Supercars not keen on February Gold Coast date

Motorsport.com revealed yesterday that a Surfers Paradise return remains on IndyCar’s radar, but only if the visit to Queensland can happen in February.

With high costs meaning that setting up the street circuit twice in one year is essentially unfeasible, IndyCar would only be able to get its wish if Supercars agreed to a February date as well – which would mean shifting it from its now traditional post-Bathurst spot.

And that, says Supercars CEO James Warburton, is unlikely.

“We’d love to race with IndyCar but our season is from March to November and the Gold Coast 600 in October is the largest annual sporting in Queensland,” Warburton confirmed to Motorsport.com. “So it’s unlikely to happen.”

Supercars has worked hard to make its calendar more compact, this year’s season running from March to the first weekend in December. Next year, it is expected it will only stretch as far as late November.

The category has also recently signed a new three-year deal with the Gold Coast race, which means it is guaranteed to continue until at least 2019.

Meanwhile, IndyCar has shifted its calendar earlier in the calendar year, wishing to add international races in February, start its US season in late March and end the season in September, to avoid TV clashes with the National Football League.