Next year’s Repco Supercars Championship calendar has been revealed featuring 12 rounds across Australian and New Zealand, with alterations to the race formats.
Shell V-Power Motorsport Park is the circuit missing from the schedule next year replaced by Supercars’ return to New Zealand at Taupo, but will re-join the calendar for 2025 as an endurance event.
The new Bathurst SuperFest will open the season combining the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance event and the opening round of the Repco Supercars Championship on February 16-25 (Supercars 23-25).
Supercars’ traditional support role at the Rolex Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on March 21-24 before heading to New Zealand’s Taupo circuit on April 19-21.
The annual trip to Perth occurs on May 17-19 before heading to Darwin on June 14-16 and Townsville on July 5-7 ensure all the long-trek rounds are grouped together.
Night racing is back on the agenda at Sydney Motorsport Park on July 19-21 and Tasmania’s round at Symmons Plains moves to August 16-18 as the last sprint round prior to the endurance races.
Sandown celebrates the 60th anniversary of its endurance event on September 20-22 ahead of the year’s biggest race, the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 10-13.
Finishing off the season is the Gold Coast on 25-27 and Adelaide on November 14-17.
Key format changes include new time allotted SuperSprint races at Perth, Darwin and Tasmania, with twin-60 minute races.
The new Super400 format will be utilised at Taupo and Sydney as the championship will contest 200km races on each day featuring mandatory refuelling.
All other formats including 500km events at the Bathurst SuperFest, Townsville, Gold Coast and Adelaide, in addition to the SuperSprint rounds at Perth and Symmons Plains carry across.
The Larry Perkins Trophy will continue to be awarded at the Australian Grand Prix support races.
Fox Sports and Kayo will continue to provide live, ad break free coverage, with the Seven Network will broadcast six marquee events to be confirmed in due course.
“2024 is already shaping up as one of the biggest in our sport’s history,” Supercars CEO Shane Howard explained.
“The celebrations at Sandown will be unique and pay homage to some of the greatest races ever seen in Australian motorsport.
“The Bathurst SuperFest will give fans close to two weeks to celebrate some of the best drivers in the world, taking on Mount Panorama. We thank the NSW Government and Bathurst Regional Council for supporting our vision to bring something new to fans.
“Following discussions with management at The Bend, both parties have agreed that the best outcome is to focus on 2025, where the South Australian venue will host an endurance event for the first time.
“The circuit has produced incredible moments on track since 2018 and is well-suited for Supercars endurance racing. We’re all excited to see what happens on track when endurance racing debuts at The Bend in 2025.
“Next year we will see a new crop of drivers taking to some of the toughest circuits to race on in the world, with all states and the Northern Territory once again represented on the calendar, maintaining our national footprint.
“We cannot wait to begin a new chapter of racing in New Zealand in April. Our debut at Taupō will be one of the highlights of the year and already teams are planning their own celebrations for our trip across the Tasman.”
Repco CEO Wayne Bryant is excited by the calendar as the company enters its fourth season as naming rights partner.
“The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship calendar is an absolute cracker,” Bryant said.
“Two big events at Mount Panorama is an absolute bonus. It’s the best racetrack that we have in this part of the world, so starting the championship there is huge, and of course, the Repco Bathurst 1000 in October is the race that every driver wants to win.
“Returning the championship to New Zealand is huge for the sport and for our Repco family and fans across the ditch. After a year off, our crew is excited to welcome the cars to Taupō.
“And of course, the championship visits all of our favourite races across every state of Australia. This is a truly Trans-Tasman title fight and one that we can’t wait to see unfold.”