MIGHT Sunday’s Repco Bathurst 1000 have been the last time fans see two absolute champions race in Supercars?

There have been lingering question marks about the co-driving futures of Jamie Whincup and Garth Tander – and not because their time is up as far as being good enough.

There is no doubt the value Whincup and Tander still bring, both in terms of star power to the on-track spectacle, and speed/prowess to their respective teams and primary drivers.

After all, Tander just sealed his sixth Bathurst 1000 victory, achieved alongside Matt Payne for Grove Racing.

Tander responded to his own criticism of his Lap 1 efforts at The Bend by coming out swinging at Mount Panorama, dialling up the aggression to the max – so much so that he admitted to owing Craig Lowndes an apology.

‘GT’ inked a new multi-year, multi-faceted deal with the Groves less than 12 months ago, but there has been speculation he could hang up the helmet pending where he fits into an anticipated Supercars TV shake-up for 2026.

The 48-year-old didn’t necessarily deny the 2025 Great Race could have been his last when asked by V8 Sleuth on Sunday night.

“What are you trying to say? Are you retiring me off?” he jibed, before continuing with a smile: “I’m just enjoying today.”

Garth Tander (right) shares a laugh with Mark Winterbottom. Pic: Mark Walker

As for Whincup, it was an at-times error-prone 2025 Enduro Cup campaign but one where he continued to show dazzling speed.

Whincup blotted his copybook at The Bend by crashing into teammate Scott Pye during a slow zone trial, and found himself beached in the Hell Corner gravel trap during Saturday practice at Bathurst, but was rapid in race conditions at the Mountain.

The seven-time Supercars champion has repeatedly said he’ll step away the day he finds someone better for the #88 co-drive – no small feat given the seven-time Supercars champion’s innate ability.

Nevertheless, it would surprise few if he were to retire – partly because it’s on-brand for him to call it a day too soon, and mainly because of the enormity of his job running Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Although unable to snap his 13-year Peter Brock Trophy drought, if that was Whincup’s last Bathurst 1000, he can undoubtedly hold his head high.

Pic: Supplied/Mark Horsburgh

“Personally, I’m pretty tired; tired and sore at the moment,” he said post-race.

“I didn’t leave anything on the table. I just threw it all out there, scared myself half a dozen times, but loved it, loved every minute of it. I don’t think I could have done much more.

“Those early laps I was just pushing silly, silly hard, probably too hard for a co-driver. I was driving like I was a main driver, but then the rain came and it all gets a little bit more complicated, doesn’t it?

“Probably got a little bit too hard but got away with it today, but it’s all about exposing yourself and having a crack.

“That’s what I tell the young kids, that’s what I’ll be telling the daughter, just have a go, don’t worry about what might not happen.”

Between them, Tander and Whincup have 10 separate Bathurst 1000 wins and no less than 1209 Supercars Championship race starts (for a return of 183 wins).

Both Tander and Whincup’s first Bathurst 1000s came for Garry Rogers Motorsport; the former with Cameron McLean in 1998 and the latter with Mark Noske in 2002. Tander and Whincup paired up for GRM in ’03.

Pic: an1images.com / Graeme Neander

The other name to keep in mind among all this is James Courtney.

The 45-year-old has kept his cards close to his chest regarding his driving future, besides confirming he’ll stop as a full-timer at season’s end.

Courtney has toyed with the idea of going ‘cold turkey’, but the rumour mill would point to him being a little more likely than not to co-drive somewhere in 2026, despite his ongoing non-committal approach.

A stack of quality is about to be injected into the Supercars co-driver market, including Nick Percat as a definite and Richie Stanaway, Bryce Fullwood and Jaxon Evans as probables.