Supercars CEO considering hybrid for the series

Hybrid tech could make its way into the Supercars series if considerations currently being made by management find their way to fruition.

While the rules currently accommodate different engines such as twin-turbo V6s as tested by Triple Eight, or different body styles such as the incoming two-door Mustang supercar, non-traditional powertrains such as hybrid and electric are currently ineligible.

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Supercars CEO Sean Seamer says the idea is in preliminary stages, with new rules not able to come in until 2021, but expects the decision to be made by the end of this year.

“We're looking at Next Generation for 2021, and I think that everybody's sort of been saying, ‘well, what next?’,” Seamer says in a statement on Supercars.com.

“There's a process that a team on the Commission is working through between now and the end of the year to define what Next Generation looks like, the car of the future.

“That gives us the full two years to work through development and implementation into 2021.

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“We will include manufacturers in those discussions to get their feedback and their inputs, and in terms of what works for them, and make sure that we understand what their long-term product roadmap looks like.

“Hybridisation is obviously a key topic, so we'll make sure we do our due diligence on that.”

With other major motorsport categories such as Formula One and the World Endurance Championship having also implemented hybrid elements, Seamer says it’s not a discussion unique to Supercars.

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He adds that manufacturers have also asked about hybridisation and what it might look like in Supercars.

“[They’ve asked] do we have the ability to do it? Is it something that we will consider as part of Next Generation? To which we have said, ‘yes, we will look at that as part of the program and the planning’.

“I couldn't possibly predict what the outcome of that exercise is going to be at the end of this year, but when we've got something to share, we'll make sure that we do, but it's still very early days.”