Supercars 2024: Everything you need to know ahead of season-opening Bathurst 500

The Supercars season-opening Bathurst 500 is this weekend – but the defending champion won’t be on the grid. That’s just one of the wild storylines leading into the new season.

The first season of the Gen3 era has been won and done as Supercars ushered in a new champion in Brodie Kostecki.

But the defending champion won’t be on the grid for at least the opening race of the 2024 campaign after a bombshell falling out with his title-winning team Erebus Motorsport which rocked the Supercars off-season.

Kostecki would have been the hunted in the 2024 Supercars field, which will be without Kiwi ace Shane van Gisbergen for the first time in 15 years after his move to NASCAR.

But even before the Kostecki drama, there was plenty of movement and change ahead of the second season of the Gen3 era.

Kostecki’s 2023 Erebus teammate Will Brown replaces van Gisbergen at Triple Eight, but he is just one of several big moves on the Supercars grid for next year.

The 2024 field is also set to feature three new faces with rookies at Walkinshaw Andretti United, Blanchard Racing Team and Brad Jones Racing.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Supercars grid and 2024 campaign.

Defending champion Brodie Kostecki won’t be on the grid for at least the opening round at the Bathurst 500. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

THE 2024 GRID

EREBUS MOTORSPORT

Jack Le Brocq

Todd Hazelwood*

Co-drivers: David Russell, TBC

Car: Chevrolet Camaro

*Subbing for Brodie Kostecki at least round one

TRIPLE EIGHT RACE ENGINEERING

Broc Feeney

Will Brown

Co-drivers: Scott Pye, Jamie Whincup

Car: Chevrolet Camaro

V8 Supercars team Red Bull Ampol Racing (from left) Scott Pye, Will Brown, Broc Feeney, and Jamie . Picture: Kevin Farmer

BRAD JONES RACING

Andre Heimgartner

Bryce Fullwood

Macauley Jones

Jaxon Evans

Co-drivers: Declan Fraser, Jaylyn Robotham, Jordan Boys, fourth TBC

Car: Chevrolet Camaro

TICKFORD RACING

Cam Waters

Thomas Randle

Co-drivers: TBC

Car: Ford Mustang

Tickford Racing’s Cam Waters does a shoey ter winning the Vailo Adelaide 500 Supercar Race. Picture: Brenton Edwards

DICK JOHNSON RACING

Anton De Pasquale

Will Davison

Co-drivers: Tony D’Alberto, Kai Allen

Car: Ford Mustang

Tony D'Alberto and Anton de Pasquale after finishing third at the 2023 Bathurst 1000, (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

WALKINSHAW ANDRETTI UNITED

Chaz Mostert

Ryan Wood

Co-drivers: Fabian Coulthard, Lee Holdsworth

Car: Ford Mustang

GROVE RACING

Matt Payne

Richie Stanaway

Co-drivers: Garth Tander, TBC

Car: Ford Mustang

TEAM 18

Mark Winterbottom

David Reynolds

Co-drivers: Michael Caruso, TBC

Car: Chevrolet Camaro

Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Chaz Mostert. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

PREMIAIR RACING

Tim Slade

James Golding

Co-drivers: TBC

Car: Chevrolet Camaro

MATT STONE RACING

Cameron Hill

Nick Percat

Co-drivers: TBC

Car: Chevrolet Camaro

BLANCHARD RACING TEAM

James Courtney

Aaron Love

Co-drivers: Jack Perkins, TBC

Car: Ford Mustang

NEW FACES

Jaxon Evans (Brad Jones Racing)

Age: 27

From: New Zealand

Aaron Love (Blanchard Racing Team)

Age: 21

From: Perth

Ryan Wood (Walkinshaw Andretti United)

Age: 20

From: New Zealand

New Zealand young gun Ryan Wood, pictured with team owner Ryan Walkinshaw. Pic: Supplied

TEAM MOVES

Will Brown, David Reynolds and James Courtney headline the big driver moves for the 2024 championship.

Brown will fill the seat vacated by NASCAR-bound Shane van Gisbergen at Triple Eight after two full-time seasons at Erebus Motorsport, slotting in alongside Broc Feeney.

Jack Le Brocq replaced Brown at Erebus after two seasons at Matt Stone Racing.

Erebus will have two new drivers on the grid for the start of the season with Todd Hazelwood to replace Kostecki for at least the opening round.

Bathurst 1000 winner Reynolds is making the move to Team 18 after three years with Grove Racing, replacing Scott Pye, who has signed with Triple Eight as a co-driver.

After Tickford Racing cut back from four to two cars for 2024, James Courtney has made the move to an expanded Blanchard Racing Team where he will partner rookie Aaron Love.

Nick Percat has also found a home at MSR after two seasons at WAU.

New Triple Eight driver Will Brown will make his debut for the Red Bull squad in Supercars in 2024. Pics: Supplied

WELCOME BACK

Richie Stanaway makes a full-time return to the Supercars grid after his Bathurst 1000 win as a co-driver alongside van Gisbergen for Triple Eight in 2023.

Stanaway will suit up for Grove Racing alongside fellow Kiwi driver Matt Payne.

