THE Supercars paddock has been rocked by a bombshell move with General Motors poaching Grant McPherson to bolster the manufacturer’s resurgence.
V8 Sleuth uncovered that McPherson has resigned as technical director of Bathurst 1000-winning team Grove Racing.
That has occurred in order to clear his path to a major position at GM.
Jeromy Moore had initially slotted in as the Supercars-focused technical whiz at GM last July before accepting an American-based role as Cadillac Racing’s LMDh chief engineer mere months later.
Moore had continued keeping an eye on the Camaro Supercar program in the interim, including being on the ground at this month’s Melbourne SuperSprint.
GM has invested heavily in response to losing Triple Eight to Ford for 2026. It also brought Simon McNamara onboard as its Supercars Racing Program Manager and has made regular overtures in the driver market, most recently aimed at Matt Payne.
Simon McNamara. Pic: Mark Walker
Upon being contacted about the revelation, Grove Racing owner Stephen Grove did not hold back.
“We wish Grant well in his move to General Motors,” he told V8 Sleuth.
“It’s no surprise our people are in demand as we’ve built one of the strongest technical teams in Supercars, and that strength comes from depth of talent.
“This is the second time General Motors have targeted our organisation, and in both instances, it has involved significant above-market offers. That speaks to the premium they are willing to pay as they work to improve their current results deficit in the post-Triple Eight era.
“Grant will remain with the business for the next five-and-a-half months, during which time his operational involvement will be progressively removed to ensure full protection of our intellectual property and a seamless transition of responsibilities.
“By the time he commences with General Motors, any information he holds will be well out of cycle within our performance system.
“This transition has allowed us to elevate talent from within, with five internal promotions reinforcing the depth and capability of our engineering group.
“Our direction is clear, and we expect our performance to strengthen from here.”
A budding powerhouse, the Penrite-backed squad only bid farewell to team principal David Cauchi at the end of last season as he pursued a work/life balance adjustment.
Grove Racing holds second in the teams’ championship, while Payne and Kai Allen are fourth and eighth respectively in the drivers’ standings.
Having won the two biggest prizes last season, Ford has made a dominant start to the 2026 Supercars Championship, winning six of the seven races to date and accounting for 19 of a possible 21 podium placings.
Prior to joining the Groves, McPherson – fondly known as ‘Shippy’ – spent stints at Ford Performance Racing (2007-14), Triple Eight (2015-20) and Walkinshaw Andretti United (2021-22).
David Cauchi and Grant McPherson at the 2025 Melbourne SuperSprint. Pic: Mark Walker