Team 18 owner addresses Toyota speculation

Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt has left the door open to a potential future with Toyota amid the marque’s hunt for a second Supercars team.

Toyota will enter the Repco Supercars Championship in 2026 with its Supra model, and has secured Walkinshaw Andretti United as its homologation team.

The Japanese powerhouse wants “at least four” Supras on the 2026 grid, and wants to have a second team locked away midway through next year.

Team 18 has been linked to the program, given the Melbourne team’s ties to Toyota. Toyota Material Handling, a long-time partner of Team 18, also has a partnership with Schwerkolt’s Waverley Forklifts business.

Team 18 currently fields two Chevrolet Camaros for Mark Winterbottom and David Reynolds, and has entered two cars since 2020.

When asked in Bathurst if he’d look at a link with Toyota for his Supercars team, Schwerkolt said: “I’d look at it for sure.

“Obviously, I’ve got a relationship with Toyota and all of that sort of stuff, but I think they’re going to go through a tender process, see what happens and we’ll see where it goes.”

The team will replace 43-year-old Winterbottom for 29-year-old Anton De Pasquale from 2025, with Brodie Kostecki shifting to Dick Johnson Racing in the place of De Pasquale.

Asked about the De Pasquale move, Schwerkolt said: “He’s quick, speedy and it was something that we can progress through for a few years down the track.

“Mark has been an incredible ambassador for us, and he’s been great for the team, but it’s time to move on at some stage.

“Dave is not young either, he’s still got a few years left but Mark is right at the end of his career, so it was time to look for something a bit more youthful.”

Reynolds and Winterbottom were seventh and 22nd in opening Bathurst practice on Thursday. Co-driver will return to the track for Practice 2 at 4:55pm AEDT.