Andre Heimgartner’s Brad Jones Racing Chevrolet Camaro during the 2025 Gold Coast 500. Image: InSyde Media
Grove Racing’s Matt Payne has been the man to beat this year, but the Finals Series means his 205-point advantage over Triple Eight’s Broc Feeney has been slashed to just five points.
While it’s tight at the top, all eyes will be on the cut line. After the Gold Coast 500, only the top seven drivers will advance to the Sandown 500, eliminating the bottom three from contention.
Chaz Mostert is the first driver on the outside looking in, just nine points below the cut-off.
He’s trailed by Walkinshaw TWG Racing teammate Ryan Wood (-18) while Matt Stone Racing’s Jack Le Brocq (-27) is the last driver in contention.
Although the Bathurst 1000 was a grind for the Toyota drivers, the absence of long straights may play into the strengths of the Supra.
If last year’s Gold Coast 500 is anything to go by, there are no guarantees that the top contenders will make it through.
Brodie Kostecki entered last year’s first leg of the Finals Series in fifth and was eliminated after his extraordinary crash in qualifying ruled him out of Saturday’s race.
Wood was another one in 2025 who was expected to overcome the points hurdle to advance from the Gold Coast to Sandown, only to fall victim to mechanical troubles.
If there are any lessons from last year’s Gold Coast 500, it’s to stay out of trouble! That may be a hard ask with rain forecast all weekend long.
Supercars Finals Series points entering Gold Coast 500
Pos
Num
Driver
Team
Wins
Poles
Points
Diff to cut
1
19
Matt Payne
Grove Racing
5
7
3150
+102
2
88
Broc Feeney
Triple Eight Race Engineering
6
4
3145
+97
3
888
Will Brown
Triple Eight Race Engineering
1
2
3103
+55
4
17
Brodie Kostecki
Dick Johnson Racing
8
7
3096
+48
5
26
Kai Allen
Grove Racing
2
0
3066
+18
6
6
Cameron Waters
Tickford Racing
2
3
3057
+9
7
18
Anton De Pasquale
Team 18
2
1
3048
0
8
1
Chaz Mostert
Walkinshaw TWG Racing
2
1
3039
-9
9
2
Ryan Wood
Walkinshaw TWG Racing
1
2
3030
-18
10
4
Jack Le Brocq
Matt Stone Racing
0
0
3021
-27
When is the 2026 Gold Coast 500?
The 2026 edition of the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 takes place on October 23-25 at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit.
Gold Coast 500 weather forecast (via Bureau of Meteorology)
Friday (October 23) – Showers
Max temp – 24 degrees
Min temp – 17 degrees
Precipitation – 8-40mm
Cloudy. Very high chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Winds east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h turning northerly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening.
Saturday (October 24) – Showers
Max temp – 26 degrees
Min temp – 17 degrees
Precipitation – 2-20mm
Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm later in the day. Light winds becoming north to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning.
Sunday (October 25) – Showers
Max temp – 27 degrees
Min temp – 18 degrees
Precipitation – 3-20mm
Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds north to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h.
How long is each race at the Gold Coast 500?
Each Supercars race at the Gold Coast 500 is 250km, consisting of 85 laps of the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit.
2026 Gold Coast 500 Supercars sessions
Friday, October 23
Duration
AEDT
AEST
ACDT
ACST
AWST
NZDT
Practice 1
25 minutes
12:45
11:45
12:15
11:15
9:45
14:45
Practice 2
25 minutes
14:50
13:50
14:20
13:20
11:50
16:50
Qualifying Race 31
30 minutes
17:05
16:05
16:35
15:35
14:05
19:05
Saturday, October 24
Duration
AEDT
AEST
ACDT
ACST
AWST
NZDT
Top 10 Shootout
35 minutes
13:35
12:35
13:05
12:05
10:35
15:35
Race 31
85 laps
16:15
15:15
15:45
14:45
13:15
18:15
Sunday, October 25
Duration
AEDT
AEST
ACDT
ACST
AWST
NZDT
Qualifying Race 32
35 minutes
12:20
11:20
11:50
10:50
9:20
14:20
Top 10 Shootout
35 minutes
13:05
12:05
12:35
11:35
10:05
15:05
Race 32
85 laps
15:45
14:45
15:15
14:15
12:45
17:45
2026 Gold Coast 500 track schedule (AEST/local)
Friday, October 23
Start
Finish
Category
Duration (h:mm)
Session
10:35
10:55
V8 SuperUtes
0:20
Practice
11:05
11:30
Porsche Carrera Cup
0:25
Practice 1
11:35
11:40
0:05
Track Crossing
11:45
12:10
Supercars
0:25
Practice 1
0:05
Practice Starts
12:20
12:40
Supercars Events
