2019 Supercars Championship
The 2019 Supercars Championship (known for commercial reasons as the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship)[1] is a planned motor racing series for Supercars. It is due to be the twenty-first running of the Supercars Championship and the twenty-third series in which Supercars have contested the Australian Touring Car Championship, the premier title in Australian motorsport.
Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers are under contract to compete in the 2019 championship.
Championship entries | ||||
Manufacturer | Model | Entrant | No. | Driver name |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ford | Ford Mustang S550[2] | Tickford Racing[note 1] | 5 | ![]() |
6 | ![]() | |||
55 | ![]() | |||
56 | ![]() | |||
DJR Team Penske[6] | 12 | ![]() | ||
17 | ![]() | |||
Matt Stone Racing[6] | 35 | ![]() | ||
23Red Racing[6] | 230 | ![]() | ||
Holden | Holden ZB Commodore | Walkinshaw Andretti United | 2 | ![]() |
22 | ![]() | |||
Brad Jones Racing | 8 | ![]() | ||
14 | ![]() | |||
Erebus Motorsport | 9 | ![]() | ||
99 | ![]() | |||
Triple Eight Race Engineering[note 2] | 88 | ![]() | ||
97 | ![]() | |||
888 | ![]() | |||
Nissan | Nissan Altima L33 | Kelly Racing[10][note 3] | 7 | ![]() |
15 | ![]() | |||
23 | ![]() | |||
78 | ![]() |
Manufacturer changes
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Ford_Mustang_IMG_0323.jpg/250px-Ford_Mustang_IMG_0323.jpg)
The sixth generation Ford Mustang, the Mustang S550, is due to be homologated for the 2019 championship. The Mustang will be a replacement for the FG X Falcon, which was used between 2015 and 2018.[2] All teams that competed with the FG X Falcon in 2018 will race the Mustang.[6] Tickford Racing and DJR Team Penske will oversee the development of the car, with Ford Performance providing additional technical support.[12][13][14] Ford's Australian division will provide financial support in developing the car, but no team will officially be recognised as a factory team.[15] The homologation process will require modifications to the bodywork to fit the series' control chassis, but the car will continue to use the V8 engine used by the FG X Falcon.[16][17] The decision to return the Mustang to the series was made as Australia's domestic production of the Ford Falcon ceased in 2016.[18] The Mustang's return marks the first time since 1990 that a Mustang has contested the premier class of Australian motorsport.[19]
Nissan will withdraw its factory support from the championship as the company elected to change its global motorsport strategy and focus on its Formula E entry. Kelly Racing—who raced under the Nissan Motorsport name between 2013 and 2018—will continue to compete with the Altima L33 chassis under licence from the company.[10][20] Nissan's decision to withdraw from the championship coincided with sales of the Altima being discontinued in Australia.[21]
Driver changes
Craig Lowndes will retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2018 championship.[22] He will remain with Triple Eight Race Engineering as an endurance driver.[23]
List of planned races
The following races are under contract to be held as part of the 2019 championship:
Notes
- ^ "V8 Supercars confirm Virgin as primary backer". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ a b van Leeuwen, Andrew (17 April 2018). "Ford revives works Supercars programme with Mustang for 2019". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Adam, Mitchell (22 February 2018). "Dane relaxed about end-of-2019 driver deals". supercars.com. Supercars. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Dale, Will (22 January 2018). "Supercars: Chaz Mostert, Supercheap Auto stick with Tickford Racing until 2019". news.com.au. News Corporation. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (29 June 2018). "Winterbottom: Supercars future will take care of itself". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d Coch, Mat (18 April 2018). "All Ford teams set to switch to Mustang for 2019". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ Adam, Mitchell (8 December 2017). "23Red Racing secures major sponsor for debut". supercars.com. Supercars. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ a b Coch, Mat (26 April 2018). "Percat signs two-year extension with BJR". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (20 June 2018). "Erebus eyes long future with rising star". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ a b Howard, Tom (15 May 2018). "Nissan to withdraw Supercars support, Altimas to continue". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ "Simona de Silvestro signs Supercars deal". sbs.com.au. Special Broadcasting Service. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Coch, Mat (17 April 2018). "Ford Performance in partnership with DJRTP/Tickford". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ van Leeuwen, Andrew (18 April 2018). "Ford Performance offers first teaser image of Supercars Mustang". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ Coch, Mat (26 April 2018). "Ford Performance focused on Supercars". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ Coch, Mat (17 April 2018). "Tickford boss enthused by Ford's Supercars return". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Herrero, Dan (19 April 2018). "Story explains Mustang development process". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ Herrero, Dan (17 April 2018). "Mustang Supercar to run with V8 engine". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Herrero, Dan (18 April 2018). "Ford announces Mustang for NASCAR Cup Series". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ Noonan, Aaron (5 April 2017). "Rewind: The Last Mustang". The V8 Sleuth. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ van Leeuwen, Andrew (15 May 2018). "Nissan to end works Supercars programme after 2018 season". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (15 May 2018). "Nissan never considered GT-R for Supercars". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (6 July 2018). "Lowndes to retire at end of season". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ "Craig Lowndes announces retirement". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Australian Associated Press. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ "Clipsal 500 deal extended until 2021". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ a b Howard, Tom (27 June 2018). "Supercars working through 2019 calendar options". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ "Contract extension secures Supercar future" (PDF). bathurstregion.com.au. Bathurst Regional Council. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Bartholomaeus, Stefan (18 June 2016). "Exclusivity key to Darwin night racing deal". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ a b Pierce, Jeremy (30 June 2016). "New contract guarantees future of the Gold Coast 600 and Townsville 400 until at least 2019". The Courier-Mail. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (10 July 2017). "New three-year Supercars deal for Ipswich". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (30 May 2017). "AGP to host Supercars championship round in 2018". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Supercars to race in Newcastle". supercars.com. Supercars Championship. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Herrero, Dan (15 May 2018). "Upgrades confirmed for Sandown". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ "$6.125m deal secures Symmons Plains Supercars for five years". The Mercury. News Corp Australia. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Adam, Mitchell (4 October 2017). "Supercars reveals 2018 calendar". supercars.com. Supercars Championship. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (22 May 2018). "Winton eyes new 10-year Supercars deal". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (6 May 2018). "Barbagallo to be resurfaced amid Supercars contract talks". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (3 October 2017). "Sydney night race to join 2018 Supercars calendar". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
References
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