SUPERCARS and its teams are closing in on an agreement which will facilitate a calendar expansion for 2026.
As recently as last week, there were genuine fears that the schedule could shrink to 12 rounds next year amid an inability to find middle ground on the financing of additional events.
Per the Teams Racing Charter document, Supercars owner RACE must make additional payments to teams for each and every round above the minimum dozen.
From the moment Supercars announced a historic first New Zealand doubleheader, all parties spoke of their desire to ensure Ruapuna was an addition to the calendar and not a replacement for an existing venue.
But by June, it was clear that negotiations were a long way apart on exactly how much RACE should pay teams to contest two extra events.
That stand-off persisted through to Bathurst, but now multiple sources are indicating to V8 Sleuth that a peace treaty is in the offing and that a 14-pronged calendar will happen.
That is a major win as Supercars looks to continue growing, especially on the back of a breathtaking Bathurst 1000 and as Toyota enters the category.
Supercars CEO James Warburton. Pic: Supplied/Mark Horsburgh
It also avoids the disaster that would have been attached to having just 10 Australian-based championship rounds for the first time since before the turn of the millennium.
Dates locked in so far include Albert Park on March 5-8, Taupō on April 10-12, and Ruapuna on April 17-19.
Sydney Motorsport Park is set to open the season once more, across February 20-22.
Other logical dates to pencil in would be Bathurst for October 8-11 and Gold Coast for October 23-25.