BATHURST LIKELY TO END 2021 SEASON

The Supercars Championship calendar announced several weeks ago appears likely to change once more as the Bathurst 1000 is now likely to take place on the first weekend in December.

At the end of July, the 2021 edition of the ‘Great Race’ was pushed back to November, however after less than six weeks this looks set to change once more.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia will open up once 80% of the population taken on two COVID-19 vaccinations and now many states are racing to hit the mark.

New South Wales is one of these states, and as a result if Supercars push the event back to December it is expected that a large crowd will be able to attend the venue.

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer admitted that the 1000 may move back to allow for a larger crowd.

“What we’ve always said is that Bathurst is the one non-negotiable and will ensure that everything gets given the right window to provide maximum attendance and exposure, particularly for our fans,” Seamer outlined in a media call that included Auto Action.

“We all went through a luted Bathurst 1000 experience last year, and nobody wants to be in that position again.

“We’ll get the 1000 done at Bathurst. What we need to do is get as many of our fans there as possible.

“The latest it could go to right now in talking to Channel 7 is the first or second weekend in December. Because otherwise we’re going to start clashing with the ashes.

“So right now, the latest it can run is early December.

“It’s certainly something that we’re looking at, the exact date is TBC. But we are certainly considering a schedule of the 1000 to make sure that it’s as late as possible, that gets maximum attendance and exposure.”

Some AA sources have heard about the possibility of the Australian Racing Group Bathurst International and Bathurst 1000 combining for a weeklong mega motorsport at the Mount Panorama Circuit.

If the 1000 is on the first weekend of December, it would replace the Gold Coast 500 as the season finale.

However due to the push for the 80% vaccine rate in both Victoria and New South Wales it seems likely that the season will visit any other states anyway.

The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia would seem like a good alternative option with multiple track layouts, however the track owner and founder Sam Shahin admitted that he had not been in touch with Supercars.

“We are willing and able to participate when the need arises,” Shahin told AA. “I understand the various contractual commitments that Supercars has with the eastern state governments, and we all have to respect contractual arrangements.

“But should that not be a viable nor possible later this year and despite a fairly full calendar for The Bend, I’m always happy to consider being of assistance if that assistance is required. But so far, we have not been asked.”

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak at Shepparton it appears unlikely that the scheduled round at Winton next month will not go ahead at all.

“That date for Winton is challenged,” Seamer admitted. “But we’re committed to getting there and we’re working on protocols to make that happen, those are part of the discussions that are in process right now.”

Instead AA has heard that a doubleheader is likely to be run at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, two rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park (once 80% of people have been double vaccinated), before the season concludes at Bathurst.

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