MOTORSPORT: COVID kyboshes TCR, Supercars

The latest COVID crackdown in Victoria has rattled planning for top-level motorsport in Australia.

There are postponements for Supercars pre-season testing and the second round of the TCR Australia Series, and uncertainty over the season opener for Supercars at Bathurst at the end of the month.

Supercars testing for northern teams got underway as scheduled at Queensland Raceway last week, when rookie Zane Goddard was the unexpected pace-setter, but the parallel event planned for Winton in Victoria tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb 16) has been moved back to Friday.

Even so, the timing could easily slip again if there is any extension to the Victoria-wide lockdown.

“Due to the recently announced five day, state-wide lockdown in Victoria, Supercars has rescheduled the planned test day in Winton to Friday, 19 February 2021. Further information will be provided once arrangements have been finalised,” is the only official news from Supercars headquarters.

But things are worse for the TCR teams, who have lost their planned second meeting – after the successful running of the season-opener at Symmons Plains in Tasmania last month – at Phillip Island next weekend.

It has a knock-on effort for top-level motorcycle racing, as the Island event was intended to be the first of a series of two-plus-four events combining cars with bikes in 2021.

Motorcycling Australia and Motorsport Australia have made a joint announcement about the Australian All Wheels Race Fest at Phillip Island, which had been scheduled for February 18-21.

“The health and safety of all those who would be part of the event has to be our priority and unfortunately race meetings like this cannot just be turned on and turned off in 24 hours,” said Michael Smith of Motorsport Australia.

The postponement comes as a big hit after the TCR Australia Series, which was to headline the meeting, failed to register a race during 2020.

It is now looking ahead to an Easter meeting at Mount Panorama, in the hope there will be no cross-border travel restrictions.

The Australian Racing Group, promoter of TCR as well as S5000 single-seaters and the Touring Car Masters, is pushing ahead for Bathurst plans and also working with Motorsport Australia on a fresh date for the Phillip Island event.

“Work will begin shortly to see if an alternative date is possible for this unique event which brings together a spectacular race event of both two and four wheels,” said Smith.