Australian Racing Group director and key motorsport figure Barry Rogers is sick of the “absolutely ridiculous” hurdle in front of young drivers looking to race Supercars.
Motorsport Australia’s Superlicence requirements involve drivers in most National categories earning points towards a total (of 13) which earns them a Superlicence. However, Supercars itself has retained an added requirement – that drivers must contest 6 Super2 races before being allowed to race a Supercar.
This means that if you want to contend to race at Sandown and Bathurst as a Supercars co-driver, success in any National class such as S5000, Trans Am, FIA TCR, Carrera Cup – and even Super3 (which runs in the same races as Super2), is not enough, under Supercars requirements – even if you have the required Superlicence points.
Critics see the Super2 compulsion requirement as a means of the organisation propping up the category, which is where surplus-to-requirements Supercars are consigned.
Barry Rogers – ARG director and co-owner of Garry Rogers Motorsport. GRM have been massive supporters of young motorsport talent in Australia. by Jack Martin Photography.
The start of the 2023 ARG SpeedSeries season has been characterised by modest grid sizes, and Rogers says this is partly down to the Supercars’ licensing requirement, which he believes is negatively affecting all levels of the sport.
It was also a hot topic of discussion in the latest episode of the AUTO ACTION RevLimiter podcast.
“No doubt, some of the grid sizes aren’t where you want them to be, but there are factors,” Rogers told AUTO ACTION.
“We talk to a lot of young drivers, and the ‘compulsory’ pathway that Supercars have created, where they say that you have got to do Super2 to get into a Supercar, has impacted grassroots and mid-range motorsport.
Super3 star Cameron McLeod would be unable to drive a Supercar yet due to Supercars’ Super2 ‘compulsion’ despite starting in the same races as the Super2 drivers who might qualify under the current regulations.
“Until that is sorted out, I think grid sizes won’t be easy because a lot of young drivers in Australia dream of racing Supercars – and that’s fantastic and as it should be.
“But there needs to be more than one avenue for drivers to get there, without being forced to spend $500,000 to race a second-hand and now superseded Supercar.”
One of the biggest losers from the licensing controversy is S5000 winning machine Joey Mawson.
Joey Mawson is good enough to dominate S5000 and beat Mick Schumacher, but is not allowed to race a Supercar. Image: Daniel Kalisz Photographer
The 2016 ADAC Formula 4 champion (a series he won competing against the likes of Mick Schumacher) is now a double S5000 Gold Star champion and this pedigree attracted the likes of PremiAir Racing to evaluate him for a co-driving role with Tim Slade, having completed laps with the team at the Sydney pre-season test.
However, Supercars’ ‘6 Super2’ race requirement, which conflicts with Motorsport Australia’s Superlicence requirements, seems likely to see Mawson excluded.
Rogers used Mawson as the perfect example as a supremely talented driver being held back.
The S5000 field roars into turn 3 at the start of a race as part of the 2022 Adelaide 500. Jordan Boys leads former F1 star Giancarlo Fisichella. S5000 drivers must have an International C Licence to compete. Image Jack Martin Photography.
“Not everyone’s got half a million bucks-plus to go through Super2, and it’s a shame because an S5000 is probably the most challenging car in the country to drive,” he said.
“And you have a guy like Joey Mawson, who beat Mick Schumacher to the German F4 crown, raced against guys like Lando Norris in Europe and is a double Gold Star champion, but under the current Supercars driver participation requirements is deemed unfit to drive a Supercar – by Supercars only.”
Rogers is calling for Motorsport Australia to intervene: “It’s absolutely ridiculous and it needs to change.”
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PODCAST: The latest episode of the Auto Action RevLimiter podcast is out now!
Andrew Clarke and Auto Action’s Bruce Williams and Paul Gover sat down for a candid chat on the teams, drivers and the #Supercars series championship.
