It all comes down to Adelaide to decide the Supercars Championship
The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship is set for a dramatic finale at the VAILO Adelaide 500, marking the end of the first season of the Gen3 era. The championship battle has come down to Brodie Kostecki and Shane van Gisbergen, with Kostecki leading by 131 points.
Kostecki, driving for Erebus Motorsport, is poised to clinch his first championship title. If he outscores van Gisbergen by 20 points in the Saturday race, he will secure the championship. However, if van Gisbergen, driving for Triple Eight, wins both weekend races, Kostecki can still win the championship by finishing eighth in both races. This scenario would give Kostecki a total of 2876 points, surpassing van Gisbergen's potential 2865 points.
Alternatively, if Kostecki wins one of the two races, he only needs to finish the other race to secure the championship, as the 25th and last place offers 30 points. This would ensure Kostecki a minimum of 2876 points. However, the dynamics change if van Gisbergen fails to finish on Saturday. In such a case, Kostecki can win the championship by simply finishing the race, even if he finishes last.
On the other hand, if Kostecki fails to finish on Saturday, van Gisbergen can take the championship lead with a top-two finish. A victory would put him 19 points ahead, while a second-place finish would give him a seven-point lead. Then, Kostecki would need to outscore van Gisbergen by 20 points on Sunday to regain the championship.
Countbacks may play a crucial role in this championship battle. Kostecki's six wins to van Gisbergen's five provide him an advantage. If they end the season equal on points, Kostecki would still win the title on countback, thanks to his higher number of second-place finishes.
The teams' championship is also in contention, with Erebus leading Triple Eight by 170 points. Erebus can clinch its first teams' championship if it extends its margin by 118 points on Saturday.
As the championship approaches its climax, the VAILO Adelaide 500 stands as the ultimate battleground, where strategies, skill, and a bit of luck will determine the 2023 Supercars champion.
