Supercars legend Craig Lowndes has officially departed with his iconic No.888, ending a 20-year association that spanned three brands and six Bathurst 1000 victories.
Lowndes left Triple Eight Race Engineering at the end of last season after the team switched from General Motors to Ford for 2026. Lowndes is a global GM ambassador.
Having been used only for Lowndes' co-drive and wildcard entries since he retired from full-time driving at the end of 2018, the three-time champion has now handed the number to current Triple Eight driver Will Brown.
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"This number is iconic to the team," Lowndes said in a statement.
"In motor racing and in sports, sponsors come and go, liveries change, kits change.
"But this is Triple Eight Race Engineering, that's the number and it's iconic with the success that comes out of this workshop."
Lowndes first ran the number when he joined the then Ford squad for the 2005 season. He won 58 races, including six of Lowndes' seven Bathurst crowns, 130 podiums and 29 pole positions.
He carried it with him as the team moved to Holden for 2010, and then again to Chevrolet for 2023.
Lowndes has signed with Team 18, who have taken over from Triple Eight as the General Motors homologation team, for the 2026 endurance season at The Bend and Bathurst.
He will continue to run as the senior driver in the Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard entry, paired with a young driver.
"When I first arrived I was lucky enough to carry the number and to see the legacy of the number continue on, it's an iconic number for the sport, and it's an iconic number for the team, so it's going to be really great to see the car running around with that number on the side.
"I know Will pretty well, to have him carry on that legacy I think that he'll do it proud.
"He's obviously a great young talent which does sound strange already being a Supercars champion, he's a proven young talent.
"I think the new change of manufacturer, the new change of car, the new change of number, it's all a good fit and I think at the start of the season he'll come out punching."
Brown ran with No.87 in his maiden season with Triple Eight in 2024, and then No.1 last year as reigning champion.
He said asking Lowndes to switch to 888 was an easy conversation.
"Obviously there's a lot of history there, I've watched the No.888 race around for years now ever since I started watching the sport," he said.
"For me there wasn't a question mark, I've had two great years already with the team – one awesome year with the championship win and one great year last year fighting all the way to Adelaide, so it meant a lot to me to start the conversation about 2026 and my race number.
"With Craig leaving the team he thought it best that the No.888 number stay with Triple Eight, he was really keen for it to stay here.
"That was a really easy conversation to have knowing how much it meant to him. I'm really excited to go racing with that number."
The Supercars season begins under lights in Sydney on February 20.
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