Gold Coast roars as 197k fans pack 2025 GC500
A record 197,000 fans and $60 million boost at this year's 2025 Gold Coast 500.
What’s happening?
More than 197,000 fans filled the streets of Surfers Paradise for the 2025 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 over the weekend, marking another record-breaking year for Queensland’s biggest motorsport event.
Why it matters
The three-day spectacle launched the first-ever Repco Supercars Finals Series, featuring two 250-kilometre races and a week-long festival of entertainment.
Chaz Mostert stole the spotlight, winning both races to open the Finals Series and becoming only the third driver to sweep the Gold Coast weekend in the event’s championship era.
The 2025 Gold Coast 500 reaffirmed its place as a cornerstone of the city’s event calendar and a vital economic driver.
Supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and Experience Gold Coast, the event is expected to inject around $60 million into the local economy.
Supercars Chief Executive James Warburton praised the success, saying, “The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 has once again delivered an incredible three days of racing and entertainment for fans here in the heart of Surfers Paradise.”
He thanked fans, volunteers and partners for their continued support, adding that the combination of racing, beachside activations and concerts made the event “one of a kind.”
By the numbers
• 197,427 fans attended across three days, one of the highest crowds in the event’s 30-plus-year history.
• $60 million was the projected local economic boost, matching 2024’s impact on Gold Coast tourism and business.
• 4,000+ concertgoers packed Surfers Paradise for Groove Armada, The Stafford Brothers, and Brooke Evers over two nights.
• 30+ years of legacy cement the Gold Coast 500 as a highlight on Australia’s motorsport calendar.
Zoom in
Chaz Mostert’s double victory marked his 26th career win and third on the Gold Coast, joining legends Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen as event sweepers.
His triumph lifted him to second in the 2025 Supercars standings, closing in on championship leader Broc Feeney.
“Today’s performance was all the team,” Mostert said. “We were perfect in the pit stops, held our nerve under pressure, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Feeney, who led much of Race 29, finished second but retained the championship lead ahead of the Sandown semi-finals.
Bathurst 1000 winner Matt Payne took third for Grove Racing.
Zoom out
The 2025 Gold Coast 500 was the debut of Supercars’ new Finals format, where drivers face elimination rounds leading to the Grand Final in Adelaide.
The weekend’s action saw Anton De Pasquale, Brodie Kostecki, and Ryan Wood knocked out of title contention, while seven drivers now head to the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 semi-final from November 14–16.
Beyond racing, the event’s entertainment lineup drew thousands, reinforcing the Gold Coast’s global appeal as a motorsport and lifestyle destination despite limited corporate hospitality caused by beach erosion.
Local impact
The event boosted local accommodation, dining and tourism sectors, filling hotels and energising Surfers Paradise traders.
Experience Gold Coast confirmed the strong visitor numbers underscored the event’s vital role in the city’s tourism economy.
What to look for next
The Finals Series continues at Melbourne’s Sandown Raceway on November 14–16, where the final four drivers for Adelaide’s Grand Final will be decided.
Fans will watch closely as Feeney, Mostert, Payne and the remaining contenders battle to stay in the championship hunt.
