The gold coast event

[Peter Ford]

With the news that the a1 gp isnt going to be there next weekend,can the event survives just as an V8 round or will this years's event be the final one on the gold coast?.

[glenn_a]

Considering that the ticket sales and accomadation is already down, look's like nobody really wanted to see the A1's anyway.
For the event to go ahead next year the State government needs to relax's it's own policy on which other catergory wican be there (don't they have to be an international open wheeler), otherwise this could well be the end. We all know that the government didn't want just V8's, and understandably why, the cost's invloved in just for TC circus.
Will there be a return of indy cars to save the event?

[HSVDT]

The F1s could be a possible scenario for Surfers Paradise depending on whether or not FIA would allow it.

[STEALTHY]

Originally Posted by HSVDT

The F1s could be a possible scenario for Surfers Paradise depending on whether or not FIA would allow it.

I lol'd

[stoned pony]

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

I lol'd

Me 2. Qld govcernment needs to gete back in discussions with Mr George and his friends.

[retro]

If you go to this page of the Gold Coast paper there is a poll...



Get in and have a vote and see if we can keep this event going...[doesn't matter which way you vote really just get some numbers up...]

[mac]

I bet the QLD promoter now wishes they had tried harder to make IndyCars work - rather than bowing and scraping to Tony Cochrane.

The only other championship worth considering would be FIA GT - and that's even more uninteresting than A1GP.

Perhaps they could try to re-negotiate something with the IRL...

Or go after DTM or NASCAR - that would please Mr Cochrane...

[cavvy]

Motorsport is the big loser.

F1, fair dinkum .....

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by mac

I bet the QLD promoter now wishes they had tried harder to make IndyCars work - rather than bowing and scraping to Tony Cochrane.

The only other championship worth considering would be FIA GT - and that's even more uninteresting than A1GP.

Perhaps they could try to re-negotiate something with the IRL...

Or go after DTM or NASCAR - that would please Mr Cochrane...

I've been watching a bit of the Superleague formula this year and it has been quite good. 750 hp V12's and a nice Panoz chassis. I'd go for that but I doubt after this fiasco they'd go that risky.

Actually a Super GT and Formula Nippon combo from Japan would be a realistic option, especially considering the high volume of tourists the GC gets from Japan.

[mac]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Actually a Super GT and Formula Nippon combo from Japan would be a realistic option, especially considering the high volume of tourists the GC gets from Japan.

Not a bad idea actually - although I would rather GP2 Asia, as it seems Nippon has lost a lot of its sheen from the days when R.Schumacher and Irvine ran in it...

Would Cochrane have a problem with other tin-tops being on show...? Not that that SHOULD worry the organisers but we all know it would...

[Mak]

F2 would be good as it would be a support for V8's, only cost a fraction and already supports World Touring cars. Full grids of +24 cars all season and good racing. Also an FIA series. Williams designed car. ( International and cheap, fits the bill)

[nomad_n]

now come on it would be better with a full grid of F5000's thundering around the track imagine 40+ F5000's racing around mmmmm - now that would bring the people...

[Falcadore]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Actually a Super GT and Formula Nippon combo from Japan would be a realistic option, especially considering the high volume of tourists the GC gets from Japan.

Formula Nippon had only about ten cars this year. They are REALLY struggling. An intercontinental race would be beyond them ATM.

Formula 2 is a ladder series. All no-name up and coming kids. They are not significantly different from Formula 3 apart from obviously the cars themselves as far as image goes, may as well get F3, then you might get some Macau/Asian/Japan F3s and might then at least get a strong Australian entry too.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

Formula Nippon had only about ten cars this year. They are REALLY struggling. An intercontinental race would be beyond them ATM.

Yep I know they are struggling but there are few in motorsport right now that is not.

The recent race I watched was 13 cars, but I still have a few more to watch and haven't checked but hopefully the numbers went up.

[Woolley]

The question is, what is the target audience for the event? International TV coverage made it quite clear that the race was held in order to gain international exposure for Surfer's Paradise, with little travelogues and arty film of surfers interlaced with the racing. The racing they chose originally was America's biggest international category (NASCAR being essentially national, as well as catering for the blue-collar demographic). Champ Car also had reasonably high profile in Europe. It would suggest, then, that the money was spent in order to bring in international tourists to this holiday playground.

