{"id":178740,"date":"2025-12-11T09:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T09:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/178740\/"},"modified":"2025-12-11T09:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T09:25:13","slug":"supercars-news-bathurst-1000-winner-matt-payne-under-contract-cloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/178740\/","title":{"rendered":"Supercars news: Bathurst 1000 winner Matt Payne under contract cloud"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Grove
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMatt Payne. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n

The 2025 Bathurst 1000, Adelaide Grand Final and Jason Richards Trophy winner is understood to be the latest target of General Motors and its homologation squad Team 18.<\/p>\n

GM has made no secret of its need to recruit star talent<\/a> following news back in January that Triple Eight will defect to Ford next season.<\/a><\/p>\n

Payne, who is managed by ex-Supercars driver Michael Patrizi, signed an extension with Groves towards the end of his rookie 2023 season that was announced as a \u201clong-term\u201d partnership.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old\u2019s stocks have risen sharply since and there\u2019s speculation Payne has a deal on the table that would see him join Team 18 in place of veteran David Reynolds in 2027.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Payne beat former teammate Reynolds to victory in the 2025 Bathurst 1000. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n

Patrizi makes no secret that he is exploring options for the talented Kiwi, who could become the category\u2019s latest million-dollar driver amid the rising value of stars in the Gen3 era.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt\u2019s contracted to Groves in 2026 and as his manager it\u2019s my job to explore every opportunity that there is for athlete career progression,\u201d Patrizi told Speedcafe.<\/p>\n


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\u201cAs a driver of Matt\u2019s calibre, it would be naive to think there wouldn\u2019t be plenty of people interested in his services: teams, manufacturers, championships.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Patrizi added that \u201cwe do have an opportunity that we are pursuing for 2028 onwards\u201d.<\/p>\n

There appears disagreement over whether Payne is a free agent for 2027, with Grove adamant his team has him locked down and that no request for a release has been made.<\/p>\n

Grove Racing signed a then 18-year-old Payne to its junior program in 2021 and funded 18 months of Super2 racing before elevating the youngster into a full-time Supercars seat in 2023.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Matt Payne cut his first V8 laps with Grove back in 2021. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n

The team is clearly eager to reap the benefits of its investment in the driver, whose 2023 contract extension announcement came in the wake of a sensational Adelaide 500 victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got Matt contracted until the end of 2027 and we expect he\u2019ll meet his obligations,\u201d Grove told Speedcafe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have no reason to expect he won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

While firm on Payne\u2019s position, a frustrated Grove is understood to have raised the topic of contract enforcement in a Supercars Commission meeting this week.<\/p>\n

Citing various contractual sagas in recent seasons, Grove believes the category must provide some oversight in the handling and enforcement of contracts.<\/p>\n

Formula 1 utilises a Contract Recognition Board set up by the FIA as an independent body through which parties lodge contracts and can settle disputes without a costly court process.<\/p>\n

The CRB has only been used four times since its establishment in 1991, with its most recent case being the 2022 dispute over Oscar Piastri involving Alpine and McLaren.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Matt Payne in action at the Adelaide Grand Final. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n

Back in Supercars, GM\u2019s involvement in the driver market as it looks to fight back from the blow of losing Triple Eight has already created major waves.<\/p>\n

Tickford Racing\u2019s Cam Waters, Triple Eight duo Broc Feeney and Will Brown, and Dick Johnson Racing\u2019s Brodie Kostecki have all been locked into new multi-year contracts amid GM interest.<\/p>\n

GM Australia & New Zealand MD Jess Bala confirmed to Speedcafe that drivers are \u201cdefinitely a focus for us\u201d but would not be drawn on specifics.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t share what we\u2019re doing and who we\u2019re talking to,\u201d Bala said when asked of interest in Payne as part of an interview for the upcoming Summer Grill series.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously there are discussions happening everywhere right now and not with just us, we know it\u2019s happening with other teams and other manufacturers as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we will continue to work to find the right driver line-up for all of our teams and for the Chevy teams moving forward across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n

GM\u2019s 2026 driver line-up consists of Reynolds, Anton De Pasquale, Cooper Murray, Jobe Stewart, Jack Le Brocq, Zach Bates, Jayden Ojeda and Declan Fraser.<\/p>\n

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