Taupo A1GP Future Looks Doubtful.....

[Armco Bender]

Dust wasn't a problem this year,it was a beautiful hot day with a very gentle breeze.
One of the biggest problems is those grandstand seats,they are way to small for the average Kiwi,lucky with so few people you could spread out.

[Evomike]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

I would think there is little chance of A1 coming back to Taupo,the crowd numbers are plummeting,2 years ago there were twice as many grandstands and they were totally full,this weekend they were half full at best.
The crazy thing is there was a huge historic meeting at Pukekohe,a lot of people must have gone there.

By the look of this photo Armco, you and where metres from one another...

[NAC]

Me to Armco, I must have almost been sitting on ya lap



Back to the discussion, I just could not help myself and had to take this pic.

Lone guy sitting in the grand stand as A1 cars on the track, Friday Practice session.


Friday was almost like a ghost town compared to the past 2 years. Really sad not to see NZV8's as support class. Best race of the weekend was the Porsche GT3 mini enduro, Shane Van Gisbergen coming from the last spot on the grip to 1st only to DNF, was still quite a spectacle and he showed a few how to drive.

[Evomike]

Originally Posted by NAC

Me to Armco, I must have almost been sitting on ya lap



Back to the discussion, I just could not help myself and had to take this pic.

Lone guy sitting in the grand stand as A1 cars on the track, Friday Practice session.


thats what the smell was

Friday was almost like a ghost town compared to the past 2 years. Really sad not to see NZV8's as support class. Best race of the weekend was the Porsche GT3 mini enduro, Shane Van Gisbergen coming from the last spot on the grip to 1st only to DNF, was still quite a spectacle and he showed a few how to drive.

So thats what the smell was

[socram]

Judging by the various pics above, Pukekohe didn't affect the crowd figures one iota, although some believe otherwise, but if you can't attract people to Friday and Saturday, then one of the real problems lies with the structure of the meeting. (Not withstanding banning all drink from the stands and not even being able to bring your own water in. Who else drinks about 3 litres of water on a hot day?)

If the Goodwood Festival of Speed has capacity crowds for three days, (150,000) and that is only (sic) a hillclimb, then A1 and even Motorsport NZ should be finding out what spectators really want, and I am convinced that it is not grid after grid of identical cars - small grids at that.

I often go to Goodwood for the sheer variety of cars, and given the choice between an A1GP meeting NZ style at Brands Hatch, or the Goodwood Festival of Speed - no contest, and I rarely watch any action on the hill either!

[Armco Bender]

Not withstanding banning all drink from the stands and not even being able to bring your own water in.

But of a faux pas there to,the Boss man was on radio Sport on Friday and was extolling the virtues of how they listen to the fans and food and drink,other than alcohol was permitted.

When you get there you find the NO Drink Nazis on the gates.....well they didn't look inside Armcos jacket where it was stashed...I aint sitting there all day without a drink....get stuffed Drink Nazis....

[socram]

Just got back from Taupo, for the Tasman GP weekend number 2, following on from last week at Pukekohe. Identical programme of 36 slick races over 12 race groups, 300 drivers, a lot of delectable machinery and a fascinating paddock.

For the F5000 race (brilliant!) I counted just 100 (exactly!) people in the public grandstand. Loads in the paddock viewing, who were competitors and their guests, which is where the crowd really came from, but the real eye opener was in Taupo itself.

Firstly, I had lived in NZ for several years and driven through Taupo regularly, without knowing there was even a race circuit there! OK, so it used to be just like Mallory Park at about 1.3 miles long and an equally vicious hairpin, but it wasn't until I was asked to take over a race series in 1996, that I even knew of it, and then I had to try and find it. The track then, never appeared on a Taupo Street map.

Now it is up to A1GP standard and millions spent on it, guess what? It STILL isn't on the street map nor is it adequately signposted!

Silverstone is on road signs from many miles away, but NZ doesn't seem to have signs that are of much value for the tourists, other than a few scenic attractions. The same incidentally applies to Pukekohe but that does at least appear on the Auckland region street map.

The barman at the restaurant Friday night said that as a local, he had no idea when there was anything on at the circuit. It wasn't until we turned up (early) that he knew that there was any racing on!

