[iV8SC12R24,R25&R26] Abu Dhabi - 2-4 Nov

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Not if it isnt part of a planned approach its not. An example of a strategic approach would be a long term focus, targeting a particular market and tied in key stakeholder support aimed at building a specific supporter base.

So far they have gone 1 year in China, then Bahrain, then Abu Dhabi and now USA.

If I put a proposal to V8SA to race in Antarctica, I reckon it would get up regardless of where it sits in their overall strategy.

You're not mentioning the full story though - China was never planned just as a one year deal but it became that after the original promoter was replaced.

Bahrain was a multi year deal but the problems there have been well publicised.

Abu Dhabi keeps going (so far) but I must say I'm not convinced by the weekend.

USA I think was announced as a multi year deal so yet to see how it goes. Austin is a big test but also a big opportunity in my view. There is an existing motorsport fan base in the USA that doesn't exist in China for example & there is a real chance to build something that works from a demand point of view in a very big market. Could blow it too so the pressure is on to deliver.

[NinnyMan]

Originally Posted by ForumNick

"At the last minute, V8 officials were informed that the series' regular safety car driver, V8 Utes racer Amber Anderson, was not qualified for the task at Abu Dhabi and had to be replaced by an F1-appointed driver."

From Here...

And that's the problem once you get into bed with F1. They rule.
Teams weren't even allowed to display the normal event sticker (most the time it's the v8 logo)
which sits on the door or the series logo on the bottom of the front guard.
I can't understand F1's objections tosimple things like logos.

At the AGP, whenever the f1's were on, the V8's had to have the pit tents closed and they weren't
allowed any pit boom or gas bottle signage to be displayed. Talk about being precious.

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by ForumNick

"At the last minute, V8 officials were informed that the series' regular safety car driver, V8 Utes racer Amber Anderson, was not qualified for the task at Abu Dhabi and had to be replaced by an F1-appointed driver."

From Here...

And yet on the coverage I could have sworn it sounded like her voice when the safety car entered pit lane and called it on the radio

[TWRv12]

Seems like a load of bs. Didn't she drive in Melbourne?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by sizzle

And yet on the coverage I could have sworn it sounded like her voice when the safety car entered pit lane and called it on the radio

May have been in the passenger seat

[Umai Naa]

Maybe it was Louise, and not Thelma.

[Average Punter]

Eureka!!!

After years of looking for the perfect solution to help people struggling to get to sleep, I have finally found it!!!



A DVD of the races from Abu Dhabi.

Works a treat!

[one five five]

Originally Posted by NinnyMan

And that's the problem once you get into bed with F1. They rule.
Teams weren't even allowed to display the normal event sticker (most the time it's the v8 logo)
which sits on the door or the series logo on the bottom of the front guard.
I can't understand F1's objections tosimple things like logos.

At the AGP, whenever the f1's were on, the V8's had to have the pit tents closed and they weren't
allowed any pit boom or gas bottle signage to be displayed. Talk about being precious.

Arguments with Australian touring car racing and a circus of Mr Ecclestone's over car stickers goes way back as far as the 1987 James Hardie 1000.....

[NinnyMan]

Originally Posted by one five five

Arguments with Australian touring car racing and a circus of Mr Ecclestone's over car stickers goes way back as far as the 1987 James Hardie 1000.....

Well even the GPA/GPC cars this year at the AGP had to remove the special event decals. Managed to save one, as everyone threw them in the bin.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

You're not mentioning the full story though - China was never planned just as a one year deal but it became that after the original promoter was replaced.

Bahrain was a multi year deal but the problems there have been well publicised.

Abu Dhabi keeps going (so far) but I must say I'm not convinced by the weekend.

But thats kind of the point - the haphazardness of these events and the inability to forge any long term consistant success with any of these events.

I recall after the China debacle - V8SA said it was a success to even hold a race in China? Rather than discussing its long term strategy for Asia

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

But thats kind of the point - the haphazardness of these events and the inability to forge any long term consistant success with any of these events.

I recall after the China debacle - V8SA said it was a success to even hold a race in China? Rather than discussing its long term strategy for Asia

I actually think that they've had a reasonably consistent strategy to focus on Asia & Middle East for 12 or so years. Brunei were looking at a V8 race as far back as 2000 - bunch of them came to the Canberra street race, then there was Singapore before they did their GP deal (& since), Philippines reported not that long ago plus an approach from Zuhai & recent talk of Macau.

Middle East has had serious talks with Dubai that kinda led to Bahrain, Abu Dhabi plus at least some interest at one stage from Qatar.

For both Asia & the Middle east there is clearly yet to be a motorsport fan base so the strategy is clearly to build that fan base with an interest in the V8s - could lead to much greater potential sponsorship for teams, maybe even spin off series in some regions at some stage. You gotta start somewhere though & expecting big crowds from the get go is not realistic.

The fact that Shanghai didn't get past one event may have nothing to do with strategy & more to do with specific local situation - same for Bahrain. Not easy to get up new offshore events & keep them occurring as DTM, Champ Car, Indycar, NASCAR, GP2, Ratel etc etc have all found out - including such as the one off Adelaide 'race of a thousand years'.

The big difference to all that has been Austin - pretty sure that came out of left field but really makes sense to give such a huge market a crack - particularly when there's an existing Motorsport fan base there.

[FAS33]

um I think the people of America's track wanted the race, and all the drivers said Hell YEA!!!! and now its sold out.

(just shows the differnce of racing in the moddle of nowhere and the land where racing was invented in America!)

V8SC went: hmmm if 1+ 1 = 2 and divided by 2 = 1 then it'll work!

[one five five]

Originally Posted by FAS33

um I think the people of America's track wanted the race, and all the drivers said Hell YEA!!!! and now its sold out.

(just shows the differnce of racing in the moddle of nowhere and the land where racing was invented in America!)

V8SC went: hmmm if 1+ 1 = 2 and divided by 2 = 1 then it'll work!

Racing was not invented in America, and the Texas V8 race is not sold out

[Purist]

It may have been the sprint format to some extent, but I think the GP Circuit produced better racing than the shorter course. The longer run at the start of the lap, bypassing the faux-Corkscrew complex, keeps the field more closely tied together, and then you get those two good slipstreaming runs down the back side of the course. Bypassing that short course cut-off also reduces the chances of a first-lap melee.

The GP Circuit is longer, but also a bit faster on average, and really, with the short course being almost two minutes around anyway, I'd stick with the GP loop. And if they cut out the chicane right before that hairpin, that would trim several seconds off the V8 lap times.