The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship marks the beginning of a new chapter in Australian touring car racing with the arrival of the highly anticipated Gen3 Supercars. Featuring the all-new Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, the championship will span 12 rounds across iconic street circuits and permanent race tracks before concluding with a spectacular season finale in Adelaide.
With the return of endurance racing, the 60th anniversary of the legendary Bathurst 1000, and a refreshed calendar, the 2023 season is set to be one of the most significant in recent Supercars history.
2023 Repco Supercars Championship Calendar
The inaugural Gen3 season consists of 12 championship rounds held between March and November.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Thrifty Newcastle 500* | March 10–12** |
| Beaurepaires Melbourne 400 | March 30 – April 2 |
| Perth SuperSprint* | April 28–30 |
| NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint | May 19–21 |
| Betr Darwin Triple Crown | June 16–18** |
| NTI Townsville 500* | July 7–9** |
| Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight | July 28–30 |
| OTR SuperSprint | August 18–20 |
| Penrite Oil Sandown 500* | September 15–17 |
| Repco Bathurst 1000* | October 5–8** |
| Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 | October 27–29** |
| VALO Adelaide 500* | November 23–26** |
- Includes Dunlop Super2 and Super3 Series.
** Broadcast live on Foxtel, Kayo, and the Seven Network.
Event dates and formats were subject to change at the time of the official announcement.
Gen3 Era Begins at Newcastle
The biggest story of the 2023 season is the launch of the Gen3 Supercars platform. Fans will witness the first competitive battle between the new-generation Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro during the opening round on the streets of Newcastle from March 10–12.
The Gen3 regulations introduce a new era designed to enhance parity, improve racing quality, and strengthen the connection between race cars and their production-based counterparts.
Return of Endurance Racing
One of the most welcomed additions to the calendar is the return of multiple endurance races.
The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 returns in September as the traditional lead-up to the Repco Bathurst 1000, restoring a fan-favorite endurance format that had been absent since 2019.
The endurance portion of the season includes:
- Penrite Oil Sandown 500
- Repco Bathurst 1000
- Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500
- VALO Adelaide 500
Together, these four events deliver approximately 2,500 kilometers of racing, creating one of the most demanding stretches of the championship.
Bathurst 1000 Celebrates 60 Years
The 2023 Repco Bathurst 1000 carries extra significance as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of Australia’s most prestigious touring car race.
Originally held at Bathurst in 1963, the Great Race remains the centerpiece of the Supercars calendar and will take place from October 5–8 at the iconic Mount Panorama Circuit.
The anniversary edition is expected to be one of the highlights of the Gen3 era.
Season Highlights
Several key events define the flow of the 2023 championship.
Newcastle Opens the Season
The championship begins on the Newcastle street circuit, introducing fans to the first official Gen3 competition.
Melbourne and Perth
Following Newcastle, teams travel to Albert Park before competing at the historic Wanneroo Raceway in Perth. A new multi-year agreement between Supercars and the Western Australia Government secures the future of the Perth SuperSprint.
Tasmania and Darwin
The championship continues at Symmons Plains Raceway before heading to Darwin for the annual Indigenous Round, one of the calendar’s most distinctive events.
Townsville and Sydney
The NTI Townsville 500 remains scheduled during the Australian winter school holidays.
Later, Sydney Motorsport Park hosts the first-ever night race of the Gen3 era, adding another milestone to the season.
Sprint Finale
The OTR SuperSprint serves as the final sprint event before the championship transitions into its endurance races.
Broadcasting Coverage
Fans can follow the championship across multiple broadcasters.
Foxtel and Kayo provide live, ad-free coverage of every practice session, qualifying session, Top Ten Shootout, and race throughout the season.
Sky Sport broadcasts every championship session in New Zealand.
The Seven Network airs six marquee events live:
- Newcastle
- Darwin
- Townsville
- Bathurst
- Gold Coast
- Adelaide
Highlights from all remaining rounds are also available through Seven and 7plus.
Dunlop Super2 and Super3 Series
Several championship rounds also feature the Dunlop Super2 and Super3 Series, giving emerging drivers additional opportunities to compete alongside the main Supercars field.
These support categories race at:
- Newcastle
- Perth
- Townsville
- Sandown
- Bathurst
- Adelaide
The combined grids feature ZB Commodores competing against Car of the Future Ford Mustangs, providing an exciting support program throughout the season.
Team Testing Before the Season
Prior to the championship opener, teams are scheduled to conduct testing at:
- Winton Motor Raceway
- Queensland Raceway
These venues host the first on-track tests of team-owned Gen3 cars during January, with fans invited to attend selected sessions.
Final event formats for each championship round are confirmed before the season begins following approval by the Supercars Board.
International Expansion Remains a Goal
Although no New Zealand round appears on the 2023 calendar, Supercars management confirmed that discussions continue regarding a return beginning in 2024 and beyond.
Officials also indicated that conversations are ongoing with several international circuit promoters as part of the championship’s long-term global expansion strategy.
Leadership Expectations for the Gen3 Season
Supercars CEO Shane Howard described the 2023 championship as one of the most exciting periods in the sport’s history. He highlighted several major attractions, including:
- The debut of Camaro versus Mustang under Gen3 regulations.
- The return of the Sandown 500.
- The 60th anniversary of the Bathurst 1000.
- A strong fan response to recent events, including Bathurst and the Gold Coast, which together attracted more than 200,000 spectators.
Repco CEO Wayne Bryant also emphasized the excitement surrounding the new-generation race cars and praised the championship’s combination of permanent circuits, street races, and endurance classics.
Why the 2023 Championship Matters
The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship represents far more than a new racing season. It introduces an entirely new generation of race cars, revives traditional endurance events, celebrates one of motorsport’s greatest races, and lays the foundation for the future direction of Supercars competition.
For motorsport fans, the combination of the Gen3 Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, a balanced mix of street circuits and permanent venues, and the return of classic endurance racing makes this one of the most anticipated Supercars seasons in recent memory.
Whether you follow the championship from Australia, New Zealand, or elsewhere around the world, the 2023 calendar offers plenty of action from the opening streets of Newcastle to the championship finale in Adelaide.
Internal Links
- Complete guide to the Gen3 Supercars regulations
- Ford Mustang Gen3 technical overview
- Chevrolet Camaro Gen3 specifications
- History of the Bathurst 1000
- Supercars endurance racing format explained
References
- Supercars. (2022). 2023 Repco Supercars Championship calendar announced. Supercars Official Website.
- Repco. Official announcements regarding the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship partnership.
- Official Supercars Championship broadcast information released for the 2023 season.