Supercars bumped from Australian GP pit lane

Supercars will not be based in the extended pit lane in Albert Park at next year’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

Speedcafe understands an agreement is all but in place to move Supercars out of the support garages in favour of Formula 2.

The Australian Grand Prix features an unusually busy support programme with Formula 2, Formula 3, Supercars, and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia.

In addition to those competitive categories, there are other activations that fill the limited track time across the weekend.

Formula 2 and Formula 3 made their debuts in Australia this year, part of a revised agreement with Formula 1.

Local organisers contribute towards the logistics of the junior classes, a move understood to have gone some way to Melbourne landing a contract to keep F1 in Albert Park until 2035 (since extended to 2037).

Previously, Supercars had headlined the support programme, but this year found itself relegated to third string.

That’s a position set to be reinforced next year when it is bumped out of the pit lane that was originally built for it.

Formula 2 teams are set to take their place, with Supercars believed to instead be set up shop on the grass fields behind.

Formula 3 is expected to remain largely where the F2/F3 paddock was this year.

Swapping Formula 2 into the extended lane makes sense as the category has a mandatory pit stop during its Sunday feature race.

Although widened by two metres for 2023, Albert Park has one of the narrower lanes on the F1 calendar.

Moving F2 into its own lane is therefore as much about safety as it is pragmatic.

It’s believed Supercars has agreed to the change and is planning on sprint races at the 2024 event that do no mandate pit stops – though the lane would be accessible for punctures and running repairs.

This year’s four races ranged from 70km (13 laps) to 100km (19 laps) in length, well within fuel range for a Gen3 Supercar, with formats for the 2024 season expected to be locked in around the time of next month’s Gold Coast 500.

The change at Albert Park reflects the growing interest in Formula 1, with sellout crowds across the final three days of the event primarily driven by the open wheel classes.

However, Supercars still has value as it continues to help drive ticket sales, particularly early in the weekend.

The Australian Grand Prix is unusual in that it features track action from Thursday, where Supercars is the unrivalled star of the show, though it’s suggested even that position is under threat from manufacturers willing to spend big to get on track in future.