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Motorsport legend Jamie Whincup says he's proud of the new Supercars finals series, after the sport revamped its category for the first time since 2007.
Supercars legend Jamie Whincup has praised the sport's gutsy move to introduce an elimination finals series in a bid to shake up the competition.
The 24-strong grid vying for the championship title will be whittled down progessively to four drivers next season after the Australian touring car racing category announced a re-jigged format.
The change, announced on Wednesday ahead of the Bathurst 1000, is part of a significant expansion to the calendar in 2025, with 10 more races boosting the roster to 34 across 13 rounds.
The season will be split into three phases, beginning with eight rounds of sprints, before endurance races at The Bend in South Australia and the centrepiece Bathurst 1000, and ending with the elimination series to decide the title.
Finals will be held across the last three rounds of the season at the Gold Coast, Melbourne's Sandown and Adelaide.
Seven-time champion and Triple Eight team boss Whincup says the change was crucial to keep the sport relevant.
It is the first major format change since 2007 and takes inspiration from NASCAR, with the American competition hosting a playoffs series competed over seven races across three rounds with 12 drivers.
"From a team owner's point of view, we've been pushing Supercars to make a change, to get out there and have a crack and make change," Whincup said on Wednesday.
"I'm proud of the change, proud to be part of a sport that's evolving because a sport that doesn't keep changing and evolving eventually becomes uncompetitive."
Ten finalists will qualify for the Gold Coast, including the winners of the Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup awarded earlier in the season.
Seven drivers will then progress to Sandown and four to the decider in the South Australian capital.
Points will reset between each round of finals, ensuring there are no dead rubbers.
Non-finalists will continue to race during the finals series.
Walkinshaw Andretti United star Chaz Mostert, second in this year's championship standings, said the change in format means there will be a small margin for error.
"It's really going to create an absolute pressure cooker for the whole year," Mostert said.
"In the championship at the moment, you can have a couple of bad races here and probably still become champion.
"In this format, there's no hiding in the championship."
Even three-time Supercars McLaughlin, who left the Australian competition to race in IndyCar at the end of 2020, declared his support for the new format.
"I like it, gotta be good and consistent at the end over 3 super tough tracks," McLaughlin said on X.
"Everyone hates change but I feel like this will be a good one."
Wednesday's announcement at Mount Panorama comes after automotive giant Toyota - Australia's most popular car brand - revealed it will join Supercars in 2026.
With Supercars' existing TV rights deal with Fox Sports and the Seven Network expiring at the end of 2025, it is hoped the recent overhaul will help boost the attractiveness of the category to broadcasters.
2025 SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR
SPRINT CUP
February 21-23: Sydney 500, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW
March 13-16: Melbourne Supersprint Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, VIC
April 11-13: Taupo Super440, Taupo International Motorsport Park, NZ
May 9-11: Tasmania Super440, Symmons Plains, TAS
June 6-8: Perth Super440, Wanneroo Raceway, WA
June 20-22: Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley, NT
July 11-13: Townsville 500, Reid Park, QLD
August 8-10: Ipswich Super440, Queensland Raceway, QLD
ENDURO CUP
September 12-14: The Bend 500, The Bend Motorsport Park, SA
October 9-12: Bathurst 1000, Mount Panorama, NSW
FINALS
October 24-26: Gold Coast 500, Surfers Paradise, QLD
November 14-16: Sandown 500, Melbourne, VIC
November 27-30: Adelaide Grand Final, Adelaide Street Circuit, SA