Lando Norris, Dale Earnhardt Jnr, or maybe Greg Murphy? In this week’s Pirtek Poll, we want to know who you would like to join the BP Supercars All Stars Eseries as a wildcard.
Speaking during a media roundtable teleconference recently, Supercars CEO Sean Seamer earmarked internationals and local Super2 competitors as possible wildcards for future rounds.
Round 2 of the Eseries saw Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen compete under the Red Bull Racing banner, which brought added international interest.
“It was great to have Max, we’re looking forward to some more surprise wildcards as we roll through subsequent rounds including the engagement of some Super2 drivers,” said Seamer.
Round 3 will see the addition of Simona De Silvestro this week and future rounds could see a handful of wildcard entries via a ‘Supercars Versus The World’ concept.
With that in mind, here are 10 drivers who could join the Eseries.
Lando Norris
While the world of Formula 1 might seem too far removed from Supercars, the addition of Max Verstappen to the Eseries last week bridged the gap.
Given the Dutch driver’s recent appearance, charismatic 20-year-old Lando Norris can’t be discounted either.
Verstappen was drafted in with the help of Shane van Gisbergen, who has also raced with Norris on several occasions.
Norris is a prolific sim racer with nearly 400,000 followers on streaming service Twitch, 320,000 more than Verstappen.
Norris has also contested several sanctioned online competitions by Formula 1 and other organisers.
With links between Zak Brown, McLaren, and Walkinshaw Andretti United, Norris could be in line for a drive.
Dale Earnhardt Jnr
One of the most prolific iRacing competitors is semi-retired NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jnr.
More recently, Earnhardt Jnr has contested both NASCAR and IndyCar sanctioned iRacing events. He recently finished third behind Scott McLaughlin at Michigan International Speedway.
Earnhardt Jnr isn’t a complete stranger to Supercars either. In 2007 he completed a secret test at Queensland Raceway with Paul Morris Motorsport.
Craig Lowndes
Seven-time Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner and three-time Supercars champion Craig Lowndes has hinted on Fox Sports that he might like to participate in the Eseries.
If the Red Bull Holden Racing Team wanted to run a third car, Lowndes could be the man to make it happen, a bonafide sim racing rookie he would be though.
Jenson Button
Formula 1 champion Jenson Button has recently popped up in online events, contesting the Legends Trophy races as well as the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series.
Like Earnhardt Jnr, the former McLaren driver has had Supercars experience before.
In 2010 he swapped a Formula 1 car for a Holden Commodore VE at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit and a year later did the same at Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit.
Matt Campbell
Factory-backed Porsche pilot Matt Campbell had a brief association with the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
He raced for Kelly Racing alongside Todd Kelly in 2016 and then Red Bull Holden Racing Team with Shane van Gisbergen in ’17.
The young Australian has since won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE-Am division for Porsche.
Campbell currently lives in Germany and in recent weeks has raced in the Digital Nürburgring Langstrecken-Series.
Alexander Albon
Following on from Verstappen’s debut, it would seem only fitting that his Red Bull Racing team-mate Alexander Albon got an opportunity too.
A relatively new name to Formula 1, Albon made his debut in 2019 with the then known Scuderia Toro Rosso before being promoted to Red Bull Racing halfway through the year.
Albon has featured in the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series, going head-to-head with the likes of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and several more Formula 1 counterparts.
Greg Murphy
In recent years four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy has transitioned into a television presenter role with Supercars.
Not one to shy away from the camera, his absence from the All Stars Eseries broadcast has been a notable omission during the coronavirus-induced break.
One way to change that would be to bring the charismatic Kiwi back to the screens as a competitor in the Eseries.
Will Power
Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power has taken time to get up to speed in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, but is certainly a contender now.
Power was in the running for a win at Twin Ring Motegi recently until he was taken out by lapped driver Oliver Askew.
Shell V-Power Racing Team driver Scott McLaughlin has been racing in the IndyCar sanctioned events, so why not return the favour for Power?
Thomas Randle
Dunlop Super2 Series front-runner Thomas Randle is another young driver to recently join a growing number of Twitch streamers.
A race winner in the Supercars feeder series, Randle has recently raced in the ARG eSport Cup alongside fellow Super2 Series competitor Will Brown who has raced in the All Stars Eseries.
Later this year he’ll join the Brad Jones Racing stable alongside Nick Percat in the Pirtek Enduro Cup.
Kurt Kostecki
After finishing runner-up in the Dunlop Super2 Series last season, Kurt Kostecki was one of the favourites for this year’s title.
However, with the motor racing world on hold, his season has been put on ice.
A wildcard appearance in the Eseries could give him a chance to see how he stacks up against the best in Supercars.
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