WITH future Supercars calendars a hot topic right now, we’ve decided to get creative and map out just how the schedule might look in five years’ time.
As it stands, there’s uncertainty around Supercars’ future at Sandown, Albert Park and Newcastle, when and where a New Zealand return can be facilitated, and the possibility of joining the Formula 1 undercard at places like Singapore.
There’s also been talk of expanding the calendar, with the current 12 events not meeting many appetites (especially with circuits such as Queensland Raceway, Winton and Phillip Island waiting in the wings).
An early disclaimer: this exercise is not designed to please everyone, nor is it necessarily an absolutely rock-solid indication of what the 2028 schedule will actually look like.
Sometimes it’s just fun to brainstorm.
So, with no further ado, here’s how this writer has plotted the future calendar, broken down month by month, with a goal of making the championship truly national across Australia and New Zealand.
FEBRUARY 2028
Round 1: Canberra 500
A controversial one to start with.
The beachside Newcastle race continues to face plenty of opposition and is yet to actually be confirmed for next year, so we’ve gone the proactive route and found a new street circuit to open the season.
The ACT is the one state/territory missing from Supercars and there continues to be some efforts in the background to bring a race back to Canberra, in Exhibition Park as opposed to the Parliamentary Triangle.
Timing would be important here, getting the event out of winter, which was a major detractor when Canberra previously was on the calendar from 2000 to 2002, so late February seems like a logical time to launch the season in style.
MARCH 2028
Round 2: Symmons Plains
Another case of slotting a traditionally cold event in at as warm a time as possible.
Symmons Plains is a historic venue with plenty of character, including its unique Turn 4 hairpin, and is known for producing close racing.
Round 3: Albert Park
Although some argue that Supercars being a support category here is less than ideal, it really is the perfect way for the championship to show its face on the Formula 1 stage without needing to worry about travelling outside Australasia.
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Oh, and Albert Park has served up some pretty tasty racing the last couple of years.
It seems like Australia’s place on the front end of the F1 schedule is fairly secure for the foreseeable future, so we’ll pencil this in for late March.
APRIL 2028
Round 4: Phillip Island
A tough choice between Phillip Island and Winton here.
It’s hard to go past Phillip Island though; the dream would be to see Supercars return to one of Australia’s premier circuits, should the category and track management be able to finally reach an agreement.
If not, Winton is the perfect back-up, offering a real Supercars heartland feel.
MAY 2028
Round 5: Wanneroo Raceway
The trek across the Nullabor brings teams and drivers to the short but sharp northern Perth circuit filled with undulation.
Let’s call this the first night race of the season.
After this event can be a mini mid-season break of say three to four weeks.
MORE: New deal for Perth Supercars round
JUNE 2028
Round 6: Hidden Valley
The perfect winter event, Hidden Valley is a favourite on the calendar and provides an escape from the cold, especially for the southernmost teams.
That’s not to mention that the Darwin track frequently delivers action-packed racing.
Round 7: Townsville Street Circuit
The second stop on the Top End getaway, a week or two after Darwin.
Townsville is one of the better street circuits when it comes to overtaking and allows teams a refresher on refuelling procedures heading into endurance season.
And if anything was to put the street circuit in doubt, the region now has DriveIt NQ as a potential fallback option to keep Supercars coming to north Queensland.
JULY 2028
Round 8: Queensland Raceway
‘The Paperclip’ mightn’t be the world’s most exciting layout but it is a spectator-friendly venue with the whole track visible to spectators.
It’s also a far nicer location than when the championship last raced there, with new owner Tony Quinn implementing major upgrades.
Round 9: Sydney Motorsport Park
The second SuperNight of our season.
Teams, drivers and fans probably all suffered a bit of SMP fatigue during the COVID years, but it remains a top-quality circuit.
A second mini-break can follow.
AUGUST 2028
Round 10: Avalon 500
With Sandown seemingly on its last legs, Avalon is the great white hope to take over in Victoria.
Motorsport Australia has indicated it’s hoped to open in late 2026 or early 2027, all going to plan, so we’ll slot it straight in as the first leg of a revived Enduro Cup.
SEPTEMBER 2028
Round 11: Taupo Motorsport Park
We’ll put the Enduro Cup on pause to get stuck into a September doubleheader in New Zealand.
Taupo appears to have the inside line for now, so it’s getting our nod for the North Island element of the trip across the ditch.
Round 12: Highlands Motorsport Park
We know this is something the fans have been crying out for, and it’s something we’d love to see too.
The week after Taupo, we’ll forecast that the series heads to the South Island to give New Zealand some extra love.
And hey, maybe crews can have a quick stop in at Queenstown to chill out before a high-stakes end to the season.
OCTOBER 2028
Round 13: Bathurst 1000
The big one. Bathurst is a fixture for early October, which tends to work well both from a climate standpoint and just after both the AFL and NRL seasons wrap up.
Round 14: Gold Coast 600
Completing a three-round Enduro Cup, the Surfers Paradise concrete canyon is an ideal place to keep the championship contenders (and their co-drivers) on their toes.
Late October works a treat, so why change it?
NOVEMBER 2028
Round 15: Adelaide 500
Adelaide’s revival has come with the new status of being the spectacular championship decider.
A mid-November finale means there’s still time for a three-month off-season to follow, too.
The other candidates:
As disclosed, the above has been written on the assumption that Newcastle drops off the calendar (which of course we most definitely hope it does not). The same goes with Sandown, although that seems a near certainty.
Winton and DriveIt NQ have also already been mentioned as options.
Even with an expanded 15-round calendar, there’s still likely to be some unlucky omissions, and in our case The Bend Motorsport Park is that. The venue has teetered with being left off before and in this case is a victim of us trying to visit every Australian state/territory plus both New Zealand islands.
Like DriveIt NQ and Avalon, Circuit Italia in NSW’s Hunter region is a permanent facility which should be up-and-running by then.
And then there’s the events further abroad, such as the Singapore Grand Prix and co.
