Sydney, Australia – Seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Craig Lowndes completed his first laps behind the wheel of a Team 18 Chevrolet Camaro at Sydney Motorsport Park on Monday, marking a significant shift in his storied Supercars career. The 51-year-old, who spent the previous 21 seasons with Triple Eight Race Engineering, is now aligned with General Motors’ new homologation team after Triple Eight switched to Ford.
Lowndes drove Anton De Pasquale’s #18 DEWALT Camaro, the same car that secured Team 18’s first victory in two and a half years at the recent Sydney Supercars event. He described the experience as positive, noting the operational efficiency of the team. “It’s been great. Obviously coming into a brand new team, you don’t grasp what to expect, but Team 18 obviously run a very slick, great operation,” Lowndes said.
The transition to Team 18 comes as Lowndes prepares to lead the Supercheap Auto wildcard program, which has also moved from Triple Eight. He will mentor Bayley Hall, a former Carrera Cup racer making his Super2 debut, in the program. Hall also had his first opportunity to drive a Gen3 Supercar during the ride day. “It’s the first time he’s sat in a Gen3 car so it’s really nice he got an opportunity to feel the car, sit in the car [and] drive the car,” Lowndes commented. Hall reportedly found the mechanical grip of the Gen3 Camaro a significant improvement over the Super2 Commodore he previously drove.
Lowndes highlighted subtle but positive differences in the Camaro’s handling compared to the Triple Eight cars he’s accustomed to. “Driving the car was really nice, it was excellent to get a feel for it. Little sort of small differences between obviously where I’ve come from and Team 18, but in a good, positive way. I think the steering input and the weight of the steering is really nice. The car itself felt really solid, really nice in a lot of ways.” He also noted the comfortable ergonomics of the cockpit, stating it felt “like at home again” when sitting in De Pasquale’s seat.
Team 18’s strong start to the 2026 season, with De Pasquale’s Saturday night win in Sydney, has further fueled Lowndes’ optimism. “I think that the first one is important to set a standard and a bit of momentum,” Lowndes said, acknowledging De Pasquale’s achievement in securing GM’s first win with the new Camaro. “Anton has definitely done that. It shows promise in the team that the car is prompt.”
Lowndes signed a two-year deal with Team 18 in March, following the announcement that Triple Eight would be switching to Ford. He will spearhead the Chevrolet Camaro wildcard entry at Supercars endurance races, continuing a career that has included seven Bathurst 1000 victories and over three decades in the sport.