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Ahead of what was expected to be his penultimate race – this weekend’s Sandown 500 in Melbourne – news.com.au can reveal Courtney has signed a deal with Charlie Schwerkolt and Adrian Burgess at Team 18 to continue his career as an endurance driver. Kayo Sports is the home of Supercars | Watch every race of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship LIVE & ad-break free during racing. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. In an exclusive interview, the 45-year-old veteran joked that he was making a comeback just weeks after announcing his retirement because “Going cold turkey would have led to my second divorce.” Courtney’s new deal will see his storeyed career continue and give him at least one more shot at winning the only jewel missing from his crown – a Bathurst 1000 title. “I was going to walk away from driving,” Courtney told news.com.au. “I thought after 20 solid years in this sport that I was content to retire. I was going to walk away and not drive at all. I am 45 now, and I started in motorsport when I was eight, so I have been racing for 38 years. I thought that was enough. “But I couldn’t go cold Turkey. I would’ve ended up in another divorce. I can’t afford another one. I could barely afford the first one. “Going cold turkey would have led to my second divorce.” Courtney’s first marriage to his wife, Carys, ended in 2017. The former Formula One test driver remarried in 2022 and has since had two children – Kobe and Opal – with his new wife, Teagan Woodford. Courtney revealed that a 20-year plan, which included a stint on Dancing with the Stars and a part-time career as a celebrity real estate agent that netted him a record $22 million sale, had put him in a position to retire as soon as his full-time career came to an end. “I have been planning for my post-driving career ever since I returned to Australia,” Courtney said. “Throughout my career, I have always made decisions based on the big picture and the long-term plan. I did things like Dancing With the Stars to raise my profile. And I was lucky enough to have made enough good choices to be in the position that I didn’t need to continue as an endurance driver after my full-time career was done.” But ultimately, the lure of winning the Bathurst 1000 and the chance to reunite with former Dick Johnson Racing co-owner Schwerkolt and Team Manager Adrian Burgess tempted him to change his mind. He will also be reunited with his championship-winning race number should he be paired with Dave Reynolds in the Dewalt No. 18 Chevrolet Camaro Supercar. “I have won the championship but I have not won Bathurst,” Courtney said. “It is the box that remains unticked. It is the holy grail of our sport and at the end of the day there was no way I could turn down an opportunity to continue in that ultimate quest.” Burgess and Schwerkolt were part of the DJR team that delivered him his one and only championship back in 2010. “I have been close to Charlie since DJR but my relationship with Adrian goes all the way back to 2002 when we first worked together in Europe,’ Courtney said. Team 18 owner Schwerkolt pulled off a coup by bringing Courtney into the all-star stable, which also includes Anton De Pasquale and Enduro ace Lee Holdsworth. “When James announced his retirement from full-time racing, it was honestly a no-brainer for us,” Schwerkolt said. He’s not just a champion driver, he’s a great bloke and a fantastic team player who brings a wealth of experience, skill and passion. “James has been one of the most respected names in pit lane for nearly two decades, and his knowledge will be a massive asset to both Anton, Dave and the team heading into our 2026 endurance campaign.”
