[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?