The promoters of this weeekend advertised in local papers, so if the locals missed the ad, the tourists had no chance. The ones we spoke to, knew nothing, of course.

In the pub eatery Saturday night (crowded with motorsport people by the time the evening was in full swing, and I counted at least seven very large groups of drivers and officials) a tourist was bemoaning the fact that he didn't think there was anything on for the weekend, motor racing for example - needless to say, he was put right very quickly!

Far be it for me to point fingers, but Taupo as a town, is obviously proud of all the events held there, "Event Capital of NZ!" yet they are generally for participants, rather than spectators (Iron man, Marathons, Relays round the lake, Fishing, etc) and I think that the council, tourism department, press, and business associations and maybe even the service clubs, have not helped with Taupo race track's financial woes. All the more unfortunate, as the council put a lot of money into the upgraded facility. If Taupo loses the A1GP, it will be a combination of factors.

The owners of Hampton Downs are adamant that they will not have a ban on spectators bringing in their own food and drink, nor will they overcharge the concessions to be there either.

Motorsport relies on competitors/sponsors to pay the bills, and for spectators to provide the profits, so as long as the spectators are ignored, meetings will never succeed financially over the longer term.

A1GP needs to be part of an attractive weekend, and promoters need to look a bit wider than they have in NZ so far, with value for money on and around the track, and as posted above, they need to listen to those paying spectators first, not last.

Most of all, the Tracks need to be on the maps and signposted properly with a calendar of upcoming events. Is that so difficult in this age of communications?

[NAC]

Originally Posted by socram

Motorsport relies on competitors/sponsors to pay the bills, and for spectators to provide the profits, so as long as the spectators are ignored, meetings will never succeed financially over the longer term.

A1GP needs to be part of an attractive weekend, and promoters need to look a bit wider than they have in NZ so far, with value for money on and around the track, and as posted above, they need to listen to those paying spectators first, not last.

Most of all, the Tracks need to be on the maps and signposted properly with a calendar of upcoming events. Is that so difficult in this age of communications?

I'm with ya. Well said

[Mak]

I may be incorrect, but I am sure I heard that A1GP took on the responsibility for all marketing of events a few years ago. In the first year it was the circuits responsibilty but A1 beleived they could do a better job.

[TR7V8]

Originally Posted by Mak

I may be incorrect, but I am sure I heard that A1GP took on the responsibility for all marketing of events a few years ago. In the first year it was the circuits responsibilty but A1 beleived they could do a better job.

What I was hearing amongst the Taupo Car Club at the race I'd say you were correct Mark.

[Armco Bender]

The End of Taupo A1GP

Taupo has lost the New Zealand A1GP motor racing round, and is to be replaced by the new Hampton Downs circuit in the north Waikato.

A1GP New Zealand today confirmed that, following submissions from Taupo Motorsport Park and Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, its preference was for Hampton Downs to host the race in early November.

Hampton Downs -- midway between Auckland and Hamilton -- confirmed today it intended to be open for business from June and have its international circuit completed by September.

"Taupo has done a really great job over the past three years but the commercial reality for the event and the series is that it needs to be closer to larger population bases and Hampton Downs sits neatly between both Hamilton and Auckland."

http://http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/...for-A1GP-Taupo

[socram]

The only downside so far as I can see, is that there are no covered stands at HD, but there again, none at Taupo either... Take an umbrella.

It will need a massive amount of work to get HD finished in time, but they have just grabbed an extra $19m loan from BNZ. The apartments are due to have titles issued any day now, so that will bring $20m into the coffers plus the sale of several lifestyle blocks, workshop units and the 'village' of shops, pub etc. Also a camping ground available.

Plans for a hotel too I gather, so in two or three years time, this is going to be a world class facility.

[socram]

Latest news is that it is now likely to be February at HD, or even November 2010. Great. That will give them time to get things finished.

[Armco Bender]

Have to feel sorry for Taupo,they've done all the hard work and then been left holding a very large debt to show for their efforts.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

Have to feel sorry for Taupo,they've done all the hard work and then been left holding a very large debt to show for their efforts.

It is sad it didn't work out over the long term. Considering the sum of money they had to work with they have a nice facility and track and hopefully over the long term it will do well. I think there is potential there no question.

[nic.v814]

Its a nice track in a nice place but its just to far from the big cities . But i cant wait to see them at HD