Omari Gates
The Supercars Championship, also known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand. The championship has been historically known as V8 Supercars, and the category of cars adopted this name in 1996. The cars that run in the Supercars Championship are Supercars, which are Australia's premier touring car category. The championship consists of various race formats, including sprint races, street races, and two-driver endurance races. The costs of competing in the championship are high, with teams reporting a 30% increase in building and running costs from Gen2 to Gen3 in 2023. Toyota will be joining the Australian Supercars Championship with their V8 Supra in 2026.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Supercars Championship |
| Other Names | Repco Supercars Championship, V8 Supercars, Australian Touring Car Championship |
| Location | Australia and New Zealand |
| Governing Body | Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) |
| Race Types | Sprint races, street races, two-driver endurance races |
| Race Distances | 100-200 km (sprint), 125-250 km (street), 500-1000 km (endurance) |
| Car Cost | Building cost: $250,000 (target cost), $450,000 (Gen2), $585,000 (Gen3) |
| Season Cost | $1.2 to $3 million (Australian dollars) per car |
| Participating Manufacturers | Chevrolet, Toyota |
| Notable Races | Bathurst 1000, Melbourne SuperSprint, Sandown 500 |
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What You'll Learn
Toyota joins the Australian Supercars Championship with V8 Supra
Toyota is set to join the Supercars Championship in 2026 with its GR Supra, marking the first time since 2019 that three different manufacturers will be represented in the Australian racing series. This move underscores Toyota's commitment to supporting Australian motorsport and providing a pathway for aspiring young drivers to reach the highest levels of the sport.
The GR Supra will be powered by Toyota's 2UR-GSE all-aluminium, quad-cam V8 engine, which has previously been featured in a range of performance production cars, including the Lexus IS F, RC F, GS F, and LC500 coupe. This engine also powered the 2019 Dakar-winning HiLux, showcasing its capability and performance. Toyota plans to field a minimum of four GR Supras, with two cars run by their homologation team partner Walkinshaw Andretti United, driven by Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood.
The entry of Toyota into the Supercars Championship holds significant importance for the brand and the sport itself. Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, expressed his enthusiasm, stating that their participation in Supercars will provide a showcase for their GR performance cars and an extended career opportunity for talented drivers, designers, and engineers. This move aligns with Toyota's philosophy of utilising motorsports as a platform to enhance and develop their GR performance car range, including the GR86, GR Yaris, GR Corolla, and GR Supra.
The addition of Toyota to the Supercars Championship has been met with excitement by the series organisers. Supercars CEO Shane Howard highlighted the honour and prestige of welcoming a powerhouse like Toyota to the grid, recognising the immense popularity and international appeal of the championship. The five-year commitment by Toyota demonstrates its dedication to the sport and contributes to the series' prestige and competitiveness.
The introduction of the GR Supra into the Supercars Championship expands the diversity of manufacturers and vehicles competing in the series. With Toyota's rich motorsport history and global presence, the inclusion of the GR Supra is expected to elevate the profile and excitement of the Australian Supercars Championship, attracting a wider audience of passionate fans and enthusiasts.
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The 2025 Supercars Championship
The first eight events of the championship will contest the "Sprint Cup". This includes two events in Sydney and Townsville, featuring a 100 km sprint race and two 200 km feature races. The Australian Grand Prix support at Albert Park will have four races of roughly 100 km, while the remaining five events will have two 120 km sprint races and a 200 km feature race.
The "Enduro Cup" will include The Bend 500 and the Bathurst 1000, a format that returns for the first time since 2019. The final three events will contest the "Finals" series, similar to the NASCAR playoffs and Turismo Carretera Gold Cup. The "Sprint Cup" and "Enduro Cup" will use a traditional first-past-the-post championship system, while the "Finals" will combine first-past-the-post and knockout elimination formats.
The championship has seen increased building and running costs, with teams reporting a 30% increase from Gen2 to Gen3 as of 2023, partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The costs of competing are significantly higher than the car's purchase price, with estimates of "1.2 to 3 million Australian dollars per car" per season. Drivers are required to hold a Motorsport Australia Superlicence, earned through success in other high-level Australian circuit racing series.
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Supercars Championship categories: Super2 Series, Formula 5000, SuperUtes Series
The Supercars Championship, historically known as V8 Supercars, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand. It has several categories, including the Super2 Series, Formula 5000, and SuperUtes Series.
The Super2 Series is the second-tier series for Supercars competitors. The competing vehicles are older than those in the Supercars Championship and are usually run by smaller teams with lower budgets. Examples of cars used in this series include the Holden Commodore VF, Ford Falcon FG-X, and Nissan Altima.
