V8 Supercars has released its 2013 Championship calendar ahead of the new era under ‘Car of the Future’ regulations.
The calendar was unveiled in New Zealand today to coincide with the unveiling of plans for a $6.6 million upgrade to Pukekohe Park Raceway, which will return to the schedule for the first time since 2007.
An official pre-season test day will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park, although the circuit has missed out on a championship event, with the Clipsal 500 Adelaide again set to open the season at the end of February.
There will be three international events with the return of Pukekohe in April, the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas in May, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix event in November.
The Phillip Island event moves from May to November, with Winton moving to late August and after being the ‘Phillip Island 300’ this season, it will become the ‘Phillip Island 400’ in 2013. The Phillip Island and Queensland Raceway (July) events will also be two-day race meetings.
A four-week gap between Sandown and Bathurst as opposed to the gap of three in 2012 means the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will be now be held in mid-October, with the Gold Coast 600 pushed back to prevent clashes with a range of series such as IndyCars and the FIA World Endurance Championship. This opens up the possibility of drivers in those classes to compete in the international guest race, but leaves just one week between the Gold Coast and Abu Dhabi events.
“It’s a very exciting calendar with a fantastic two month climax to the season,” says V8 Supercars CEO David Malone.
“As a sport we are ultimately aiming for consistency of events year on year and largely we have achieved this in what is a very complex process.
“We are very happy with the way 2013 shapes up for the fans, the teams, sponsors, Government partners, our broadcast partners and the sport.”
V8 Supercars will announce the race formats and distances for next season at a later date.
The 2013 V8 Supercars Calendar
Feb 16 – Official V8 Supercar Test – Sydney Motorsport Park
Feb 28-Mar 3 – Clipsal 500 Adelaide – Adelaide Parklands
Mar 14-17 – Australian Grand Prix – Albert Park, Melbourne (non-championship)
April 5-7 – Tasmania Challenge – Symmons Plains, Tasmania
April 12-14 – Auckland 400 – Pukekohe, New Zealand
May 3-5 – Perth – Barbagallo Raceway, Western Australia
May 17-19 – Texas 400 – Austin, Texas
June 14-16 – SKYCITY Triple Crown – Hidden Valley, Darwin
July 5-7 – Sucrogen Townsville 400 – Reid Park, Townsville
July 27-28 – Coates Hire Ipswich – Queensland Raceway, Ipswich
August 23-25 – Winton – Winton Motor Raceway, Victoria
September 13-15 – Sandown 500 – Sandown, Melbourne
October 10-13 – Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 – Mount Panorama, Bathurst
October 25-27 – ARMOR ALL Gold Coast 600 – Surfers Paradise, Queensland
November 1-3 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
November 23-24 – Phillip Island 400 – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
November 29-December 1 – Sydney 500 – Sydney Olympic Park