Supercars has cancelled the final race of the Taupō round as Cyclone Vaianu barrels toward New Zealand’s North Island, forcing officials to abandon all Sunday racing in what the championship has called an unprecedented situation. The third race of the weekend and the 10th of the season will now be held next weekend during the historic Christchurch round.
Organisers had already shifted Sunday’s race forward in an attempt to outrun the deteriorating weather, but with the cyclone expected to make landfall earlier than forecast, the decision was made to call off the day entirely. Interim Supercars boss Barclay Nettlefold said the scale of the weather event left no alternative. He acknowledged the disappointment for fans who travelled to Taupō but stressed that safety had to come first.
The cancellation capped a dramatic weekend of schedule changes. With extreme winds and heavy rain looming, Saturday’s two races were brought forward by 30 minutes and the top‑10 shootout was scrapped. The main 60‑lap, 200‑kilometre race originally set for Sunday was moved to Saturday afternoon.
Before the weather turned, conditions had been near perfect on Friday, with local favourite Ryan Wood topping practice two. Championship leader Brodie Kostecki secured pole for Saturday’s opening race, while Wood claimed the fastest qualifying time for the second.
Despite the disruption, Supercars says it is “delighted” to compensate fans by adding the Taupō race to the Christchurch event, ensuring the season remains on track.
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