ALTHOUGH Supercars is one of the countless top-level sports effected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, rev heads around Australia will be able to witness their favourite drivers in action sooner than expected thanks to the upcoming All Stars Eseries.
All 24 drivers of arguably the world’s premier touring car series will race door-to-door in a virtual championship on the iRacing platform for around 10 weeks.
Each driver will be easy to recognise, displaying their current 2020 car liveries showcased by 16 Holden ZB Commodores and eight Ford Mustangs.
Fans could be entertained by plenty of on-track action, with drivers unlikely to be held back by outside pressures caused by expenses, repairs and damage.
With money and aero parity now a non-factor, the pecking order could be shaken up.
Defending Bathurst 1000 and series champion Scott McLaughlin will be tough to beat alongside 2016 title winner Shane Van Gisbergen, as the pair hold plenty of sim-racing experience.
Former Mount Gambier resident Scott Pye hopes to make a large impact in his striking Dewalt Racing Commodore.
Pye moved to Team 18 in 2020 after three years at Walkinshaw Andretti United and would like to use the virtual championship to move up the grid after a 15th-place finish and a DNF in Adelaide.
Younger racers Anton De Pasquale and Brodie Kostecki could also feature prominently thanks to their recent online activities.
Meanwhile, it will be a completely new experience for some of the older stars, who have never turned a wheel in the digital world.
Two-time Bathurst winner and 2006 series champion Rick Kelly has over 550 Supercars races under his belt, but is yet to start behind a computer screen.
Usual front-runners Jamie Whincup and David Reynolds will also be forced to adapt, having little previous simulator exposure.
However, they could be aided by fixed set ups, which will be not be adjustable on any of the 24 cars on the grid.
It will be a unique sight for fans and participants alike, with Supercars set to be racing on iconic tracks around the world for the first time, while the stars are behind the wheel in their own living rooms.
The opening round will take place at two well-known venues.
The familiar and fast layout of Victoria’s Phillip Island will open the season followed up by what is known as the “temple of speed” – Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
The latter will be a fascinating race in particular, with Supercars drivers having never driven around the classic circuit home to the Italian Grand Prix.
Fans can be excited by the sight of Supercars racing on other famous tracks such as Spa Francorchamps, Daytona, Imola, Nurburgring Nordschleife and Silverstone.
Australian icon Mount Panorama Bathurst hosts the third and final rounds of the championship, while a return to the now-defuct Oran Park layout is the opening leg of the season finale.
The series is the latest motorsport category to utilise the digital world amid a lack of on-track action, with Formula 1, NASCAR, Indy Car and IMSA launching virtual races involving former and current drivers.
Beginning on Wednesday, April 8, the Eseries will be broadcast on subscription services Fox Sports and Kayo, while a free stream is available on Supercars’ social media platforms.
