V8 Supercars and Formula 1 reunite
August 3rd 2007 11:40
Originally posted on 24 July 2007 on www.orble.com/v8-supercars
It was announced yesterday that the awesome power and excitement of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix will be once more boosted by the presence of the V8 Supercars.
V8 Supercars have traditionally raced at the Grand Prix as the premier support category, an agreement that’s been in force since 1997, but it’s not a round of the V8 championship series and doesn’t contribute to championship points.
Next year’s Grand Prix will be held in Melbourne on March 13-16, a date change that sees the event moved from season opener to the second race on the F1 calendar so that the V8s can be included once again.
Speculation was rife earlier this year when, after many seasons as a support act to the main event, the V8s pulled out, opting not to be involved in the Australian F1 Grand Prix. Australian V8 Supercar officials suggested that a clash of dates between the Grand Prix and a round of the Supercar series was the only reason for the V8 Supercars not to be a part of the F1 event in 2007, however TV broadcasting was also considered to have played a role in this decision.
This year saw a change in broadcaster for the V8 Supercar series from Network Ten to the Seven Network, however Ten still retained the rights to broadcast the Formula 1 Grand Prix, creating a clash of interests between the two TV stations.
The V8 Supercars pulled out of the event but maintained that it had nothing to do with any TV broadcasting dispute.
Coincidence? I guess we’ll never know.
The absence of the V8 Supercars in this year’s F1 event in Melbourne saw a remarkable downturn in crowd numbers over the weekend causing critics to wonder whether the Grand Prix was good for Melbourne or not. It’s expected that the presence of the V8 Supercars will boost crowd numbers and make the event more financially viable.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman, Ronald Walker is positive the reintroduction of the V8s in the event will be good for all concerned.
"The current Formula One season is one of the best ever," he said, "there are a number of teams and drivers in contention for the championship and we’ve witnessed the emergence of a new superstar in Lewis Hamilton.
"I’m also delighted that the V8 Supercars are back. This is a great win for everyone and especially motorsport fans. The combination of the world’s most popular race cars in Formula One and the V8s – Australia’s number one national category - is unique to Albert Park."
Tony Cochrane, is also pleased to see the return of the V8s to Albert Park. "While it has been a very difficult task to match our complicated race calendars, with a lot of goodwill from both sides, this is surely a win for our teams and fans alike," he said.
Photo courtesy of www.v8x.com.au
It was announced yesterday that the awesome power and excitement of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix will be once more boosted by the presence of the V8 Supercars.
V8 Supercars have traditionally raced at the Grand Prix as the premier support category, an agreement that’s been in force since 1997, but it’s not a round of the V8 championship series and doesn’t contribute to championship points.
Next year’s Grand Prix will be held in Melbourne on March 13-16, a date change that sees the event moved from season opener to the second race on the F1 calendar so that the V8s can be included once again.
Speculation was rife earlier this year when, after many seasons as a support act to the main event, the V8s pulled out, opting not to be involved in the Australian F1 Grand Prix. Australian V8 Supercar officials suggested that a clash of dates between the Grand Prix and a round of the Supercar series was the only reason for the V8 Supercars not to be a part of the F1 event in 2007, however TV broadcasting was also considered to have played a role in this decision.
This year saw a change in broadcaster for the V8 Supercar series from Network Ten to the Seven Network, however Ten still retained the rights to broadcast the Formula 1 Grand Prix, creating a clash of interests between the two TV stations.
The V8 Supercars pulled out of the event but maintained that it had nothing to do with any TV broadcasting dispute.
Coincidence? I guess we’ll never know.
The absence of the V8 Supercars in this year’s F1 event in Melbourne saw a remarkable downturn in crowd numbers over the weekend causing critics to wonder whether the Grand Prix was good for Melbourne or not. It’s expected that the presence of the V8 Supercars will boost crowd numbers and make the event more financially viable.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman, Ronald Walker is positive the reintroduction of the V8s in the event will be good for all concerned.
"The current Formula One season is one of the best ever," he said, "there are a number of teams and drivers in contention for the championship and we’ve witnessed the emergence of a new superstar in Lewis Hamilton.
"I’m also delighted that the V8 Supercars are back. This is a great win for everyone and especially motorsport fans. The combination of the world’s most popular race cars in Formula One and the V8s – Australia’s number one national category - is unique to Albert Park."
Tony Cochrane, is also pleased to see the return of the V8s to Albert Park. "While it has been a very difficult task to match our complicated race calendars, with a lot of goodwill from both sides, this is surely a win for our teams and fans alike," he said.
Tony Cochrane - 'I'm happy'
Photo courtesy of www.v8x.com.au
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