Supercars announced back in May that it will add a new event at Ruapuna, Christchurch, to the schedule in 2026, to be run as a double-header with the existing New Zealand fixture at Taupo.
That came with an intention to expand the calendar from 13 to 14 events.
However, any number above 12 relies on Supercars’ owner RACE providing additional payments to teams as per the Teams Racing Charter agreement.
RACE stumped up extra funds this year to expand to 13 events. Doing so kept Sandown on the schedule and ensured a three-event post-Bathurst stretch to create the Finals Series.
The contracted payment is understood to sit at $63,000 per car for each extra event in 2026, leaving RACE to find over $3 million to cover the two rounds – or convince the teams to take less.
While the team owners are keen to run 14 rounds as part of a common goal to grow the sport, 75 percent would need to agree on any offer below the TRC terms.
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Supercars has drafted multiple iterations of its 2026 calendar while the negotiation drags on, leaving Queensland Raceway and Sandown vulnerable should RACE be unable to secure the expansion.
Supercars CEO James Warburton has been at the heart of the discussions since recently returning to the role and admits the calendar is currently “up in the air”, with anywhere from 12 to 14 events still possible.
“We’ve had good and constant communication with the team owner group and we’re still working through different iterations of the calendar,” Warburton told Speedcafe.
“We still plan, as we would normally do, to get something out by Bathurst. Nothing has changed, everything has been constructive on both sides, and we’ll see where we land.”
Supercars is unlikely to roll out a 2026 calendar at Bathurst next month unless it has come to an agreement with the teams on the number of rounds.
“If we need a little bit more time, we’ll take a little bit more time,” Warburton said of the calendar rollout.
“There’s a range of options on the table. I don’t know when we will be in a position to finalise them but obviously, everyone is keen to get a resolution sooner rather than later.”
Dropping Ipswich following a much heralded and well-attended return last month would be a puzzling outcome for fans.
However, the event is one of few that does not currently receive government support, with Queensland already backing the Gold Coast and Townsville street races.
Sandown is understood to be in a similar boat with Victoria’s spend centred on the Australian Grand Prix, where Supercars is a support act to Formula 1.
Warburton said his main aim for next year’s calendar is to ensure a better flow of events through the season.
That will likely include an extra week between the Perth and Darwin rounds. Only one weekend separated them this year, meaning teams sent trucks directly to Darwin.
“The thing for us is, regardless of the calendar, we want to work towards the cadence and consistency of racing,” he said. “That’s the main thing for us to work towards.”
The season is expected to kick-off at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 20-22, a week after the Supercars-run Bathurst 12 Hour, and run through to a December date for Adelaide.
Uncertainty over the number of events has held up confirmation of how many rounds will be live with free-to-air partner Seven as part of the new broadcast agreement.
It also leaves questions over the structure of the Finals Series, which Warburton said may be tweaked following its first running.
“Let’s run the Finals this year and review it and see how it goes, see what the reaction to it is,” he said.
“I personally think it’s fantastic, it’s going to make the championship an entertainment machine, but we’re open to building on it and doing things a slightly different way if we need to.”
Supercars locked in one piece of its calendar puzzle last week with confirmation The Bend will remain an endurance event for the next three years.
Warburton did not rule out a future expansion of the Enduro Cup, which returned this year for the first time since the COVID pandemic with just The Bend 500 and Bathurst 1000 included.
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