More Middle East Rounds to Come?

[Muzza]

The International V8 Supercars Championship will not compete in Europe in the near future.

As part of its new FIA ‘international’ status, V8 Supercars has agreed not to send the world’s leading touring car series anywhere west of Turkey.

Instead of considering offers from European tracks, Executive Chairman Tony Cochrane says that he wants to see the series race add another race to its opening event trek to the Middle Eastern.

Speedcafe understands that Qatar’s Losail circuit, or India’s new Formula One facility at the Jaypee Group Circuit are the leading contenders for a second event.

It is also expected that Singapore will join the series in the future, possibly as early as 2012.

Full Story: HERE

[WilliamsF1]

http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2011/02/14/v8-supercars-rule-out-european-race-events/

Seems that Qatar will be next I'm seriously over the Middle East just buying motorsport (and the world cup ) rather than building up their own major series. The tracks produce crap racing, there is not a soul alive in the grandstands and all the fans in Australia have to stay up at stupid hours to watch it. However I wouldn't mind if they did a few races in Asia instead. Races at tracks such as Suzuka and Singapore would be brilliant IMO as they are fantastic tracks, have a big local motorsport following and it's at a suitable time zone for us.

[bradk12fan]

The last I heard the co-owner of MWR, Robert Kauffman, was looking to start a NASCAR-type series in Saudi Arabia. Also, I wouldn't mind V8 Supercars coming to the US, I think it would be cool to see them run around a track like Daytona or Talladega

[Muzza]

I honestly don’t give a rats if they want to race O/S (would much rather prefer Asia as per Williamsf1 comments).
As long as they keep it how it is and do not remove any events from  , which is what TC has said all along.
Now that it is called V8 International and TC is not the king pin at the top of the table what will happen…..?

I personally think we may see them back at Eastern Creek next year 



PS; @ Williamsf1 i had posted this story as well so i merged the two

[Mothers Worry]

As long as they keep it how it is and do not remove any events from  , which is what TC has said all along.

And this is the real problem. Australia loses it's premier car racing series for the sake of.......... well; I'm not sure what it is for the sake of.

[bpratt]

I honestly don’t give a rats if they want to race O/S (would much rather prefer Asia as per Williamsf1 comments).
As long as they keep it how it is and do not remove any events from  , which is what TC has said all along.
Now that it is called V8 International and TC is not the king pin at the top of the table what will happen…..?

I personally think we may see them back at Eastern Creek next year 

Don't believe anything Cockring says, as he's only interested in the money they can make for him.

If they must go overseas, then similar timezones it should be as suggested earlier, i.e. Singapore, Suzuka, and other Asian tracks.

What was the idea behind night races over there anyway ? It took the live race times from a 21:00 EST or so start to a early morning start?

Granted the Middle East gets hot, but so do the streets of Adelaide Parklands for the Clipsal 500, and Yas Marina is not lined on both sides with concrete blocks on the edge of the track.

[Mothers Worry]

I noticed during Race 2 at Yas Marina that the stands were mostly empty.

[Muzza]

Don't believe anything Cockring says, as he's only interested in the money they can make for him.

I don't belive everything he says just most  

What was the idea behind night races over there anyway ? It took the live race times from a 21:00 EST or so start to a early morning start?

My best guess would be because  would not agree to telecast the races in a prime night time spot,  so if we tell the Australian viewing public that it is due to (insert any excuse you want here) in Abu Dubai.
This way V8SC can say we are doing our best and will telecast it live @ 1:30am to show our commitment, for those that don’t want to wait up we will replay it for you…..

Granted the Middle East gets hot, but so do the streets of Adelaide Parklands for the Clipsal 500, and Yas Marina is not lined on both sides with concrete blocks on the edge of the track.

Avarage temp last week in sand land were 25C, so i recon as per above.

[bpratt]

I wonder how the current civil unrest in those areas are likely to affect any future plans to run over there.

Already it is making the first race of this year's F1 looking very shaky.

[Mothers Worry]

I wonder how the current civil unrest in those areas are likely to affect any future plans to run over there.

Already it is making the first race of this year's F1 looking very shaky.

Considering that F1 has already suffered a cancellation there in 2011 only an idiot (read Cochrane) would consider Middle East rounds a commercially viable proposition.