Craig Lowndes says the revised Supercars championship will ultimately benefit the field from a financial perspective and ensure the longevity of the sport as it begins to ride out the economic aftershocks of the pandemic.
The three-time series champion opened up on Fox Sports yesterday to admit the unexpected coronavirus-induced hiatus consequently put a significant financial strain on all teams.
The sport has already witnessed the shock departure of 23Red Racing and series stalwart Will Davison as primary sponsor Milwaukee was compelled to grasp the nettle and reassess their sporting activities.
Monetary issues have plagued Supercars in recent times with Network 10 reportedly set to walk away from its free-to-air television deal.
Peter Wiggs, founder of Archer Capital which remains the majority shareholder in the series, told the Australian Financial review earlier in the month that Supercars “has been a poor investment” for his company.
Interestingly, Lowndes also highlighted that even before the season suspension there was ongoing discussions about reducing the number of rounds staged on the calendar in a bid to reduce overhead costs.
“There is talk about reducing the amount of rounds held per year and all this talk going on behind the scenes before we got into this lockdown,” Lowndes told host Matt Suleau.
“But post this lockdown and when we go to Sydney Motorsport Park, which will be a two-day event, we can really look forward to shorter, sharper races. Whether it will be a two or a three-race format I am not one hundred per cent sure.
“And it really is something where the main focus is on trying to cut the costs and keep the teams viable.
“We have heard at the moment that at Team 18 they are on the verge of whether they are going to continue, and there is also a number of other teams that are on that verge.
“So, the main thing now is trying to keep this viable for everyone to continue racing in Supercars.”
Lowndes went on to add his opinion on how the unique 2020 season will play out from a championship standpoint.
“To be honest I think for teams like BJR and Tickford the shorter period will definitely help them from the financial side of it.
“But I think at the end of the day Team Penske, Red Bull and even Walkinshaw United who have the best cars will still come to form. So, it will be interesting to see.”
The 2020 Supercars season is set to resume with its third round from Sydney Motorsport Park on June 27-28 as a Television-only affair.