"WE'LL get back here to Bathurst in February."
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With the champagne that was sprayed on the Mount Panorama podium barely dry, those words from Supercars chief executive officer Sean Seamer hinted it may not be long until another epic battle at Mount Panorama.
On Sunday Bathurst played host to the Supercars finale for the first time in 20 years and prior to the epic battle which ended in Red Bull Racing duo Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander claiming victory, it had been speculated season 2021 would begin at Mount Panorama.
Speaking during the Supercars annual awards held at the track on Sunday evening, Seamer further fuelled that speculation.
"I wish everybody a good time, get home, get home safely, and enjoy some down time with your families and we'll get back here to Bathurst in February," he said.
Mount Panorama shapes as a likely candidate for a season opener given Supercars owns the Bathurst 12 Hour - an event traditionally run in February.
With the COVID-19 pandemic having that event in doubt given it usually involves a host of international teams and drivers, a Supercars sprint round could become an option.
While the official calendar is yet to be released and just what event Bathurst hosts in February remains to be seen, Seamer was pleased what has been a difficult season had such an exciting finale on Sunday.
"It's been said a million times but this is a year like no other, and it's put us under a tremendous amount of pressure," he said.
"But the way that we've conducted ourselves, the resilience we've shown, has proved to the world exactly why we are some of the best in the world at what we do.
"For all of that, everybody in this paddock, in this pit lane, the teams, the Victorian teams, should be really proud of what they've achieved.
"It hasn't just got us to this point right now; it's set us up very, very well for the next five years.
"So, we come off the back of this year with a lot of great momentum, we've got a lot to be excited for in the next five years, but right now it's time to get back to families and the people that have made the most sacrifice of all of us, the ones that have missed their loved ones for so much time."
Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin has been announced as the 2020 winner of the Barry Sheene Medal, an award presented to the Supercars' best and fairest.
It is the third time the DJR Team Penske star, who also become a three-time champion this season, has won the prestigious medal.
Cameron Waters, who placed second in Sunday's Bathurst 1000 claimed the drivers' driver award voted by his peers while Ford was 2020's champion manufacturer.
