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New name for new era of iconic Adelaide street race

Safety Car at 2022 Adelaide 500

By Thomas Miles

A new name will be rolled in for the first chapter of the new Finals era of the famous Adelaide Supercars street race.

This year’s Supercars season finale on November 27-30 will be known as the bp Adelaide Grand Final.

It will be the first time witnessing the new and anticipated finals format where the 2025 Supercars title will be decided in a winner-takes-all four-way showdown across the three races held on the streets of Adelaide.

It will be a welcome change given that since Adelaide has become the curtain closer of the Supercars season, there has not been a single grandstand finish.

In 2022 Shane van Gisbergen had wrapped it up well before they arrived in Adelaide, while a year later he was battling Brodie Kostecki, but the Erebus driver sealed it effectively on the very first lap of the weekend.

Thomas Randle leading the way at the start of the 2023 Adelaide 500. image: Peter Norton

Last year was a similar story with Will Brown locking it up with a special drive on the Saturday.

No matter what happens, it will all be decided in the final race and may even go down to the final lap.

Bp will become the fifth major sponsor of the famous street race following Clipsal, Superloop and VALO/VAILO in recent years, while the event has also been called the Sensational Adelaide 500 and Adelaide 500 in the past.

The 2025 meeting will also recognise the 40th anniversary of racing on the streets of Adelaide since the groundbreaking maiden Australian Grand Prix staged in 1985.

Bp is familiar to Supercars fans having sponsored the Safety Car over the last five years.

Fans will also benefit from the announcement with bp Rewards members to get access to limited four-day grandstand tickets through an exclusive pre sale.

The man who brought the race back, SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, who has currently enjoyed a booming period for sport in the state thanks to Gather Round and South Australia’s Sheffield Shield Final win, is excited to see the new era of the event when Supercars take centre stage in November.

“The Adelaide 500 has always had pride of place on the national motorsport calendar, but the advent of the bp Adelaide Grand Final will take that to the next level,” he said.

The fact that bp is partnering with the South Australian Motorsport Board speaks to the event’s stature.

“bp is a high quality, global brand with massive reach and will be actively promoting the event to its huge national customer base.

“That means more people coming to South Australia to pay witness to the best Supercars event in the country.

Bp has backed the Safety Car for the last five years. Image: Peter Norton

“The event will only get better, with the new format of the bp Adelaide Grand Final ensuring that we play host to the season decider every year.”

“We’re delighted to embark on a distinctly new and successful era with bp for the bp Adelaide Grand Final,” added Mark Warren, South Australian Motor Sport Board CEO.

“The event has consistently set the benchmark for motorsport events across the last 25 years, and in collaboration with bp, we are certain it will elevate to new heights again, with fans in South Australia and interstate set to be the beneficiaries.

“Together we share an unmatched passion for motorsport and are committed to delivering a spectacular Grand Final that will serve as a landmark sporting moment, drawing the eyes of the nation to the streets of Adelaide.”

“We’re waving the green flag in the Festival State this year,” said to Paul Augé, Senior Vice President, bp Australia and NZ.

“We started by expanding our fuel network through X Convenience and now we’re bringing bp to the biggest motorsport event in the country; the bp Adelaide Grand Final.

“In the 5 years we’ve partnered with Supercars, we’ve achieved a lot on and off the track.

“Now, we’re entering a new era with the bp Adelaide Grand Final.”

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