SUPERCARS SIMULCASTS START AT DARWIN

Live TV coverage of this weekend’s Darwin Triple Crown will be simulcast on Seven and Fox Sports.

Seven’s second live free-to-air broadcast of the season will be shared with the pay service, available to Foxtel subscribers.

Seven Sports presenter Mark Beretta will co-host the telecast from Hidden Valley across June 19-20 with Fox Sports’ Supercars anchor Jessica Yates and expert analyst Mark Skaife.

Jack Perkins was also due to be part of the combined coverage, but Melbourne’s latest lockdown ruled him out.

As forecast by AUTO ACTION at the start of the year, the simulcasts are a cost-cutting measure that will continue at the remainder of Seven’s six live events except the Bathurst 1000.

Next month’s Townsville 500, August’s Sydney SuperNight and the season-ending Gold Coast 500 will also be shown live on Seven’s FTA and streaming channels.

In addition to shared race commentary, Seven’s Darwin coverage will mirror Fox Sports’ Supercars-produced telecast throughout.

Seven distinguished its return to Supercars at the season-opening Mount Panorama 500 in late February with its own hosting and segments around the common race call.

The network is planning to similarly tailor its free live telecasts of the Bathurst 1000 over October 8-10.

The Darwin Triple Crown will be shown on ‘Big Seven’ – 7 and 70 HD – and streamed on 7plus from noon to 5 pm AEST on Saturday, June 19 and Sunday June 20.

Fox Sports and its streaming service Kayo Sports will broadcast live from Hidden Valley from 9.30 am AEST on both days, as well as practice coverage on Friday, June 18.

The coverage may also be available free on Kayo to counter the 7plus offering.

The commentary line-up at Darwin will change, with Neil Crompton absent as he recovers from prostate cancer surgery.

Crompton’s place in the race commentary booth alongside Skaife, who will be elevated to chief caller, will be shared between Garth Tander and Chad Neylon.
The ‘Voice Of V8s’ is due back at Townsville

Marcos Ambrose is also returning as a panellist and reporter, joining regular pit lane pundit Mark Larkham.

Seven’s live broadcasts of Darwin and Townsville will be in stark contrast to the network’s late-night highlights of the Sandown, Symmons Plains and Tailem Bend rounds.

Meanwhile, Seven is still pressing ahead with its ‘7th Gear’ motorsport feature show.

First revealed by AA, the program is now on hold until after the Tokyo Olympic Games, which the network will feature from July 23-August 8.

The delay of 7th Gear’s debut until after the Olympics is to give the new show an uninterrupted run once it starts.

To be presented by 7 News sports reporter Chris Stubbs and Supercars co-driver Jack Perkins, it will be a weekly one-hour look at local and international racing.

Seven Sport looking to leverage its renewed status as the free TV ‘Home Of Motor Sport’.

Seven is Supercars’ free-to-air TV partner and the main broadcaster of ARG’s TCR and S5000 events. Channel 7 is also covering the Australian Rally Championship.

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