Neil Crompton set to lose voice of Supercars title

Credit: V8 Sleuth

The voice of the Supercars Championship has been Neil Crompton for decades, after retiring from racing in 2002, bringing his knowledge to the Supercars TV broadcasts.

Crompton is known for enhancing the level of sports broadcast, his knowledge and enthusiasm for the sport unmatched in previous years; he started popping up on TV in the 1980’s, his charisma and ability to connect with those at home undeniable. 

2026 marks the start of Supercars’ new deal with Foxtel and Seven, meaning the organisation have been quiet when it comes to announcing their commentary line-up, with rumours suggesting Crompton’s co-host, Mark Skaife, may also have the same fate. 

It’s no secret Supercars are wanting to re-develop and freshen-up their image, with an aim to push the sport to new heights in terms of racing, fan engagement, and visibility. With world-wide motorsport categories like Formula 1, NASCAR, and IndyCar gaining momentum with popularity, they have arguably been lagging behind, leading to changes in race formats, championship points, and now commentary relevance. 

Crompton broke his silence this week in the news: “Late last year Supercars advised me I will not be calling in the broadcast any longer, and although I am naturally disappointed, I totally respect the right of the senior management to make that decision,” 

“There is the possibility of participating in a reduced role in the broadcast for two events later in the year. Part time work for 2 of 14 events, in a limited capacity, is a lot to digest,”

Crompton has been a regular in the world of Australian motorsport, a house-hold name from both his time on track and on television. Under new Supercars management with returning CEO James Warburton, there have been rumours of internal changes that have been made to enhance the sport, including what platforms the category can be viewed on. 

“Big picture, nothing has changed. I’ve spent a lifetime loving Supercars, the competition, the people, the cars and I’m especially grateful for the endless passion shown by you, our fans, otherwise we’ve got nothing.” said Crompton.

A petition has been created by fans to keep Crompton on screen; in the past this approach has been successful, with Mark Larkham rescued from being axed, with fans making noise that was simply too hard to ignore. 

In terms of what happens now, the organisation is tight lipped, with rumours of racing heroes Mark Winterbottom, Garth Tander, and James Courtney potentially taking a similar role on-screen.

It is unclear who will overtake Crompton’s iconic role as the season kicks off in Sydney just next month.