Supercars reveal Adelaide Grand Final, new sponsor and name in major motorsport shake-up

Adelaide’s Supercars event this November will have a new name and major sponsor in a revolutionary transformation.

Adelaide’s Supercars event is set for the biggest shake-up in its 26-year history, with a new name, format and sponsor.

The event will be known as the bp Adelaide Grand Final, crowning a Supercars champion after a four-way, down-to-the-wire showdown.

An extra 100km Friday race has been added to the event, which started in 1999, staged on the iconic Adelaide street circuit established in 1985.

Unveiling the changes in Adelaide on Wednesday afternoon, Premier Peter Malinauskas said bp partnering with the South Australian Motorsport Board “speaks to the event’s stature”.

”The Adelaide 500 has always had pride of place on the national motorsport calendar, but the advent of the bp Adelaide Grand Final will take that to the next level,” he said.

”bp is a high-quality, global brand with massive reach and will be actively promoting the event to its huge national customer base.

”The event will only get better, with the new format of the bp Adelaide Grand Final ensuring that we play host to the season decider every year.”

Mr Malinauskas cited commercial confidence when refusing to reveal the amount of bp’s three-year sponsorship deal, with a one-year extension option, but pointedly declared it “elevates the opportunity of this event in every respect”.

Asked his aspiration for music acts, Mr Malinauskas said: “The bigger the better – that’d be the simple way to describe it. I don’t think we should hide the event’s light under a bushel. We’ve got an international sponsor. We’ve got a major national television reach. We’ve got an audience that comes from all parts of the nation. And we want that to continue to grow. And I think the music act helps continue that.”

The Advertiser in March revealed the Adelaide 500’s naming sponsor since a state government event revival in 2022 – embattled lighting firm Vailo – would not continue after talks collapsed on a two-year extension.

Asked by The Advertiser if the state government was seeking to recover outstanding money or contra support from Vailo, Mr Malinauskas said talks continued and “a combination between the two” could be “reconciled in a way that we think represents the right outcome for the state”.

Opposition racing spokesman Tim Whetstone said bp’s sponsorship was great for the race but unanswered questions remained about the extent of money owed by Vailo to SA businesses and taxpayers.

“We see today that the Premier has wiped his hands of Vailo, the previous major sponsor, with no answers,” he said.

Supercars organisers last October announced a finals format in 2025, with the Adelaide Grand Final billed as crowning the champion driver “in a guaranteed battle”.

Will Brown celebrates after winning the 2024 Supercars Championship at the Adelaide 500. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Premier Peter Malinauskas with the winners trophy after the Supercars Championship at the Adelaide 500 in 2024. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Under the new format, the title-deciding final three races in Adelaide will include a new 100km Friday race, setting up the traditional 250km races on Saturday and Sunday.

Supercars organisers said at the time there would be guaranteed tension as the top four finalists vie for the championship trophy in Adelaide, with their points reset, and a fight across the entire grid during the final three races.

The highest point scorer across the Adelaide event will be crowned the Supercars champion.

The Grand Final will be staged in Adelaide from November 27-30.