www.v8supercars.com.au/more-os-events-pl...id/9618/default.aspx

Cochrane must be delighted that not having Barbagallo now frees up a spot on the calendar even if the article did say next year. What a coincidence.

My question is that if there are going to be overseas rounds, will we also get overseas teams? V8 Supercars Australia hardly sounds like a fitting term any more.

Expanding into the Asian and Middle Eastern markets could be a very good strategy, provided it is done properly. A full-blown regional championship, with teams and races in several Asian & Middle East countries is feasible.

Asian manufacturers would see it as a lower cost alternative to their domestic series and as a great gateway to the Australian & Middle East markets. The Car of Tomorrow would make the proposition even more attractive.

Middle Eastern countries are obviously very keen to establish their new luxurious facilities and would more than likely throw money at a series that promoted their area and drivers.

For Holden and Ford, it may give the Falcon and Commodore the regional relevance required to continue their existence.

A series such as this would attract not only the current crop of top-line Aussie drivers, but also Asia's & the Middle East's up and coming young talent. A V8 'SuperSeries' could also be valid destination for top-line international drivers (if the price is right, of course!)

Our best drivers, going up against world standard opponents in V8 supercars in a series comprising Yas Marina, Bahrain, Adelaide, Hamilton, Townsville, Darwin, Singapore, Shanghai, Fuji, Phillip Island, Bathurst & Surfers Paradise etc would be great to watch.

As for the local scene, the 'Fujitsu' would step up to be a major national championship. Drivers of the calibre of Besnard and Canto etc would ensure it is a very strong championship and keeps the local tracks cashed up.

So disappointing.

Disappointing because less relevance is being shown to the Australian/Kiwi race fan, who pays to see this series that features Australian and Kiwi drivers that are run by Australian/Kiwi (plus some English expat team named Triple Eight ) teams, yet the Australian hierachy at V8SCA want to export those Australians and Kiwis into countries where people would be saying "WTF are those things" when they come in to race. And nobody turns up to these rounds either, apart from the people who work there. As well as that, you start to imagine those who teams on a shoestring budget who have just enough money to run the team each year, and with more international events it could be asking a bit too much to run the team.

Then again...

You have Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (better known as DTM), which go to fabulous tracks - some of the best in the world that is - however the thing in favour of going to different countries are that they still have a lot of support overseas (including Australia - I love it!), therefore crowd isn't a problem, and the big one: like the V8 Supercars Series this year, DTM will fly away twice, once to Britain and once to China, but in their favour they don't live on an island nation that's isolated from most of the world.

I known I've gone on for a very long time, but there are things to consider about this move, one which I think is not right. I guess it can work, like Smekels said, but I highly doubt Australians would support getting rid of a round at Winton/Barbagello/Ipswich so that the Chinese can experience a round for themselves.

If it happens in exchange for a race lost in Australia or NZ, completely not cool... I mean VESA needs to understand that the reason they are successful is because Australia and New Zealand has supported it, so they need to cater to the needs of these fans first.

If however it occurs in addition, I think there's nothing wrong with that... if we can tap into the Asian market, south east asia particularly, we could have a whole new supporter base and as Smekels said we could have the premiere car category in South East Asia, with drivers from overseas and here, teams from overseas and here and maybe three or four car manufacturers.

I know we all love the Holden vs Ford battle, but I reckon it can still continue if we have another manufacturer there and it would be nice to have a new fresh face in the paddock to give even more competition to the series.

By the way, I think Singapore would love a race like this, they love their racing and I would love to go to my favourite country outside of Australia to see a race on the streets of the City, it would be awesome

If they have to have another Race overseas, go back to Pukakohe!

ASH_03 wrote:


So Greg Murphy can again win a race eh

But seriously barbagallo is my home track and its no surprise the v8's are no
longer there. I like going their but the parking and amenities are terrible.

The track is also to small i think .

Why the hell would people from singapore be interested in v8's cocharane ??
Aussies should build another big track similar to bathurst instead of going
overseas there.

If they keep g etting more races overseas does that mean there will be less racing in Australia because there schedual will become to hectic?

Wots wrong with more OS tracks? Id much prefer to see an overseas track where the cars can pass than most of the Ozzie tracks - the aussie tracks arent that great. Who cares how many people are in the stands. 1,000 or 12,000...who cares...its about the racing. Having drivers drive around the same tracks with no passing spots every year is boring. Plus it brings money into V8 supercars kitty if you go overseas. I love the fly away rounds and seeing the cars on new tracks - brings out the better drivers. I wish there was a fly away round(s) and start of the first half a year and a second fly away round(s) at the start of the run home to then end of the year. Its great telly. Crowd numbers dont mean sqwat ! Its all about dollars. V8 supercars arent dumb - they know how to get the most money in. They screwed the NSW government into paying for Homebush when Eastern Creek would have been a cheaper upgrade. The reason this happened is coz V8 supercars where smart and made the government cough up millions for a new street track knowing full well that the goverment owned Eastern Creek so the government would have to be upgrade it - with another injection of taxpayers money in the near future - the V8s double dipped into taxpayer pockets by doing this. Most importantly its not V8 supercar money paying for infrastructure. There is a million dollar upgrade report done from an English track design specialist business on how to improve the Eastern Creek site - so it will run a profit - it just needs to be implemented. V8 supercars knows that government owned Eastern Creek will eventually have to be upgraded making two Sydney based events each year. The only risk is that the leand becomes so valuable that the government sells it. I have no crystal ball on that chance. The V8s got millions out of the government to pay for two tracks - smart ! V8 supercars is getting everyone else to pay for its infrastructure. I want two fly away rounds each year !!! On decent tracks !!! Imagine V8s doing Laguna Seca !!! Im starting to wain as a V8 fan. Since Ambrose went to nascar ive been watchin Sprint Cup and i finally get why americans watch it - its about the passing. Theres 10 passes every 30 secs. Its great. Unless V8s race on tracks that they can pass on its not worth watching - single file racing is boring. Stick the V8s all in plane crate and fly away to decent tracks...crowd numbers mean nothing when you have a few events along the calendar that people will actually leave their house and spend the hundreds of bucks a day out costs. Otherwise TV coverage is king so put the cars on tracks so its better telly!!! (I bet Whincup goes the nascar soon)... you broke my heart vodafone ford *tear* i dont have a fav driver now...more OS races!!! Imagine SPA !!! *woof whistle*

I reckon the drivers and fans that watch on TV or cable care how many people are
in the stands.Without them it looks like a sport that has no real following , i myself
love screaming at holden supporters at the track and on tv