Formula 5000 (or F5000) was an open-wheel, single-seater auto-racing formula that ran globally from 1968 to 1982. The '5000' refers to the maximum 5.0-litre engine capacity allowed, although smaller engines were also used. Manufacturers included McLaren, Eagle, March, Lola, Lotus, Elfin, Matich, and Chevron.
The SuperUtes Series is an Australian pickup truck racing competition launched in 2018 as the successor to the V8 Ute Racing Series. The series features utility vehicles based on the Ford Falcon Ute and Holden Ute models. Ryal Harris won the 2021 SuperUtes Series in a Mazda BT-50, while Aaron Borg won the 2022 series with Sieders Racing Team.
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Gen 3 Supercar regulations and costs
The Gen 3 Supercar regulations were introduced for the 2023 Supercars Championship, marking one of the largest changes in the series' history. The main aims of the new regulations were to create closer racing, reduce costs, and increase road relevance for manufacturers.
To achieve these goals, several changes were made. Firstly, aerodynamic adjustments were implemented to reduce downforce by more than 65%, making the cars more challenging to drive and increasing overtaking opportunities. This also shifted the focus to the driver's skill. Additionally, the minimum weight of each car, including the driver and excluding fuel, was set at 1,335 kilograms, with a minimum load of 725 kg over the front axle. All cars are required to be front-engine, rear-wheel drive, and powered by a V8 engine designated by Supercars for the respective model. The engines were also modified to increase longevity and decrease the cost of rebuilds, with the days of 5.0-litre V8 engines coming to an end.
In terms of costs, the Gen 3 regulations intended to reduce the cost of building a car (without an engine) from around $450,000 to $250,000. However, in practice, teams reported a 30% increase in building and running costs from Gen 2 to Gen 3. This increase was attributed to time pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic and the broader impact on material costs.
The Gen 3 ruleset also introduced changes to the suspension systems, brakes, wheels, and tyres. Both the front and rear suspension systems now feature adjustable shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar that cannot be adjusted from inside the car. The cars use disc brakes supplied by AP Racing or Alcon, with specific diameter and caliper requirements for the front and rear discs. The cars ride on 18-inch control wheels from Rimstock and supplied by Racer Industries, and they are equipped with control tyres from Dunlop in various compounds, including soft, supersoft, hard slick, and grooved wet tyres.
As the Gen 3 regulations continue to evolve, there have been discussions about the direction of Supercars, with some suggesting the adoption of GT3 regulations or a format similar to Japan's Super GT series. However, supporters of the Gen 3 ruleset argue that it looks and sounds great, and with further refinement, the formula will succeed.
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Supercars Championship race formats
The Supercars Championship, also known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand. The race formats vary between each event and include sprint races, street races, and two-driver endurance races.
Sprint races are typically between 100 and 200 kilometres in length, while street races are between 125 and 250 kilometres long. The Melbourne SuperSprint championship event, for example, features four races of approximately 100 km each. The Sydney SuperNight, on the other hand, features a 100 km sprint race on Friday and two 200 km feature races with refuelling on Saturday and Sunday.
Endurance races, such as the Bathurst 1000, are held at Sandown and Bathurst and are longer events that require refuelling. The Bend 500 is another endurance race that is part of the Enduro Cup format.
The 2025 Supercars Championship will introduce a new format with three distinct parts: the Sprint Cup, the Enduro Cup, and the Finals Series. The first eight events will contest the Sprint Cup, followed by the Enduro Cup, and then the top 10 drivers will compete in the Finals Series. This new format will feature more racing kilometres, more race starts, and new-look race weekend formats.
The Supercars Championship has also expanded internationally, with events previously held in China, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The series was granted international status by the FIA in 2011, allowing it to race at up to six international venues each year.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian Supercars Championship, also known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand. It is governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations. The championship consists of various race formats, including sprint races, street races, and two-driver endurance races.
Various cars are used in the Australian Supercars Championship, including V8 Supercars, Chevrolet, and the Toyota V8 Supra. The Gen 3 Supercar regulations were introduced to reduce the cost of building a car, but teams have reported increased building and running costs.
The costs of competing in the Australian Supercars Championship are high, with estimates ranging from 1.2 to 3 million Australian dollars per car per season. There is currently no budget cap, although caps have been proposed. In addition to the cost of the car, teams must also consider the cost of competing in the championship, which includes the price of fuel, tyres, and other expenses.
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