The Bend 500 2026 Tips, Preview & Predictions | Supercars
The 2026 Supercars The Bend 500 marks the season's enduro opener at the shorter West Circuit for the first time since 2020, promising tighter racing and more strategy due to increased laps and traffic. Broc Feeney is tipped for pole, leveraging his one-lap speed and Triple Eight's experience, but Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood are the favorites to win the race with their proven pace and teamwork. The circuit changes and experienced pairings are set to play key roles, with the Kostecki/Hazelwood duo likely to go back-to-back.
- Kostecki & Hazelwood tipped to repeat their 2025 The Bend 500 win.
- Broc Feeney favored for pole position; expects tight qualifying.
- Circuit changes will create more traffic and strategy challenges.
The Bend 500 Tips. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Supercars The Bend 500 2026 Preview & Predictions
Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood are tipped to go back-to-back at The Bend, with DJR carrying proven enduro speed into the opening long-distance race of the 2026 Supercars season.
- Supercars The Bend 500 2026 Preview & Predictions
- Supercars The Bend 500 Qualifying Tips
- Supercars The Bend 500 Race Tips
Enduro season begins at The Bend Motorsport Park, where 26 cars and 52 drivers will tackle 500km around the shorter West Circuit for the first time since 2020.
The change from the International layout to the 3.41km West Circuit should compress the field significantly. The race increases from 102 to 147 laps, while the tighter layout removes the long triple-apex section that traditionally spread the pack out. That should create more traffic, more pressure on co-drivers and a greater chance of Safety Car intervention.
Broc Feeney arrives with the championship lead and the Repco Sprint Cup secured, but this is a very different challenge. Nick Percat replaces Jamie Whincup alongside Feeney, while Matt Payne is now paired with Will Davison after Garth Tander stepped away from co-driving.
The combination to beat, though, may be Kostecki and Hazelwood. They won here last year, Hazelwood delivered an exceptional opening stint, and DJR's raw pace has remained strong throughout 2026.
- 147 laps around the 3.41km West Circuit
- 26 cars and 52 drivers will contest the opening enduro
- Kostecki/Hazelwood won The Bend 500 in 2025
- The 2025 race ran without a Safety Car
Supercars The Bend 500 Qualifying Tips
Broc Feeney is the pick for pole position after qualifying fastest here last year and continuing to set the benchmark for outright speed in 2026.
The West Circuit's shorter lap should make qualifying extremely tight, with traffic management and tyre preparation likely to play a major role.
Feeney remains one of the strongest one-lap drivers in the championship, while Triple Eight's experience at The Bend gives the #88 Mustang a strong platform heading into Saturday's Shootout.
Brodie Kostecki should be the biggest threat, particularly given DJR's pace here last year, while Cam Waters and Matt Payne should again feature near the front.
Pole Position Prediction: Broc Feeney
Supercars The Bend 500 Race Tips
Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood are backed to defend their Bend 500 crown.
Their 2025 victory was built on genuine speed rather than simply strategy. Hazelwood put the car into a winning position through his opening stint, while Kostecki held off Cam Waters in the closing stages to complete the job.
The shorter West Circuit should suit a pairing that can remain aggressive in traffic, and Hazelwood arrives with valuable recent race mileage after replacing Kostecki in Darwin earlier this season.
Feeney and Percat will be major contenders, but Triple Eight's refuelling issue cost them dearly here last year. Payne and Davison also form one of the strongest pairings in the field, while Waters and Winterbottom return after finishing second in 2025.
Race Winner Prediction: Brodie Kostecki / Todd Hazelwood
Top Betting Sites
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
31 August 2026
07 September 2026
- Iga Swiatek vs Qinwen Zheng -
- Tennis
- Elena Rybakina vs Naomi Osaka -
- Tennis
- Coco Gauff vs Iva Jovic -
- Tennis
08 September 2026
- Alexander Zverev vs Luciano Darderi -
- Tennis
- Moe- September 8 -
- Horse Racing
- Muswellbrook - September 8 -
- Horse Racing
Load More