IRL catered to a similar market, but agreement (short-sightedly IMO) couldn't be reached. A1GP also had broad appeal if someone lower ratings. It's questionable whether anything else reaches the same market. Sportscars are very niche, and somehow I doubt ALMS would make the trip especially at this time of year, GTs have a tv audience of dozens - if you can happen to find a station that covers it - and I don't see Japanese tourists as being the target audience for bringing in any of their specialized categories.

I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but I don't see the value to the area of running a V8 round and so the event could well be in it's final throes, unless of course, the party continues regardless and the hotels continue to be booked solidly. Or liquidly, to be more accurate!

[retro]

Originally Posted by Woolley

The question is, what is the target audience for the event? International TV coverage made it quite clear that the race was held in order to gain international exposure for Surfer's Paradise, with little travelogues and arty film of surfers interlaced with the racing. The racing they chose originally was America's biggest international category (NASCAR being essentially national, as well as catering for the blue-collar demographic). Champ Car also had reasonably high profile in Europe. It would suggest, then, that the money was spent in order to bring in international tourists to this holiday playground.

IRL catered to a similar market, but agreement (short-sightedly IMO) couldn't be reached. A1GP also had broad appeal if someone lower ratings. It's questionable whether anything else reaches the same market. Sportscars are very niche, and somehow I doubt ALMS would make the trip especially at this time of year, GTs have a tv audience of dozens - if you can happen to find a station that covers it - and I don't see Japanese tourists as being the target audience for bringing in any of their specialized categories.

I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but I don't see the value to the area of running a V8 round and so the event could well be in it's final throes, unless of course, the party continues regardless and the hotels continue to be booked solidly. Or liquidly, to be more accurate!

Woolly...in the end this will be more about politics than v8 racing.

Premier Anna Bligh has just won an election [3 year duration] but is rapidly losing popularity in the polls with her own voters [blue collar working class] mainly due to some major stuff ups regarding the GFC.[putting it simply]

She is currently supporting the 3 rounds of v8's on a tourism type case to promote the various regions and of course her Government.

She needs the various seats/electorates in the Gold Coast area to maintain her majority in Government.

Okay just looking at the Super GP from the point of view that without the aspect of an overseas category I have a feeling that she will keep this event going for the voting value/popularity providing the mostly inept Opposition doesn't turn up the heat too much.[btw the Opposition Leaders seat is in this area]

[just my view]

[GTRMagic]

Mackenroth Gooooonnneee!

[smokinJ]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Mackenroth Gooooonnneee!

or Glenn going fast

[V8 Fireworks]

I take it F Ford wouldn't be sufficient for the open wheeler race? Even an international cup with a $250,000 prize that ought to get all the best of the best across?

[Falcadore]

Local Formula 3 isn't, so, no.

[retro]

There is so much publicity being generated around this years Super GP that it would be difficult to see Premier Bligh putting an end to the funding.

The Opposition Party has more or less gone underground on the issue, having demanded an inquiry by the Auditor General and getting it Premier Bligh now seems to soaking up the gloss.

Both local Brisbane papers and the Gold Coast paper and all the TV Networks are running feature story's in the main news as well as in the sports news. [brownie points to Premier Bligh]

If the organisers find a replacement international format that will fit in then all well and good but on the face of it the V8 Supercars and the Legends look like they can carry this forward. [and with Tony Cochrane's input...]

[retro]

here...

Ms Bligh told reporters at the Surfers Paradise track the event would go ahead in 2010 but wouldn't speculate about the exact format of next year's race or how closely the government would be involved.

[Crash Test]

I tell you what, it seemed like a pretty good crowd today...

[Gaz170]

I heard that there is serious talk of getting the Indycars back next year, with some time in August being the new date for the event. Looking at the Indycar schedule, some time around the Japanese race in September would probably be more sensible.

Any time would be ok, as long as it didn't conflict with school holidays (when all the accommodation is fully booked anyway).

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Gaz170

I heard that there is serious talk of getting the Indycars back next year, with some time in August being the new date for the event. Looking at the Indycar schedule, some time around the Japanese race in September would probably be more sensible.

Any time would be ok, as long as it didn't conflict with school holidays (when all the accommodation is fully booked anyway).

Is it hot enough in August for the sideshow?