Supercars has offered a glimpse at 2026, as incoming marque Toyota joined Ford and General Motors rivals on track in New Zealand.
Announced yesterday, the Supercars Championship rounds at Taupō and Ruapuna will be held on consecutive weekends in April next year.
The Taupō round will be held on April 10-12, while Ruapuna, near Christchurch, will host its first-ever Supercars round on the following April 17-19 weekend.
Wednesday’s Double Header media call included track laps by Kiwi Supercars stars at Ruapuna featuring Ford, GM and Toyota road cars.
A Ford Mustang was driven by 2025 Jason Richards Memorial Trophy winner Matt Payne, with 2023 Bathurst winner Richie Stanaway steering a Chevrolet Corvette.
Brad Jones Racing driver Jaxon Evans drove a Supra, hinting at what’s to come in 2026 as BJR prepares to change to Toyota.
Wednesday’s laps offered a teaser for 2026, as Toyota not only joins the Supercars grid but also joins Ruapuna as a high-profile addition to the championship.
On the Double Header, Evans said: “It’s obviously very exciting.
“Taupō has been a great addition to the championship, but to have a double-header now is even more exciting, starting in Taupō and venturing down to the South Island.
“For some of the other people that are travelling over from Aus, they’ll be able to experience a bit of New Zealand, which is even more exciting.”
On the Ruapuna circuit itself, Stanaway added: “It’s fairly low speed, which I think makes the racing good for us; they don’t have that aero disturbance; you can follow really closely.
“If you’re on a strategy where you have a small tyre advantage, you’ll be able to use it to get past, similar to Taupō actually, the racing has been pretty good there. “
Ticketing details, supporting categories and entertainment line-ups for both rounds will be announced later this year.
For fans awaiting ticketing, corporate hospitality and grandstand information, there is an expression of interest form available to fill out on Supercars.com, which can be accessed by clicking here.
Header Image: Mark Horsburgh
