Toyota has declared it doesn’t intend on simply making up the numbers in the 2026 Supercars season – however, as the weekend’s season-opening Sydney 500 showed, success won’t happen overnight.
The Japanese brand experienced the highs and lows of Supercars racing at Sydney Motorsport Park last weekend, debuting against the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro in a historic first category outing.
Watch every race of the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship LIVE & ad-break free during racing on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
With five Supras fielded across the Walkinshaw TWG Racing and Brad Jones Racing teams, Sydney provided a formidable first backdrop for Toyota’s new entry, including all-new aero package as well as a new 5.2-litre V8 engine.
Walkinshaw’s Chaz Mostert – the defending 2025 Supercars champion aboard a Ford Mustang – got Toyota’s campaign off to a bang on Friday after completing the opening practice session inside the top 10. His teammate, Ryan Wood, was stone last by comparison.
That said, it was the BJR entry of Andre Heimgartner who delivered Toyota’s first major race success, completing race one at Sydney in an impressive eighth place.
While only one Supra finished inside the top 10 in race one, fortunes became less contrasted as the weekend went on: all five Supras made it into the top 10 in race three, including a fourth and fifth respectively for Mostert and Wood.
Feeney visibly distressed after victory | 01:39
In between, Heimgartner retired from race two of the weekend after enduring an engine failure, while Mostert’s entry was disqualified from the same fixture after failing to comply with a wheel regulation.
Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations, John Pappas, was bullish about Toyota’s prospects in the 2026 season.
“We don’t enter things to lose but we don’t want to put too high an expectation on things,” he said.
“This is our first race. We will learn a lot and I’m sure there will be a lot of challenges and problem solving that goes into this from the teams and that’s all part of our Toyota spirit: you solve problems and you get better and you find better ways.
“In the end, we’re racing to get on the podium. We think we’ve got great partners and great teams and a great car.”
The 2026 Supercars season resumes March 5-8 with the Melbourne Supersprint at Albert Park – part of the 2026 Australian Formula One Grand Prix.
Discussion about this post