David Cauchi admits he couldn't say no to a return to Triple Eight as Will Brown's race engineer. For him, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arriving at the most crucial point of the season.
The surprise news was announced by Triple Eight during the Queensland Raceway weekend. Cauchi will take over engineering duties on Will Brown's Mustang from the post-event test, as Andrew Edwards moves into an overarching head of performance role.
The return ends Cauchi's eight-month hiatus from Supercars, having left his post as team principal at Grove Racing at the end of 2025. At the time, Cauchi cited burnout and a desire to relocate to Brisbane after more than 20 years in the Supercars pitlane.
Just weeks ago, Cauchi started a new role as chief operating officer for DMH Group, which owns 11 Bridgestone stores across Queensland. Now, he'll balance both jobs, having committed to Triple Eight on a part-time basis.
“I'd only just started my new job at DMH Group and I've been really enjoying that,” Cauchi told Speedcafe. “Jamie called me and, to be honest, I wouldn't have done it for anyone else. It all came about really quickly the week before [Ipswich]. They had a bit going on post Perth with the restrictor [discovery] and that sort of stuff. He asked me if I could do it. I said to him, 'Are you sure this is the right thing?' And he said, 'yeah, I'd really like you to do it'.”
An Opportunity Not to Be Missed
Despite the unplanned return, Cauchi admits the move scratches an itch. “Of course I've missed racing. I've missed the competition,” he added. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step in and engineer a champion driver at the business end of the season in one of the best teams in pitlane. How could I say no?”
Cauchi is no stranger to Triple Eight. Before moving to Grove five years ago, he spent 14 years with the team, including engineering Jamie Whincup to two championship titles. His departure back then sparked legal action, with Triple Eight alleging a breach of contract over gardening leave.
However, Cauchi insists the past is behind them. “That's water under the bridge,” he said of the saga. “It got patched up a long time ago. It's a small world and things move on.” He also revealed that Stephen Grove was “super supportive” of his return. “Steve and Brenton [Grove] are the ultimate competitors. They truly understand the sport and that people come and go. Steve said he was happy for meg but that he hopes I get used to staying in garage number two!”
With his part-time deal, Cauchi will lean heavily on data and remote communication, but he's ready to give his best to help Brown fight at the sharp end. His return is a valuable injection of experience for Triple Eight for the rest of the season.
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