0:20
Pit Lane Walk
12:20
12:40
Supercars Events
0:20
Entertainment
12:45
13:05
Aussie Racing Cars
0:20
Practice
13:15
13:35
V8 SuperUtes
0:20
Qualifying
13:40
13:45
0:05
Track Crossing
13:50
14:15
Supercars
0:25
Practice 2
14:20
14:40
Supercars Events
0:20
Pit Lane Walk
14:20
14:40
Supercars Events
0:20
Entertainment
14:45
15:10
Porsche Carrera Cup
0:25
Practice 2
15:15
15:20
0:05
Track Crossing
15:25
15:45
Aussie Racing Cars
0:20
Qualifying
15:50
16:00
0:10
Track Crossing
16:05
16:35
Supercars
0:30
Qualifying
Saturday, October 24
Start
Finish
Category
Duration (h:mm)
Session
8:50
9:10
V8 SuperUtes
1 lap after 9:08
Race 1
9:15
9:20
0:05
Track Crossing
9:20
9:40
Aussie Racing Cars
1 lap after 9:38
Race 1
9:45
10:10
Supercars Events
0:25
Pit Lane Walk
9:45
10:10
Supercars Events
0:25
Entertainment
10:15
10:45
Porsche Carrera Cup
0:30
Qualifying
10:50
10:55
0:05
Track Crossing
11:00
11:25
V8 SuperUtes
1 lap after 11:23
Race 2
11:30
11:50
Supercars Events
0:20
Pit Lane Walk
11:30
11:50
Supercars Events
0:20
Entertainment
11:55
12:15
Aussie Racing Cars
1 lap after 12:13
Race 2
12:20
12:30
0:10
Track Crossing
12:35
13:10
Supercars
0:35
Top Ten Shootout
13:15
13:20
0:05
Track Crossing
13:25
13:45
V8 SuperUtes
1 lap after 13:43
Race 3
13:55
14:20
Porsche Carrera Cup
1 lap after 14:18
Race 1
14:25
14:30
0:05
Track Crossing
15:15
Supercars
85 laps or 1 lap after 17:18
Race 31 – 250km
Sunday, October 25
Start
Finish
Category
Duration (h:mm)
Session
9:05
9:25
Aussie Racing Cars
1 lap after 9:23
Race 3
9:30
9:55
Supercars Events
0:25
Pit Lane Fan Experience (ticketed)
9:30
9:55
Supercars Events
0:25
Entertainment
10:00
10:30
Porsche Carrera Cup
1 lap after 10:28
Race 2
10:40
11:00
V8 SuperUtes
1 lap after 10:58
Race 4
11:05
11:15
0:10
Track Crossing
11:20
11:32
Supercars
0:12
Qualifying Part 1 – Race 32
11:40
11:52
Supercars
0:12
Qualifying Part 2 – Race 32
12:05
12:40
Supercars
0:35
Qualifying Part 3 – Race 32 -TTSO
12:45
12:50
0:05
Track Crossing
12:55
13:15
Aussie Racing Cars
1 lap after 13:13
Race 4
13:25
13:50
Porsche Carrera Cup
1 lap after 13:48
Race 3
13:55
14:00
0:05
Track Crossing
14:45
Supercars
85 laps or 1 lap after 16:48
Race 32 – 250km
How to watch the Gold Coast 500 on TV in Australia
Live coverage of the Gold Coast 500 will be live on Foxtel via Fox Sports 506 across all three days while the Seven Network will have free-to-air coverage on 7two on Saturday and 7mate on Sunday.
How to live stream the Gold Coast 500 in Australia
The Gold Coast 500 will be broadcast live on subscription streaming services Foxtel Go and Kayo Sports from Friday through to Sunday.
Free-to-air viewers can also live stream the Gold Coast 500 on Saturday and Sunday via 7plus Sport.
Viewers outside of Australia and New Zealand can watch via Supercars’ own SuperView service.
Gold Coast 500 track map
The Gold Coast 500 track map.
How long is the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
The Surfers Paradise Street Circuit is 2.96 km long. The circuit was reduced in length for the inaugural Gold Coast 600 in 2010 following the ill-fated A1 Grand Prix of Nations.
How to watch the Gold Coast 500 in New Zealand
Viewers in New Zealand can watch the Gold Coast 500 via Sky Sports or live stream it on Sky Sports Now and Sky Go.
Gold Coast 500 TV broadcast start times (AEDT)
Friday, October 23
Foxtel/Kayo – 12:30pm
Seven – No coverage
Saturday, October 24
Foxtel/Kayo – 9:45am
7two – 1:30pm
Sunday, October 25
Foxtel/Kayo – 10:00am
7mate – 1:00pm
Will there be live updates from the Gold Coast 500?
Speedcafe will provide real-time, live updates from every Supercars session of the Gold Coast 500 thanks to Mobil 1.
Gold Coast 500 ticket details
Tickets for the Gold Coast 500 are available HERE via Ticketek, the official Supercars website, or at the gates at Surfers Paradise.
2026 Gold Coast 500 support categories
Supercars will be supported by Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars, and Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series.
Who has the most Gold Coast 500 race wins?
In the ‘500’ era, there have only been five different winners. Shane van Gisbergen (2022), Cameron Waters (2023, 2024) and Chaz Mostert (2025) each have two race wins. David Reynolds and Brodie Kostecki have one win apiece in 2023 and 2024 respectively.