Drivers react to Perth street circuit plans

Plans of a Supercars street race in Perth have excited drivers Andre Heimgartner and Aaron Love, with a new circuit set to debut in 2026.

The Western Australian Government has announced plans for a new street circuit around Burswood Park, which could debut in 2026.

Perth has hosted Supercars since 1973, at the historic Wanneroo Raceway. Last month’s event attracted over 30,000 fans.

A new street circuit could attract over 50,000 fans per day, with the new track to be based on the Townsville and the Gold Coast models.

Roads in the Burswood area would be upgraded and converted into a circuit, with the event complemented by a 10-day festival in Perth and Kwinana.

“It would be so cool, I’ve always had that little kid dream of being able to drive your race car around home and things like that. So, to be able to have a street circuit here would be so much fun,” Perth-born driver Love said said.

“It’d bring so many new fans down for the sport, from international to people that haven't really experienced before because it's a bit difficult for them to get out to Wanneroo.

“Winning any race is pretty cool, let alone a home race and a home race that's so close physically to home is really cool and for everyone to come and experience that is just an awesome thought.”

Brad Jones Racing driver Heimgartner, who relocated to Perth this year, said the area would not only cater for exciting racing, but also an improved experience for fans.

“It’d be amazing. I think for myself, a lot of my family spend a lot of time at the Crown and obviously they're big footy fans too, so I'm quite acquainted with this area,” Heimgartner said.

“I've done a lot of running around here, and when I heard that it was on the cards, I thought, well, that's quite amazing because when you spend time in this area, it's quite picturesque, it has a nice vibe, almost feels like you're on a bit of a holiday.

"So to bring a bit of the racing side to this area, I think will just be added bonus. The difference between a street circuit and Wanneroo is quite a lot, really. I mean, Wanneroo is a bit further out, so that's a bit restrictive.

“You'd be amongst the whole action here. We've got millions of hotels. We've got the city right there. We've got the Crown, so no doubt that the access to get here is much easier.

“There's trains, buses, all that sort of stuff. You can catch an Uber. So it opens it up and people will think, ‘Why not? I'll just head there’. So, it opens up a whole new crowd.”