By Andrew Clarke
Date posted: 31 October 2025
Will Davison has been cut loose by Dick Johnson Racing for 2026, ending his second stint with the Ford squad and igniting another twist in an already chaotic silly season. The two-time Bathurst 1000 winner will finish the current campaign with DJR but will not be renewed beyond this year, despite having a year left on his agreement.
It’s understood that DJR had quietly sounded out rising talent Jobe Stewart as Davison’s successor well before Bathurst. However, Erebus moved faster, locking Stewart into a full-time deal and shutting the door on any late DJR play.
The approach highlights DJR’s intended direction shift toward youth, even if their preferred option landed elsewhere, which makes its decision last year to let Kai Allen slip from its grip even more baffling.
Davison’s 2025 form has been uneven, and with DJR under mounting pressure to climb back to the sport’s sharp end, the call to reset its line-up appears to have landed. Despite flashes of the class that has defined his two-decade career, Davison sits adrift of the leaders, and the team’s appetite for renewal has clearly outpaced sentimentality.
His future remains unclear. A full-time berth for 2026 will require musical-chairs fortune, though his value as an endurance specialist makes a co-driver role a likely next step. He has driven full-time for both Tickford and Walkinshaw Andretti United under their former names, and no doubt has those team owners on speed dial.
The move continues a broader power shift across the grid as teams prioritise youth and long-term return over proven CVs. For DJR, it marks a decisive break from the safe hands strategy. For Davison, it’s the latest pivot in a resilient career that has already seen him rebound once from the brink.
“I’ve had two great stints with this team, and I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved together,” Davison said.
“It’s the right time for both of us to move forward. To achieve 600 starts at Sandown – a track that means so much to my family – is special. I’ll be giving it everything across these final two rounds.”
DJR Team owner Dick Johnson said Davison has held a special place in his heart.
“Will’s been family to us, and that won’t change. He’s a champion and a true professional,” Johnson said.
“These last two rounds, we’ll be doing everything we can to send him off with the results he deserves. That’s what you do for blokes like Will.”
For all the news on the driver line-ups for next year, grab a copy of Auto Action Premium, which is out next week.
Will Davison at the 2025 Gold Coast 500. Image: Peter Norton
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