![The Erebus Mercedes V8 Supercars of Maro Engel and Lee Holdsworth](https://speedcafe.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Mercs-344x239.jpg)
The depleted 27 car V8 Supercars field is today being readied for departure to New Zealand ahead of the weekend’s ITM400 Auckland.
The teams are set to depart in two installments, with Red Bull Racing Australia, Erebus Motorsport, Dick Johnson Racing, Tekno Autosports and Ford Performance Racing all finalising their freight by 1400 ready for departure this evening.
The remaining squads, Nissan Motorsport, the Holden Racing Team/Walkinshaw Racing, Tony D’Alberto Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Garry Rogers Motorsport and Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport are able to continue their preparations until midnight.
The second flight, which uses the same Boeing 747-400 as the first, will depart tomorrow morning.
![Dean Fiore](https://speedcafe.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Fiore-344x231.jpg)
An estimated total of 200 tonnes of equipment is being shipped, valued at approximately $40 million.
Once arriving at Auckland airport, the race cars will be loaded onto trucks and head for the refurbished Pukekohe venue.
The ITM400 is the second leg of a grueling back-to-back event schedule that saw the teams racing in Tasmania last weekend.
LDM is sending just one car to New Zealand after Scott Pye’s horrific crash in the closing stages of Sunday’s Symmons Plains finale, leaving the field at 27.