The Supercars Championship trophy. Image: Ross Gibb
Sure, we’ll be racing again after waiting for more than three months … and hopefully I’m not the only one who’s really excited about it.
But maybe the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship is the more tempting prospect.
Staff announcements last week whet the appetite for a truly fascinating season next year.
Triple Eight Race Engineering will not only have to do without the most successful driver of all time, Jamie Whincup – at least at the wheel – but also a double change of engineers.
News that Whincup’s current engineer Wes McDougall will be leaving the sport at the end of the season for health reasons was closely followed by the revelation that title-winning engineer David Cauchi took the opportunity to become team principal of Grove Racing in 2022.
Cauchi is a smart guy with 15 years of experience at Triple Eight and Grove Racing will no doubt be a better match for his recruitment.
But yeah, the engineer goes to Walkinshaw Andretti United this season after Grant McPherson leaves, Whincup is replaced by young rookie Broc Feeney and Roland Dane, stepping down and giving the keys to Whincup and Jess Dane, all made for some doomed singers, who tip the beginning of the end for T8.
It is extreme. You will continue to have the best driver in the category in Shane van Gisbergen, as well as some of the brightest minds in team manager Mark Dutton and technical director Jeromy Moore.
And now they have confirmed the hiring of trusted guru Andrew Edwards as chief engineer and van Gisbergen’s new engineer, as well as the promotion of the talented Martin Short to continue working with Feeney.
However, a small step backwards in the name of reconstruction seems plausible, which could leave the applause wide open in 2022 for the entire field to argue.
Dick Johnson Racing will have stability in its drivers and should continue to make strides towards its old self from 2017-2020.
Tickford Racing and Cameron Waters are a dynamic duo that has finally been announced that they will head into the future together.
Walkinshaw Andretti United and Chaz Mostert will only get stronger together, especially if the supercars’ worst-kept secret right now becomes a reality (i.e. a certain Bathurst 1000 winner who joins their ranks as Mostert’s teammate).
Like DJR, Team 18, Erebus Motorsport and the Blanchard Racing Team will be able to build on continuity.
Brad Jones Racing is facing a upheaval with at least half of its driver line-up changing and is sure to be a player in the silly engineering season now with Edwards’ departure at the end of the year.
Over at Matt Stone Racing, the upcoming reunion with Todd Hazelwood raises high hopes, while Team Sydney only gets better the longer Team Manager Geoffrey Slater can show his presence there.
The silly driving season has been going pretty well, save for late moves with Racing Entitlements Contracts.
There is still a little trying out with engineers and a lot with co-drivers.
Additionally, the new supercars owner group should exist until next year, and travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic should be less of a concern, which in turn would allow for a more normal season of events across Australia and New Zealand.
While van Gisbergen and Triple Eight may be tough to overrun this season, 2022 is all there is to it.
