Fight over new Bathurst 1000 date

A fight has been started regarding the new date for the Bathurst 1000 race between the Supercars Championship and Challenge Bathurst organisations.

Due to the COVID pandemic, the 2021 Bathurst 1000 race was recently announced to be moved to November 4-7.

But a two week exclusion period before the Challenge Bathurst event on November 11-17 could stop the Bathurst 1000 race on the new date.

An infected debate in media is currently ongoing between the Supercars and Challenge Bathurst organisations, as well as the Bathurst Regional Council.

“There is no further discussion to take place,” said Greg Evans, head of Challenge Bathurst, to speedcafe.com.

“There is no and will be no resolution to Supercars Australia running on the dates they are advertising.

“Challenge Bathurst has assurances from the Bathurst Regional Council that they will honour their contractual obligations. End of story.”

The Supercars organisation however claims that an agreement has been reached between all parties, including a compensation for Challenge Bathurst.

“The agreement for Challenge Bathurst is held by the Bathurst Regional Council, and therefore this is a matter for them to resolve given they had agreed to both events,” read a statement from Supercars.

“Alternative dates were part of a broad discussion, that included support for, and compensation to, the organisers of Challenge Bathurst, but the weekend that was proposed (October 28-31) would have created a back-to-back event with Phillip Island which is not feasible when teams need to prepare for the biggest event on the annual motorsport calendar.

“Supercars has yet to receive any operational evidence suggesting that both events can’t coexist on the nominated dates. At all times, Supercars has remained open to discussion and negotiation with all parties.”

The Bathurst Regional Council has confirmed that there is currently no agreement in place for the new Bathurst 1000 date.

“No, Council has not given that permission,” said David Sherley, head of Bathurst Regional Council.

“Council’s current position as advised to Supercars Australia is as follows: If Supercars wish to conduct the event on another date, that does not conflict with Challenge Bathurst (or any other third party hire of the circuit), or obtain the consent of Challenge Bathurst for the proposed date, or some other date, that BRC will take all reasonable steps to facilitate the hire of the circuit to Supercars to conduct the event.

“In summary, we will work to get the [November] fourth to the seventh, but as has always been advised to Supercars, they must have the permission of Challenge Bathurst before we would agree to any change.”