Walkinshaw Andretti United to race Ford Mustang Supercars from 2023

Walkinshaw Andretti United, perhaps the best-known Holden team in Supercars, will defect to Ford next year in a massive coup for the Blue Oval.

The shock announcement was made today after a week of speculation over whether the former Holden factory team was switching over to the blue side, breaking a 30-plus year tradition.

Walkinshaw – founded by Tom Walkinshaw and now run by his son Ryan – has been Team Red since 1990 when it took over Holden’s factory operations for the Australian Touring Car Championship, with Tom Walkinshaw Racing becoming the official Holden Racing Team.

Six ATCC/Supercars drivers’ titles, five team championships and eight Bathurst 1000 victories later, Walkinshaw will run Fords for the first time in Australia – a move triggered by its factory Holden team status being dropped in 2016, followed by the manufacturer’s closure in 2020.

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Walkinshaw Andretti United team owners Ryan Walkinshaw (right) and Michael Andretti (left) with a Mustang GT4

The team’s defection to Ford comes at a pivotal time in the sport, with the Gen3 Supercar making its debut next year, which will see Ford’s Mustang fight Chevrolet’s Camaro for on-track supremacy.

Walkinshaw was notably absent from last year's Gen3 reveal at the Bathurst 1000, although it's understood talks between the team and Ford hadn't yet begun at that stage.

It was rumoured Walkinshaw had been talking with a variety of manufacturers, such as BMW or even Jaguar, to enter the series – the latter of which could have reunited the team with the manufacturer it took first and third on the Bathurst podium with in 1985. However, today’s announcement all but confirms Supercars will remain as a two-make series in the near future, as it had been during the team’s most dominant period from 1993 to 2012.

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“Today marks a new era for Walkinshaw Andretti United, one we are extremely excited about," said team director, Ryan Walkinshaw.

"For over three decades we have gone head-to-head in competition with Ford, but joining forces with them for Gen3 was the clear direction forward.

“We are extremely proud of our history with Holden over such a long period of time, that is something we will always be grateful for. We will wear the Holden badge with pride right up until the final race in Supercars at the end of 2022. But now it’s time for change, it’s time for a new chapter.

"To have manufacturer support once again is essential for our race team and the goals we have, and we thank Ford for its trust in us. For now, our short-term focus remains on 2022, continuing what we’ve started, and finishing our current chapter on a high.”

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The Gen3 Supercars Ford Mustang which WAU will compete in next year

Ford Australia CEO and President Andrew Birkic said WAU would be welcomed with open arms, despite previous rivalries between Team Red and the Blue Oval.

“We’re here to win. We’re looking to work with the best organisations, and the best people to get the Blue Oval to the front of the pack, to put on the best show for our fans," said Birkic.

“In Walkinshaw Andretti United we see an organisation with the same core values and beliefs, a passion for the sport and that real drive to win. We’re excited to welcome our former rivals into the family, and look forward to many years of success in conjunction with WAU.”

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WAU and Chaz Mostert are the reigning Bathurst 1000 champions, winning last year's Great Race with Lee Holdsworth

Two-time Bathurst 1000 champion Chaz Mostert and 2011 Bathurst winner Nick Percat will remain as the team's drivers, signalling a homecoming for Mostert – who raced for Ford between 2013 and 2019 – while marking the first time Percat has raced for a brand other than Holden.

“I’ve had a long and successful relationship with Ford in the past, so it’s really exciting to be re-joining the Blue Oval in 2023 and beyond," said Mostert.

"It will be a bit of a homecoming to step back into a Mustang that’s for sure. Before that though, we’ve got a job to do in 2022, so that’s what I’m focused on."

"I’m really excited about Gen3 and our partnership with Ford," said Percat.

"Of course, it will be different to see the Ford badge on the front of our cars, but it will be fantastic to have manufacturer support. With Holden finishing up in Supercars at the end of this year, we will be doing everything possible to end on a high, before we turn our attention to the next chapter.”

Next year's Supercars grid will feature at least 11 Mustangs, with Dick Johnson Racing (two), Tickford Racing (four), Grove Racing (two) and Blanchard Racing Team (one) all continuing to race for Ford.