It was rumoured and it was right - Mount Panorama will host the Bathurst 1000, but the 2021 Supercars series' season opener as well.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It will be the first time in 25 years that the iconic circuit hosts twin rounds of the series, but unlike its last occurrence, in 2021 both will be championships rounds.
The season opener - the Mount Panorama 500 - will take place from February 26-28, while the 161-lap epic which is the Great Race has retained its traditional date and is set to run from October 7-10.
Supercars is currently reviewing its general admission, grandstand and corporate ticketing options for the Mount Panorama 500 given the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. It will release further details in regards to this on December 10.
"We're thrilled that next year we can deliver two events at Mount Panorama, including the season opener in February," Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said.
"It is important to us to ensure the 2021 calendar features as much certainty for fans as we can provide given the current COVID-19 restrictions in each state and territory.
"We are still working with all government partners on fan limits for each event, but we are confident of strong crowd numbers across Australia and New Zealand, in line with the current loosening of COVID-19 restrictions."
It is believed that the format for the Mount Panorama 500, which replaces the Adelaide 500 as the season-opener, will feature a pair of 250 kilometre events.
Bathurst hosting a season-opener will almost certainly be a once-off with Newcastle's street circuit already confirmed as the venue for round one in 2022.
While this is designed to ease the financial burden on teams, Red Bull co-drivers Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander both admit they would like the chance to contest more than just one enduro.
The talented and experienced duo both answered 'Yes' when asked in a Supercars forum if just one co-driver round frustrated them.
But both men plan to continue their pursuit of more Bathurst 1000 glory, in 2021 and beyond.
"I always want more [wins], so I'd continue to do Bathurst as much as I can," Lowndes said.
"I'm excited about Gen3! For me being a Camaro owner, it's a great opportunity to race one. The cars look awesome, and I can't wait to see how they perform," Tander, who won this year's Bathurst 1000 alongside Shane van Gisbergen said.
Aside from twin rounds at what Supercars labels 'the spiritual home of Australian motor racing', the series returns to Perth, Tasmania, Victoria and New Zealand after COVID-19 restrictions forced changes to the 2020 calendar.
Both the Melbourne round at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and the Bathurst 1000 will be four-day events, there will be four which run over three days, while six events will use the three race/two-day SuperSprint format introduced in 2020.
"We think having three different event formats used in 2021 will build on what we've learned about our racing this year, so fans can look forward to thrilling weekends every time we race," Seamer said.
Supercars has planned a six-week break in its season, which runs from February and December, during the Tokyo Olympics. More details on event formats will be released over coming weeks.
The 2021 Supercars championship calendar:
- February 26-28: Mount Panorama 500, Bathurst, NSW
- March 18-21: Melbourne, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, VIC
- April 10-11: Tasmania SuperSprint, Symmons Plains, TAS
- May 8-9: OTR SuperSprint, Tailem Bend, SA
- May 29-30: Winton SuperSprint, Winton, VIC
- June 19-20: Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley, NT
- July 9-11: NTI Townsville, Reid Park, QLD
- August 20-22: Sydney SuperNight, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW
- September 11-12: Perth SuperNight, Wanneroo Raceway, WA
- October 7-10: Bathurst 1000, Mount Panorama, NSW
- November 6-7: Auckland SuperSprint, NZ
- December 3-5: Gold Coast Street Circuit, Surfers Paradise, QLD