Supercars starts from scratch

A year after the launch of its new generation of cars, the Australian Touring Car Championship is starting from scratch. Its star driver, Shane van Gisbergen, left to race in NASCAR. The outgoing champion, Brodie Kostecki, is absent from the opening round following a falling out with his team Erebus Motorsport. The season seems, more than ever, open to new opportunities.

Published on 22/02/2024 à 12:59

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Here is the 2024 Australian Supercars class ©Supercars

Bathurst hosts its first Supercars race of 2024 this weekend. This start to the season should have been routine with drivers returning to their habits on a circuit that everyone loves. But the last few weeks have brought trouble to the ranks of the Australian championship. The rout hit hard within the reigning champion team: Erebus Motorsport. The disagreement between his 2023 champion and the management of the Melbourne team led to Kostecki's withdrawal from the first weekend of competition. There is every reason to believe that Kostecki will not line up on a starting grid this season, he who wishes to leave Erebus. Todd Hazelwood is acting in the 99 this weekend. Erebus is not starting the season in the best conditions having also lost its other flagship driver. Will Brown (4th in 2023) left for new horizons by arriving at Triple Eight Engineering in place of the giant and triple New Zealand champion Shane van Gisbergen. Associated with Broc Feeney, the two men form one of the most formidable pairs for the driver and team titles this season. The 2 Super Series 2021 champion finished third in the previous year. He only confirmed all the good things his team thought of him. He had the luxury of dominating his illustrious teammate van Gisbergen on multiple occasions (victory at the Sandown 500 in particular). The 21-year-old is the big favorite this season.

A new season starts now, and it's anyone's to win 🏆

This is 2024 @RepcoAustralia Supercars Championship! #RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/EYQc1fSM19

— Supercars (@supercars) February 22, 2024

Stronger Ford teams in 2024?

This is one of the big questions of the year, will the teams entering Ford Mustangs be able to respond to the Chevrolet Camaro which caused them a serious disappointment in 2023. The work of the winter should bear fruit since the famous American coupe has benefited from an update in its aerodynamic kit. This should allow the wild horse's hit car to recover some performance compared to its opponent. It is possible to imagine that Cam Waters (6th in 2023) could greatly increase his capital by three victories in 2024. We will also have to be wary of the reaction of Walkinshaw Andretti United driver: Chaz Mostert. Lacking results in 2023, he will want to unlock his counter this year. Dick Johnson Racing is also making a change. Its chief engineer, Frenchman Ludovic Lacroix, left for PrimAir Racing. The team of legend Dick Johnson wants to return to its glory years (champion driver in 2018, 2019 and 2020 with Scott McLaughlin, and titled team in 2017, 19 and 2020). The pressure was put on Will Davison and Anton de Pasquale to seriously turn things around in 2024. Watch out for outsiders such as André Heimgartner at Brad Jones racing, he won his first race in 2023 and enjoyed the taste of champagne. Thomas Randle, Waters' teammate at Tickford, will also be there to pick up big points at the slightest opportunity. Richie Stanaway and the Whole grained Racing could also create some surprises.

The 2024 Supercars season appears to offer some great opportunities. After years of domination (McLaughlin and van Gisbergen), this will be the second year in a row where we could have a different champion. There are only a few hours of patience left before the start of hostilities.