The 2025 Supercars Championship Finals Series Explained

Supercars has revolutionised the way it determines its champion in 2025 – so exactly who will win the championship will not be known when the bp Adelaide Grand Final gets underway.

 

In fact, the new format guarantees any one of four drivers can become the 2025 Supercars champion during the Adelaide weekend, creating the closest title fight in at least seven years.

 

Never before in the modern Supercars era has the championship been so open, with four drivers in contention coming into the final round.

 

So, the new format brings even more excitement for fans at the event, as the fierce competition among drivers rises to a new level.

 

The format has been inspired by the playoff system used in NASCAR in the US, ensuring several drivers will be in the running to win the championship when the last round of the Supercars season begins in Adelaide.

 

In years past, the championship has at times been long locked in before the final round of the season has been run.

 

In other years, drivers have only had to avoid a significant crash or to finish one race in the Top 10, for example, to be awarded enough points to receive the championship trophy.

 

For the past three years, that championship winner has collected that trophy at the end of the Adelaide round.

 

But there has been little mystery, excitement – or fierce on-track battles to clinch it – on the streets of Adelaide.

 

This time, the championship will no longer be awarded to the driver who accumulates the most points in races held across the whole season.

 

Instead, the new system will give 10 drivers the chance to win the title across the last three events of the year.

 

It is a similar concept to the Finals system used in other major sports such as AFL and NBL, where teams play during the season and the highest point winners play off at the end of the season.

 

All Supercars drivers will still compete in each of these final rounds and they will still be able to win each race.

 

However, having 10 drivers vie for the championship at the same time at these events opens the title fight, bringing more into contention to win it at the end of the season – leading to more intense racing.

 

THE THREE PARTS TO THE 2025 SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP

 

The 13 events of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship have been split into three parts – the Sprint Cup, the Enduro Cup and The Finals.

 

The first eight events of the year make up the Sprint Cup, as these rounds feature sprint races – most commonly three races each weekend.

 

The driver who accumulates the most points based on their results across these races is crowned the winner of the Sprint Cup.

 

Then, the driver who accumulates the most points across the next two rounds – the endurance races at The Bend and Bathurst – wins the Enduro Cup.

 

The driver is joined by a co-driver during these longer races that test the mettle of every race team, so their chances of winning the Cup do not rest on their shoulders alone.

 

Both the Sprint Cup winner and the Enduro Cup winner gain automatic eligibility to compete for the championship in The Finals.

 

They will be among a total of 10 drivers eligible to become the 2025 champion during The Finals.

 

If the same driver wins both the Sprint Cup and the Enduro Cup, nine other drivers will make up the field. Otherwise, eight other drivers will be eligible to join the cup winners.

 

These remaining drivers will be the top points earners at the end of the first 10 events of the year.

 

THE FINALS

 

The final three events of the year – the Gold Coast, Sandown and bp Adelaide Grand Final – make up The Finals.

 

Each of the 10 drivers competing for the championship will be assigned extra points, including bonus points based on their season results to date.

 

Therefore mathematically, only these 10 drivers will have the chance to win the championship. This is unlike previous seasons, when most of the top 10 drivers have not been mathematically able win the championship at this late stage of the season.

 

At the Gold Coast event, these 10 drivers accrue more championship points, depending on their race results.

 

Any championship competitor who wins a Gold Coast race is automatically eligible to continue competing at the next round of The Finals at Sandown.

 

Three of these 10 drivers, however, will be eliminated. These will be the lowest points scorers at this event who did not win a race.

 

At the semi-final at Sandown, seven drivers will therefore compete. They will be assigned extra points, including bonus points based on their Gold Coast results.

 

Again, if a championship competitor wins a Sandown race, they will automatically be eligible to compete in the Grand Final in Adelaide.

 

Points are awarded to drivers based on their results across the event and the three drivers with the lowest points scored, who did not win a race, will be eliminated.

 

THE bp ADELAIDE GRAND FINAL

 

Four drivers will race on the streets of Adelaide to determine the 2025 Supercars champion.

 

While the 20 other Supercars drivers will be racing to win the coveted Adelaide trophy and finish the season on a high, these four drivers will also have the championship trophy in their sights.

 

That is not to say the other drivers will play nicely by easily letting the championship contenders pass them by.

 

They will be fighting to do the best for their own season, to reward their teams with the best possible result, and, in some cases, to settle old scores by making it hard for the championship contenders to earn their place in history.

 

The four championship contenders will enter the Grand Final with a points tally based on their Sandown result  5050, 5030, 5015 or 5000 points.

 

They will then accrue points during the three races to be held at the 2025 Adelaide event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

The driver with the most points accrued at the end of the bp Adelaide Grand Final weekend will be crowned the 2025 Supercars champion after the chequered flag falls on Sunday – and epic celebrations will begin!

 

Make sure you have your ticket for the new era of the bp Adelaide Grand Final, 27 – 30 November 2025.  Buy now at Ticketmaster