The 32-year-old has not raced full-time in Supercars since 2019, initially returning to the fold in an Erebus Motorsport wildcard alongside Greg Murphy at Mount Panorama in 2022.

His performance then impressed, leading to Triple Eight snapping him up as a co-driver for last year, which has opened the door to his full-time return.

Shane van Gisbergen and co-driver Richie Stanaway win the 2023 Repco Bathurst 1000.

WHAT’S NEW

Supercars will introduce a “live” pit lane for the 2024 championship.

Under the live pit lane concept, Supercars squads would change their pit lane order for each round depending on their team’s championship standings.

The team leading the championship at the end of each round would then be granted prime position in the pit lane for the next event.

Under the old rule, the pit lane order was set at the start of the season based on where teams finished in the team’s championship the year before and teams were stationed in the same pit garages all season.

Title-winning Erebus Motorsport will occupy the first pit bay for the season-opening round, followed by Triple Eight, Brad Jones Racing and Tickford Racing, but the order could be mixed up from round two onwards.

Pit position can be critical in gaining advantages during pit stops and also has the potential to make or break races.

ROUND ONE PIT LANE ORDER

1. Todd Hazelwood

2. Jack Le Brocq

3. Broc Feeney

4. Will Brown

5. Andre Heimgartner

6. Bryce Fullwood

7. Macaulay Jones

8. Jaxon Evans

9. Cam Waters

10. Thomas Randle

11. Anton De Pasquale

12. Will Davison

13. Chaz Mostert

14. Ryan Wood

15. Matt Payne

16. Richie Stanaway

17. Mark Winterbottom

18. David Reynolds

19. Tim Slade

20. James Golding

21. Nick Percat

22. Cameron Hill

23. James Courtney

24. Aaron Love

ENDURO STARTS

A rule mandating primary drivers start the endurance races instead of co-drivers will also be in place for the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000.

The primary driver is either the full-time driver or the nominated driver in a wildcard entry.

Previously, either the full-time driver or co-driver in an endurance pairing could start the race.

The issue of co-drivers starting the race came under the spotlight following the 2022 edition of the Bathurst 1000 after a chaotic start to the race at Mount Panorama.

SAFETY CAR PROCEDURE

There will also be changes to the safety car procedure for 2024 with the introduction of a full-course yellow system.

Under the new full-course yellow procedure, similar to Formula 1’s virtual safety car, race control can clear minor incidents without deploying the safety car.

After an incident is flagged, There will be a 15-second countdown for drivers to reduce their speed to a maximum of 80 km/h and activate a speed limiter.

Speeds will be monitored and any car exceeding 80 km/h will be reported to the stewards.

Each lap completed under the full-course yellow will be counted as a race lap.

There will be a 15-second countdown approaching the end of the full-course yellow period after which the period will end when the waved green flags replace yellow flags or FCY boards.

THE 2024 SUPERCARS CALENDAR

There are two major changes to the 2024 Supercars calendar from last season.

The Bathurst 500 will open the Supercars championship, replacing the Newcastle 500, while

a New Zealand round is also back on the calendar for the first time since 2022.

Taupo will host the NZ event, replacing former venue Pukekohe Park Raceway.

Round 1 – Bathurst 500, Mount Panorama, February 23-25

Round 2 – Melbourne SuperSprint, Albert Park, March 21-24

Round 3 – Taupo 400, Taupo International Motorsport Park, NZ, April 19-21

Round 4 – Perth SuperSprint, Wanneroo, May 17-19

Round 5 – Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley, June 14-16

Round 6 – Townsville 500, Reid Park Street Circuit, July 5-7

Round 7 – Sydney SuperNight, Sydney Motorsport Park, July 19-21

Round 8 – Tasmania SuperSprint, Symmons Plains Raceway, August 16-18

Round 9 – Sandown 500, Sandown Raceway, September, 20-22

Round 10 – Bathurst 1000, Mount Panorama, October 10-13

Round 11 – Gold Coast 500, Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, October 25-27

Round 12 – Adelaide 500, Adelaide Street Circuit, November 14-17

James Courtney and rookie sensation Aaron Love will race for Blanchard Racing Team this year. Picture: Supplied.

MILESTONES

James Courtney – 250 rounds (Darwin Triple Crown)

Will Davison – 250 rounds (Darwin Triple Crown)

Tim Slade – 200 rounds (Perth SuperSprint); 450 races (Adelaide 500)

Chaz Mostert – 150 rounds (Tasmania SuperSprint)

Nick Percat – 150 rounds (Sydney SuperNight)

David Reynolds – 200 rounds (Taupo 400); 450 race (Tasmania SuperSprint)

Anton De Pasquale – 200 races (Tasmania SuperSprint)

Jack Le Brocq – 200 races (Bathurst 500); 100 rounds (Bathurst 1000)

Andre Heimgartner – 250 race starts (Melbourne SuperSprint)

Bryce Fullwood – 150 race starts (Gold Coast 500)

Thomas Randle – 100 race starts (Gold Coast 500)

Matt Payne – 50 race starts (Gold Coast 500)

Cameron Hill – 50 race starts (Gold Coast 500)

Originally published as Supercars 2024: Everything you need to know ahead of season-opening Bathurst 500