A CHIEF figure in the development of the Toyota Supra Supercar will bid farewell to Walkinshaw TWG Racing after this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000.
V8 Sleuth can reveal that team principal Carl Faux is finishing up at the Clayton squad.
Faux made the decision of his own volition; he has not yet decided what is next, and there is equally no clarity at this stage on whether or not Walkinshaw TWG will launch an external search for a replacement.
“Bathurst will be my 10th consecutive with the team, and that seems like a nice way to wrap it up,” Faux told V8 Sleuth.
Pic: Walkinshaw TWG Racing
Having joined what was then a Holden-aligned Supercars team in 2017 after an extensive motorsport career back in the UK, he declared it time for a new challenge.
“I came here to actually build a new car,” said Faux, who was promoted from technical director in late 2023.
“That was my bread and butter for many years; on a cycle of every two to three years you’re doing a new car, a new widget.
“Nothing is ever finished and nothing will ever be finished, but to have the most successful debut car and do that with Toyota is a lovely way to end it.”
The Supra is far from his only proud accomplishment though, with the once mighty Holden Racing Team gradually rediscovering its winning ways including a Bathurst 1000 victory in 2021 for Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth, and a long-awaited championship last year for Mostert.
Andrew Wiles, Bruce Stewart, Carl Faux and Ryan Walkinshaw with a small-scale Supra Supercar model in 2024. Pic: Supplied/Glenn Hunt
“When I first started here they had not long lost the HRT moniker, lost the manufacturer support, the homologation team status, and were on a pretty poor run,” said Faux.
Also of note has been the creation of the Walkinshaw Foundation Academy, producing headline results in Super2 and Toyota 86s, landmark transitions to and from Ford, and a reorganisation to bring the team’s facilities under one roof.
“These aren’t things that have been done by me, but by the team,” he said.
“Probably the culture shift was the biggest thing since I’ve been around.
“I hate the words that people use nowadays of ‘psychological safety’ – if you’ve f***ed up, you’ve f***ed up. Own it, because we all f*** up, we can all live this together and we’ll all try to be better tomorrow than we have been today.
“That’s the attitude that has gone through the team now.
Carl Faux (right) embraces Ryan Walkinshaw. Pic: Mark Walker
“And from my point of view as well, the personal side of bringing people on and training them and trying to show a little bit to everyone on the way: they’ve got a little bit of me or my knowledge and then being able for me to see them do it on their own within the company to go forward.”
That culture shift towards greater accountability perhaps was best on display at the 2024 Sandown 500, where Faux openly lamented a “diabolical” display before lauding a major improvement at the subsequent Bathurst event.
As for his next chapter, Faux couldn’t help but quip: “I’m thinking about going for a caravan trip around the country.”
“I’ve got nothing in the pipeline,” he then reiterated in all seriousness.
“For me, doing something else, whatever that might be… I’m not shy of a challenge, so we’ll see.”
Chaz Mostert chats with Carl Faux after scoring a podium at the 2024 Bathurst 500. Pic: Walkinshaw TWG Racing
Walkinshaw TWG confirmed Faux’s impending departure in a statement provided to V8 Sleuth.
“Walkinshaw TWG Racing can confirm Team Principal, Carl Faux, will finish with the team towards the end of the 2026 season, as he looks for his next challenge and role outside of the sport,” it read.
“Since joining in 2017, Carl has played an instrumental part in the re-shaping and success of the team, culminating in a Bathurst 1000 win, a Championship win, and the homologation and implementation of the Toyota GR Supra to the Supercars Championship.
“We will definitely miss Carl and wish him nothing but the best in his next challenge, whatever it may be, but have plenty of goals to achieve and moments left to share together before then.
“The Team will announce its on-going structure in due course, but in the meantime, is completely focussed on the NTI Townsville 500 this weekend.”
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