THE #1 FOR CHEVROLET

The Supercars team that will race General Motors into life after Triple Eight has to satisfy one key criteria.

The Australian management group at GM Special Vehicles has compiled a list of 21 evaluation points for potential Homologation Teams but there is one that sits above the rest on top of the list.

"Ambition to win. That's number one," GM's motorsport boss, Chris Payne, reveals to Race.news.

He is speaking as GM SV goes public with its response to the Triple Eight defection from Chevrolet to Ford, and the void left at the tip of its Supercars program.

Among the details confirmed by Payne and the managing director of GM SV, Jess Bala, are a rock-solid commitment to Supercars.

"We see this as a really good opportunity for the future," says Bala.

“We're working on a plan to reset and bounce back in the sport in a very profound way," says Payne.

The Chevrolet pair sat down at Sydney Motorsport Park to talk through the implications of the most significant switch in the history of Supercars.

What we learned:

The Camaro will race until the end of season 2027, at a minimum.

GM will add an extra year to its existing contract to compete in Supercars, taking its commitment through 2027.

The new Homologation Team will be chosen before the end of 2025.

There is nothing to report on the successor to the Camaro.

The replacement for the Camaro is likely to be linked to the next 'hero car' for Chevrolet in NASCAR.

GM would not be happy with KRE engines taking on responsibility for the Ford Coyote V8 in addition to Chevrolet's Camaro V8.

Racing the Chevrolet GT3 in Australia is a high priority.

Off-road racing with the Chevrolet Silverado pick-up has been put on the back-burner but there could be a return to the Finke Desert Race in 2026.

GM wants to keep Craig Lowndes on its team.

"We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Craig. Yes, we definitely want him to stay with us. We’ll keep those conversions going and do everything we can to keep him," says Bala.

What we didn't learn:

The favoured choice for the new Homologation Team.

Any commitment beyond the end of 2027.

The amount of money GM SV is intending to spend on its revamped program.'

The shape or name of any future Supercars racer.

Even so, there was plenty to talk on every topic as Bala and Payne went on the offensive. There were well wishes for T8 and its Camaros in season 2025, as well as thanks for its race and championship wins over the years.

But ...

“We ain't done yet. These are circumstances that we’re not accustomed to. We’ve below-average losers," says Payne.

"We do intend to work quickly, in conjunction with Supercars, on a new homologation team. We will be acting with urgency. We’re also working closely on our US motorsport leadership on that."

The US connection is likely to be tighter in future and one sign is a visit by Jim Campbell, the vice-president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports at Chevrolet and Jim Campbell, GM's executive director of motorsport competition, to Australia next month.

They are likely to have Cadillac work on the agenda at the Australian Grand Prix, but will also be talking Supercars with local management.

“We do intend to form a much stronger alliance with our GM motorsport activity in the US," says Payne.

Looking at its remaining Supercars teams, Payne admits they are further down the pitlane pecking order than he would like. Getting them all doing better is a high priority.

“Triple Eight set a benchmark in the sport that will be remembered for many decades. This requires a differnet approach. Each of the teams have their own particular style and operation and ownership structure," he says.

“The challenge is to pool that and make them collectively competition. And maintain the dominance of the Camaro. Bringing the teams together is the best approach.”

Apart from Supercars, there is an obvious future focus on GT3 sports cars, where Ford is expected to be a major Australian player from 2026.

“The GT3 Corvette program is very exciting. There is a measured and controlled roll-out of that around the world. It is an ambition of ours to be racing that car here at some point in time, as soon as possible," says Payne.

But it's all just talk – for now.

Bala and Payne have been talking to the teams which are hoping to take up the Homologation role, as well as looking at budgets and integration and all the other details.

“The decision by T8 positions us, you might argue, as the underdogs. You can expect to se a very different approach from us, doing forward," says Payne.

“We’re ready for the fight. Fans will see a leaner, hungrier approach."