Photo: Supercars

Supercars TV line-up unveiled

After months of waiting for a final conformation, the Supercars broadcast team for 2021 has finally been revealed as the category goes into its first year back with the Seven Network.

Staying on as lead callers for the 32 races, Neil Crompton and five-time series champion Mark Skaife will be the most prominent voices over the 12 rounds, continuing a now six-year relationship as on-air presenters.

Triple Eight co-drivers and former champions of the sport Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander have both landed roles in the TV team, the former moving in to a new role while Tander tries his hand at pit lane reporting for the first time.

Tander will be joined in the lane by motorsport expert analyst Chad Neylon as well as former children’s TV presenter Charli Robinson, 2016 Australian Rally Champion Molly Taylor and Mark Larkham, returning after a brief hiatus over the off-season where he parted ways with Supercars only for an overwhelming fan response saw him return to the fold.

Anchoring the coverage on Fox Sports will be Jess Yates who first appeared in 2015 when the first rights deal with Foxtel was signed, the currently pregnant host slated to attend all rounds of the season.

The Seven Network’s broadcast will be headed up by Mark Beretta, a veteran sports commentator who worked as a pit lane reporter during Seven’s last ownership tenure of the TV rights.

He will be joined by former Australian test cricketer Brad Hodge and Abbey Gelmi, both of whom also work on the Seven coverage of the Australian Racing Group championships with TCR Australia and S5000.

While all sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo this year, Seven has yet to confirm which rounds will feature on free-to-air TV.

The season officially starts today with Queensland based teams taking part in the official test day at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich, followed by Victorian teams shaking down at Winton Raceway on the 16th.

Round one kicks off on February 26-28 in Bathurst with the Mt Panorama 500 sprint round beginning the year where last year’s ended.