Adelaide 500: State Government to fight plans to change season structure

A PROPOSAL to shake-up V8 Supercars by moving its race opener to January has met some very firm opposition — the SA Government. Here’s why the plan won’t get off the ground... at least not before 2021.

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ANY change to when the Adelaide 500 motorsport race is held will only be canvassed if it doesn’t puts events like the Tour Down Under at risk, Tourism Minister David Ridgway says.

The Government’s contract locks the Adelaide 500 in as the first race of the motorsport season until 2021 — but Supercars is considering moving its season opener forward to January from 2020.

Mr Ridgway told State Parliament on Wednesday that Supercars were simply making “very preliminary soundings” and the SA Tourism Commission had not received a formal approach to move the event to January.

The Advertiser reported this week that Supercars was considering the earlier season start from 2020 to give teams a winter break from its gruelling schedule.

“There is certainly no intention at this stage for a definite change; it is just they are exploring it,” Mr Ridgway said.

He said it was “pretty important” that the Adelaide 500 remained the first race of the V8 Supercars season.

“We have got a contract until 2021 with Supercars to deliver the event in 2021. So that would require negotiation between both parties to change the current arrangements that we have, which is the first race of the season up until 2021,” he said.

“Clearly any change to the timing would create some problems. I think we would all be concerned with the clash between the Tour Down Under, if that was to happen, and the Adelaide 500”.

“We will certainly not be doing anything that puts any of our existing events at risk.”

Mr Ridgway confirmed a deal had been struck with a new naming rights sponsor for next year’s 500 but said the Government was not yet ready to unveil them.

The Advertiser understands the sponsor could be revealed as early as next week.