The 2025 Supercars Silly Season took a turn on Tuesday with the news that Mark Winterbottom will split with Team18 at the end of the season, and his seat will be filled by Anton De Pasquale.
Winterbottom, the 2015 Supercars champion, confirmed on social media that the Chevrolet team, owned by businessman Charlie Schwerkolt, has signed another driver for next season.
“To my supporters, the last 24 hours has been a whirlwind, as I was told that Team 18 signed a different driver for 2025,” Winterbottom wrote.
“I don’t really know what the future holds, I’m still digesting the news, but I know I can hold my head high as a professional sportsman.
“I have given 110% and loved working with the team crew and all the sponsors, you are great people. I truly value the support from my family, friends, sponsors and supporters, at a time when I need it most.”
Not long later De Pasquale confirmed that he was joining the team and would race a Chevrolet for the first time, after four seasons in DJR's Fords.
“It’s a really exciting next step for me in my career and I’m looking forward to progressing with Charlie, Adrian [Burgess, team manager] and the team and being a part of what they’re building for the future,” the 28-year-old said in a statement.
“Looking forward to chasing that common goal and getting stuck into it next year!”
The driver likely to replace 'ADP' is Brodie Kostecki. The 2023 Supercars Champion missed the opening rounds of this season with Erebus Motorsport, but looks to be the favourite to join veteran Will Davison in DJR's Ford Mustangs next season.
In turn, a vacant Erebus seat looks likely to be filled by Cooper Murray, the 23-year-old Melbourne Super2 driver who will share Triple Eight's wildcard entry with Craig Lowndes at Sandown and Bathurst.
Winterbottom, 43, joined Team18 in 2019, after racing Fords for all of his V8 Supercars career to that point. He scored one race win with the team, at Hidden Valley last season. He will race for the team in the endurance races with Michael Caruso as his co-driver.
De Pasquale, who has won eight of his nine career Supercar victories with DJR, will be chasing the endurance wins with veteran Tony D'Alberto alongside.
