Nettlefold offered an update into calendar plans off the back of today’s revelation of the 2023 financial results for Racing Australia Consolidated Enterprise, which owns Supercars.
The series has come under fire in recent seasons for its calendar, with the 2024 schedule featuring just 12 events across a 10-month season.
The lack of racing has seen an upswing of Supercars drivers looking outside of the series to keep busy, including current regulars Will Brown and Cam Waters, who are both set to race in NASCAR in a fortnight.
Despite some limitations regarding additional events in the Teams Racing Charter, it’s been long understood that Supercars will look to beef up the schedule next season, something Nettlefold confirmed today.
“There’s a lot of work going on, there’s a few iterations [of the 2025 calendar],” he said.
“[COO] Tim Watsford is leading that with [CEO] Shane Howard but nothing has been presented to board as yet.
“We are cognisant that we need to race more and we will be racing more.”
Queensland Raceway has been heavily tipped to return to the Supercars schedule, and is in the mix, along with Sydney Motorsport Park, to open the season with a night race.
The likes of Winton and Phillip Island are also on the Supercars bench and could be used next year, with the addition of any new street events, such as the heavily-mooted Perth race, unlikely to be ready until 2026 at the earliest.
Also in the works for 2026 and beyond is the expansion of the calendar outside of Australia and New Zealand.
In recent years there has been talk about closer ties with Formula 1 and appearances at the likes of the Singapore and Qatar grands prix.
Nettlefold confirmed that international events are still on the radar, however not for next season.
“Everything that has happened on the international discussions to date has been inbound enquiry from promoters and categories,” he said.
“We are continually talking to them. We are working with the executive [team] now [on] the strategic path and plan in regards to our international expansion.
“I do see that to be a more 2026 forward focus, yes. Domestic is certainly where we are trying to beef up our cadence around racing and be more relevant in the marketplace.”
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