Opinion: Why You Should Watch The Australian Supercars Championship

Touring cars have always been a focal point of global motorsport – the close, panel-beating action cannot be matched by other popular series like F1 or Formula E.

The Virgin Atlantic Supercars Championship in Australia is the epitome of touring cars; they are the fastest and most exciting machines in the game.

Baring this in mind, and analysing the category further, William Holmes and Nigel Chiu explain why you should watch Australian Supercars.

William Holmes:

The Supercars Championship (then known as “V8 Supercars”) was the first form of motorsport I ever watched – my Australian heritage can be credited for that. I loved the raw, noisy racing that the V8s offered, as well as the bumper-to-bumper action akin to touring cars. The grid size was also incredible, featuring 35+ cars regularly from 1997 to 2004, and nudging up to 45 at Bathurst.

The cars themselves are of the very highest order; 650bhp comes straight from a 5-litre, naturally aspirated V8 engine that propels the machines to upwards of 180mph. The aerodynamics are also tuned to perfection, keeping the cars rooted at high speeds, but quite slippery in the lower gears, allowing for an abundance of overtaking.

What puts this series above all others, however, is the devout fanbase – at the Bathurst 1000, all of Australia stops and watches the spectacle. The Holden vs Ford rivalry is incredible, and has provided the sport with some amazing moments over the years, as fans cheer their favourite manufacturer on to victory.

The circuits on the calendar are world-class, each having a unique aspect that sets them apart from the others. Highlights include the Adelaide street circuit (the former Australian Grand Prix), as well as the current F1 stop-off at Albert Park in Melbourne. Such is the quality of racing provided by Supercars, Formula 1 now carry the event as a support category for the GP.

Yet, all fall under the shadow of the mighty Mount Panorama. Dubbed as “The Great Race”, fans trek to the town of Bathurst to experience one of the hardest endurance races in world motorsport. Set across 6.2km of public road, and containing almost 60 years of immense history, the Bathurst 1000 should be on every motorsport enthusiast’s bucket list.

The 2020 driver rota is filled with excellence, consisting of many former champions, namely reigning champ Scott McLaughlin and seven-time winner Jamie Whincup. McLaughlin is currently demonstrating his ability with Team Penske’s Indycar endeavours, whereas Whincup was placed in a 20-strong article by Formula 1 of the greatest drivers to have never raced in the series.

Supercars also run a feeder series known as Super2s, which helps launch the careers of future touring car stars. Racing in older generation Commodores and Falcons, the second division machines are ridiculously similar in speed compared to the current motors in the main game, and provide equally enthralling racing.

To finish, it must be noted that Supercars have really upped their online presence over the past year across their website, social media, and, most importantly, YouTube. As a committed fan in the UK, it has always been hard to access the racing. However, practice sessions and qualifying are now live-streamed on YouTube, and long highlights are also uploaded along with all key moments of the races.

There truly are countless reasons as to why you should watch the Virgin Atlantic Supercars Championship.

Nigel Chiu:

There are so many reasons why the V8 Supercars is one of the best motorsport series in the world. The racing, the tracks, the format, the history – it has so much to offer.

For me, the racing in the Supercars is world class and you will have a tough job finding another motorsport category that can match the intensity of a battle. A little bit of bumper to bumper action, relentless pressure to try and force your opponent into a mistake and the racecraft throughout the field makes for a lot of entertainment.

The competitiveness of the field means margins across the field are very close. Less than a second can be the difference between first and 20th so the smallest of errors will be punished meaning the drivers have to be on their toes and pushing at their maximum to stay at the pointy end of the grid.

Formats and schedules are always a key talking point in all motorsport categories but the V8 Supercars had got things spot on and has for a few years now. The mix of sprint races, night races, street circuits and of course the endurance races including the famous Bathurst 1000 has just the right amount of variety which offers their own challenges to the teams and drivers.

It makes each event feel unique and is the best thing about the series in my opinion.

Australia is rich in motorsport heritage so many of the tracks have their own history but more importantly every track provides good racing which is ultimately the thing that everyone wants to see.

There always seems to be a rivalry in the Supercars and that just adds to the intensity and drama. The Ford vs. Holden battle is one of the most famous in Australia. It causes controversy, added impetuous for the drivers and teams to beat their fellow Holden or Ford rival and it has given us an exciting and highly controversial rivalry at the moment with Team Penske and the Red Bull Holden Racing team.

Drama on and off the track has pushed both teams to their limits and at times it has reached boiling point. Throw in a few exceptional drivers such as Jamie Whincup, Shane Van Gisbergan and Scott Mclaughlin and you are guaranteed excitement nearly every race weekend.

These drivers are brilliant for the sport too. The likes of Whincup, SVG, Mclaughlin and Chaz Mostert are among the best touring car drivers in the world. When racing in GTs, some of the best GT drivers are full of praise because the Supercars drivers adapt so quickly and are on the pace almost immediately.

There is so much talent so when we get a battle between them, the teams raise their game too and the strategy involved and the tension in the garages makes for brilliant viewing and a great spectacle.

What’s not to love?