hand Super2 driver Aaron Love an enduro debut alongside Todd Hazelwood.

Several Super2 drivers, such as Love, have also shown glimpses of potential — WAU’s Ryan Wood won both Perth races, and Cooper Murray won on debut in Newcastle.

BJR youngster Lochie Dalton also scored his first round podium in Perth, while teenager Kai Allen led the finale after taking the lead from Brad Vaughan.

Could Lochie Dalton score a BJR call-up?

Then, there’s the question of wildcards — Craig Lowndes and Zane Goddard will race a Triple Eight wildcard.

WAU recently kept the door open on a wildcard, but has loaned Luff to Team 18 and is focussing on its two main game entries.

Simona De Silvestro, who raced full-time between 2017 and 2019, also publicly stated she wants to make a Bathurst cameo.

The enduro season will commence at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 15-17, followed by the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 5-8.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint on May 19-21.

Tickets for the event are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.

2023 enduro combinations (as of May 5, 2023)