Motorsport: Drivers react to proposed Supercars calendar changes

Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen is not a fan of hot racing. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi drivers like the current Supercars series format and would need to be convinced before accepting a radical plan to move to a summer series in the future.

Speedcafe this week reported the series is considering a move to being a summer series to avoid battling NRL and Australian Rules Football – codes many Supercars fans follow.

The report suggested a move from the current season structure that starts in March and runs until November to calendar that begins in September and runs through the following May with a winter off-season.

Speaking at the launch of this year's New Zealand round 2016 champion and current series runner-up Shane van Gisbergen admitted a preference for avoiding the summer heat.

"I don't enjoy that – we have too many hot races as it is," the Red Bull Holden racer told The Herald. "I try and spend as less time in Australia as possible at that time of the year because it is too hot.

"We already struggle through those races but that is a selfish reason. The big wigs will make those calls and we will deal with it."

Nissan Motorsport's Andre Heimgartner is open to change if it significantly improves the product although he thinks the current format works well.

"They seem to have a formula at the moment that works but if they can figure out a better way then great," Heimgartner said.

"It is one of those things where they need to be careful not to make it too compact for the teams to operate.

"Even as it is some of the rounds we have, teams don't really have enough time to prep the cars and get ready for the next race.

"I don't mind the schedule as it is now."

The current schedule sees the season begin on the streets of Adelaide before a string of races in the southern part of Australian in autumn. The series then moves to the tropical destinations like Darwin, Townsville and Ipswich during the winter months.

While that works from a weather standpoint it puts stress on teams – half are based in Melbourne and the other half in Queensland.

"For us, at the start of the year, it was tough with Melbourne and all the southern races and across to Perth," Van Gisbergen explained. "But the Melbourne teams are struggling now so it all evens out.

"It is quite a condensed calendar now but I think it is managed pretty well."

Supercars would not comment about the calendar proposal.