Supercars Sydney 500 Revs Up for Thrilling Season Opener on Seven
Just a few months after a dramatic inaugural grand final, Supercars is back with the highly anticipated return of the Sydney 500. This weekend's action will be broadcast live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport, offering fans wall-to-wall coverage from Sydney Motorsport Park.
Comprehensive Broadcast Schedule and Expert Commentary Team
Seven's coverage begins on Saturday afternoon with an encore of the season preview show, followed by Inside Toyota's Road to Supercars, which provides an exclusive look at the GR Supra's development. The excitement continues with non-stop racing action from the track. On Sunday, the final races of the weekend will cap off the event.
Leading the broadcast team are 7NEWS Sydney sport presenter Matt White and champion driver Molly Taylor. Supercars legend and six-time Bathurst winner Garth Tander steps into the lead analyst role this year, joined by championship winners James Courtney and Mark Winterbottom. Experienced callers Chad Neylon, Matt Naulty, and Richard Craill will handle play-by-play duties, with Riana Crehan reporting from pit lane alongside Taylor. Fan favourite Craig Lowndes will also feature prominently across Supercars coverage throughout the season.
Detailed Racing Timetable for Sydney 500 Weekend
Saturday's coverage kicks off at 4.30pm AEDT with the Top 10 Shootout, followed by racing action from the Toyota GR Cup and Super2 series. The green flag flies for Supercars at 7.35pm AEDT for a 52-lap race. On Sunday, coverage starts at 1pm AEDT with the Top 10 Shootout, followed by more Toyota GR Cup and Super2 series racing. The final Supercars race of the weekend, another 52-lap event, begins at 4.05pm AEDT.
Viewers can check local guides for specific broadcast times across cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, ensuring no one misses a moment of the high-speed action.
2026 Season Structure and Key Events
The 2026 Supercars season features 14 rounds for a total of 37 races, starting with the Sprint Cup from February to August. The Enduro Cup takes centre stage with The Bend 500 in September and the showpiece Bathurst 1000 in October, before a three-race finals series culminating in November's Adelaide grand final. This structure promises a year of intense competition and strategic racing.
Top Contenders and Season Storylines
Defending champion Chaz Mostert is ready to "have a go in anger," expressing confidence in his ability to defend his title in a Toyota, marking a significant shift as Toyota enters the championship for the first time in six years. Mostert, alongside Walkinshaw TWG Racing teammate Ryan Wood, will be a headline attraction at the Sydney 500.
Triple Eight star Broc Feeney, after a heartbreak in last year's decider, is determined to secure silverware this season. With 14 race wins and a record 19 pole positions last year, Feeney's adaptation to the team's Mustang has renewed his enthusiasm. Other key drivers include Tickford veteran Cam Waters, who swept last year's Sydney 500, and Grove Racing's Matt Payne, the reigning Bathurst 1000 winner.
The 2026 grid is the youngest ever in Supercars history, featuring rookies like one-time Super2 champion Zach Bates, adding an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the season.
With all these elements combined, the Sydney 500 sets the stage for a thrilling and transformative year in Australian motorsport.
