Scott McLaughlin's hopes of competing at this year's Bathurst 1000 have hit a roadblock, with the event rescheduled for December.
The three-time Supercars champion is at the business end of his first season in IndyCar, sitting 13th in the championship, with five top-10 finishes.
The Kiwi has hoped to link with his former team, Dick Johnson Racing, for the classic endurance event, after his US campaign, but uncertainty around Australia's COVID-19 situation - and now the date change - has all but ended that ambition.
With 2022 IndyCar pre-season testing beginning mid-December, McLaughlin will likely skip the trip back to Australia to focus on his second year with the famed Penske team.
The 64th running of the 'Great Race' will now be held on December 5 - the latest date in the history of the event - due to COVID-19.
The series is currently on hold, with fears that Bathurst may be the only date possible on a yet-again revamped calendar.
"It's been a tough year for motorsport fans, but we're confident this is the recipe for the best possible end to the 2021 season," says Supercars chief executive Sean Seamer.
The next scheduled round is pencilled in for Winton in Melbourne in two weeks, with Sydney Motorsport Park to host a round from November 19-21.
Two other rounds are currently listed as 'to be confirmed' at unknown venues, after the cancellation of the Gold Coast and Newcastle events earlier this month.
