Richie Stanaway, a talented New Zealand-born Supercars driver known for his Bathurst 1000 win, parted ways with PremiAir Racing in late October 2025—just two rounds before the season ended.

The Sudden Axing

This wasn't a quiet exit. After a disastrous 2025 season where Stanaway languished in 22nd place, PremiAir dropped him effective immediately following the Gold Coast 500. The team cited prior talks and their decision not to renew his 2026 option, replacing him with Jayden Ojeda for the Sandown 500 and Adelaide 500.

“PremiAir Racing wishes to advise that, following discussions with Richie Stanaway after the Gold Coast 500, he will step away from the team with immediate effect...”

Team boss Peter Xiberras later explained it as a sharp pivot to 2026 prep , calling the year an underperformance without diving deep into why it soured. Stanaway had joined with high hopes after Grove Racing, but it echoed his rocky past at Tickford and Garry Rogers Motorsport.

Career Rollercoaster

Stanaway's path is a classic motorsport redemption tale turned cautionary.

  • Early highs : Burst onto the scene young, even eyeing F1 paths from mini-stocks.
  • 2023 resurgence : Went "cold turkey" from racing, then tamed Mount Panorama for the Peter Brock Trophy with Triple Eight help.
  • 2024 crash drama : Heavy Adelaide 500 shunt (52G impact) sidelined him with concussion.
  • 2019 benching : Sidelined by GRM for missing a signing session amid disciplinary issues.

Back in early October 2025, he brushed off exit rumors , expecting to race on with PremiAir. Days later, reality hit.

What's Next? Multiple Angles

No official 2026 seat yet—his full-time Supercars prospects look dim , per reports, potentially relegating him to wildcards or co-drives.

  • Team view : PremiAir eyes "strong momentum" with new drivers, no bad blood expressed.
  • Stanaway's side : He conceded post-Gold Coast it might end his full-time run.
  • Fan/insider buzz : Forums whisper of his "enigma" talent—flashes of brilliance, but consistency eludes.

Trending context: This hit amid Supercars' new finals format shakeup, amplifying the sting as he missed playoffs entirely. As of March 2026, silence on his plans suggests wildcard rumors or a sim racing pivot could emerge.

TL;DR

Richie Stanaway was axed by PremiAir in Oct 2025 after a poor season , ending his full-time drive early. A comeback kid no more—for now.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.