The 2007 V8 Supercar season featured the ninth V8 Supercar Championship Series which began on 1 March and concluded on 2 December. This championship consisted of 14 rounds covering all states and the Northern Territory of Australia as well as rounds in New Zealand and Bahrain. The series also carried the Australian Touring Car Championship title, which was awarded by CAMS for the 48th time in 2007.[1]
The 2007 season was significant in that two new cars were being used by the teams. The Holden VE Commodore was a completely new car and the Ford BF Falcon consisted of several changes from the previous model. These cars debuted at the first round of the season at the Clipsal 500.
This season was also significant in that Seven Network broadcast the series for the first time since 1996, after Channel Ten and Fox Sports had rights to the series for the past ten years, and then revived in 2015.
The following teams and drivers contested the 2007 V8 Supercar Championship Series. Drivers are numbered as per the official 2007 entry list listed on the V8 Supercar website.
The Holden Racing Team and HSV Dealer Team temporarily had their TEGA licences revoked due to issues relating to the ownership of both teams, where under V8 Supercar regulations one person can only own one team.[2] Officially, Mark Skaife owned HRT and John Kelly (father of Todd and Rick) owned HSV Dealer Team, however the close relationship between the two teams and the presence of Tom Walkinshaw in both teams clouded the ownership of both teams.[3] The teams had their licenses reinstated temporarily pending the presentation of documents proving the ownership of each team to TEGA. On 22 February 2007, the HSV Dealer Team produced the required documents and has been fully reinstated to the championship,[4] and HRT was cleared to race on 27 February 2007 after satisfying TEGA that Mark Skaife was the true owner of the team.[5]
WPS Racing underwent a complete re-structure of the team with Team Principal Mark Larkham leaving.[6]
Paul Radisich was retained by Team Kiwi Racing, but was unavailable for the first round recovering from his 2006 season-ending crash at Bathurst – reigning Fujitsu Series champion Adam Macrow substituted for him. Radisich left the team after their deal with FPR fell over, and was replaced with rookie Shane van Gisbergen for the duration of the season when the team returned with SBR machinery.
Rule changes
Points would only be awarded to the top 15 finishers.[13]
The top ten shootout would only be run at the endurance events.[13]
A single 45-minute qualifying session would be held in a fashion similar to Formula One, where all cars compete in the first 15 minutes. The quickest 20 would then complete in the second 15 minutes and the quickest 10 would complete in the final 15 minutes.[13]
No rounds would be dropped for the championship.[13]
There would be a greater spread of points between the point scoring positions.[13]