Supercars - Tasmania Super 440

The Tyrepower Tasmania Super 440 brings v8supercars racing action to Symmons Plains Raceway for the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship season. This event features the Super440 format with three main races across the weekend. The format includes two 120-kilometre sprint races followed by a longer 200-kilometre race. Fans can expect close competition on one of Australia's most challenging permanent road courses, with kids 12 and under receiving free general admission with a paying adult.

Circuit Details at Symmons Plains Raceway

Symmons Plains Raceway sits approximately 30 kilometres south of Launceston, Tasmania. The permanent road course measures 2.411 kilometres (1.498 miles) in length and features seven corners. The circuit combines fast straights with tight hairpin turns and subtle elevation changes. Cars reach top speeds around 260 km/h on the longest straights.

The Brambles Hairpin at the end of a long straight provides a prime overtaking opportunity for v8supercars competitors. The left-hander at the end of the back straight offers another passing zone. The circuit places high demands on brakes and requires precision from drivers. A $3 million upgrade in 2004 improved the facility with modifications to the track layout, new pit garages, spectator grandstands, hospitality suites, and improved safety barriers.

Race Format and Technical Strategy

The Tasmania Super 440 uses a unique tyre allocation strategy due to the circuit's low degradation characteristics. Super Soft tyres will be used for the first and third races and their respective qualifying sessions. The new-generation soft tyre will be used for the second qualifying and race only. This makes the Tasmania Super 440 the only event with this specific tyre format in the championship.

Practice sessions begin the weekend before qualifying sessions determine the starting grids. The two sprint races use two-part qualifying sessions. The longer race grid will be set by a two-part qualifying session followed by a Top Ten Shootout. Fuel capacity for Sprint Cup rounds like the Tasmania Super 440 remains at 133 litres under Gen3 regulations.

2026 Teams and Drivers

The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship features an expanded grid with three manufacturers: Ford, Chevrolet, and the new entrant Toyota. Toyota fields the GR Supra through Walkinshaw TWG Racing and Brad Jones Racing. Triple Eight Race Engineering has switched from Chevrolet to Ford, campaigning the Mustang GT. Team 18 serves as the homologation team for Chevrolet.

Expected Competitors

Triple Eight fields Will Brown, Broc Feeney, and Jackson Walls in Ford Mustangs. Grove Racing runs Matt Payne and Kai Allen in Fords. Tickford Racing campaigns Cam Waters and Thomas Randle. Walkinshaw TWG Racing brings Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood in Toyota Supras. Team 18 fields Anton De Pasquale and David Reynolds in Chevrolets.

Brad Jones Racing runs Andre Heimgartner, Cam Hill, and Macauley Jones in Toyota entries. Dick Johnson Racing campaigns Brodie Kostecki and Rylan Gray in Fords. Matt Stone Racing fields Jack Le Brocq and Zach Bates in Chevrolets. PremiAir Racing runs Jayden Ojeda and Declan Fraser. Erebus Motorsport campaigns Cooper Murray and Jobe Stewart. Blanchard Racing Team fields James Golding and Aaron Cameron in Fords.

Gen3 Technical Regulations

The 2026 season marks the fourth year of Gen3 regulations. These rules focus on enhanced racing and reduced costs. Supercars are right-hand drive, rear-wheel drive vehicles powered by V8 engines. Aerodynamic parity between manufacturers receives significant attention.

Wind tunnel testing ensured the Toyota Supra, Ford Mustang, and Chevrolet Camaro are aerodynamically aligned. Minor adjustments were made to the Mustang and Camaro to match the Supra's characteristics. This parity work ensures fair competition between all three manufacturers at events like the Tasmania Super 440.

Racing Heritage at Symmons Plains

Symmons Plains Raceway opened in 1960 and joined the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) in 1969. The circuit stands as one of only two venues from the inaugural 1969 ATCC season that remains on the Supercars calendar today, alongside Mount Panorama. The circuit hosted championship rounds continuously until 1999, then took a hiatus for upgrades before returning in 2004.

Symmons Plains has hosted 52 championship events through the end of the 2025 season, a number surpassed only by Sandown Raceway. Past winners include Allan Moffat, Peter Brock, and Dick Johnson. The original layout featured a start/finish line on a curve and a pit lane in the centre of the course. These were relocated for improved safety and functionality.

Tasmania's Premier Motor Racing Facility

Beyond v8supercars, Symmons Plains Raceway has hosted various national-level motorsport events including Australian Drivers' Championship, Formula Ford, and Australian Superbike Championship. The facility serves as Tasmania's premier motor racing venue. The Tasmania Super 440 ranks as one of Tasmania's largest sporting events and provides significant benefits to the local economy.

The low degradation nature of the Symmons Plains track surface distinguishes it from other circuits on the Supercars calendar. This characteristic directly influences race strategy and makes the Tasmania Super 440 a unique challenge for teams and drivers. The circuit's mix of fast and technical sections tests both driver skill and car setup, producing competitive racing across all three races of the weekend.