The event is effectively the second leg of the Bathurst SuperFest which kicked off with the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour last weekend.

This time it’s the Supercars field that will take centre stage at Mount Panorama as the new season roars into life.

There is much intrigue regarding how the form will shake up thanks to a number of factors.

One is parity, with the new aero packages for the Mustang and Camaro locked in following the off-season wind tunnel testing programme.

Question marks do remain over engines, though, given transient dyno testing is yet to take place.

There has been significant work with torque sensors and updated engine specs, though, including engine evaluation work at Bathurst during the 12 Hour weekend.

Outside of parity, all eyes will be on where Erebus will factor in the pecking order given the off-season turbulence faced by the title-winning team.

The GM squad has lost both its drivers, the split with reigning champion Brodie Kostecki one of the biggest stories in recent Supercars history.

Jack Le Brocq and Todd Hazelwood will drive the new-look, TFH-backed Erebus cars – and are garaged in the coveted pit exit slot for the opener.

With no Kostecki, and Shane van Gisbergen now overseas, chances are we’ll see a new champion this year, with the likes of Broc Feeney, Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert among the early favourites.

This weekend’s Bathurst 500 will feature two 250-kilometre heats, each featuring a 60-litre fuel drop and two mandatory stops for fuel and tyres.

Each driver will have seven sets of hard compound Dunlop tyres to cover the competitive sessions.

The grids will be set by regular qualifying followed by a Top 10 Shootout each day.

2024 Thrifty Bathurst 500 schedule

All times AEDT