Nissan Australia has announced today that it will exit Supercars at the end of this season, five years after it first entered the series with Kelly Racing in 2013.

NISSAN AUSTRALIA has confirmed the 2018 Supercars Championship will be its last, meaning Supercars will return to a Ford Vs Holden battle for 2019.

Nissan joined Supercars in 2013 with Kelly Racing and said the carmaker’s decision to exit Supercars had been a consultative one with the Kelly brothers. Despite being the first ‘new’ carmaker to commit to the Supercars Car of the Year platform in 2012, and the subsequent investment, Nissan hasn’t enjoyed huge success in Supercars with just two victories, 11 podiums and none in 2017 and a best of ninth in the drivers’ championship across its five seasons.

As hinted at, when Nissan launched the refreshed Qashqai, Nissan boss, Stephen Lester said the business wants to focus on the interests of its current and future customers. And that could mean the business will look for a new sponsorship opportunity in an arena it deems more suitable to its SUV-only portfolio. Not to mention the fact the Altima hasn’t been available in Australia for more than a year.

“Nissan has decided to exit the Supercars Championship in order to concentrate on the interests and needs of our current and future customers,” said Stephen Lester, Nissan Australia’s managing director. 

“We have obviously been talking to the Kellys for some time and making the announcement now suits both parties.

“I’d like to thank Todd and Rick Kelly, Michael Caruso, Simona de Silvestro and everyone at Nissan Motorsport for all of their hard work in the time that Nissan Australia has been involved in Supercars.

“I’d also like to thank Nissan Motorsport fans, we truly appreciate your support and will continue to work hard to achieve the best possible results over the course of the season.”