Spring Training.... Good Or Bad?

[GTRMagic]

It seems that AVESCO is considering (i.e. TC has decided...) to hold a mandatory public test session for all 35 of its cars on February 18 & 19 next year.

The intention seems to be to launch the 2005 V8Supercar series with each of the teams and drivers represented, all painted nicely in 2005 liveries. Presumably this is to reduce the number of team unveilings at the Motorsport show in Melbourne before the AGP.

The choice of venue is curious, but clever at the same time.

The AVESCO mob seem to have chosen Oran Park as their venue... which if you think about it, disadvantages everyone equally as there are no main series teams in Sydney any more, and every team will have to travel in order to get to this event. Which increases costs at a time when some sections of the sport are crying out to reduce expenditure not increase it, despite offering another opportunity to put the show in front of a previously recalcitrant Sydney audience..

But from a marketing angle, does this work? If you thought about it for a while, the concept of having a mandatory test day (which counts towards the number of test days a team can have in a year - i.e. burns up one of the six allowed for 2005) is not totally silly, because there is a possibility of getting the teams their costs back by selling tickets to the punters thru the gate, gathered to look at their favourite teams, to cover circuit hire, and contribute perhaps to an appearance fee fund.

Its something I have written about for a while... to have a series of mandatory test days, where every man and his dog has to come and test. Perhaps we can make it a little more clever and allow say a series of 12 days at circuits across the country, make the first one mandatory for all, to introduce the cars and drivers and teams to the world... and the squads could choose from a selection of circuits across Australia to test at.

Think about it... if a car doesn't work at say Eastern Creek, a team such as Kmart Racing may, for example, choose to run one of their test days at this circuit to try and get a better handle on setup there, instead of pounding around and around and around Winton.

The prospect of rain washing out the events, or them being too hot for meaningful data could be mitigated by scheduling the different days at the appropriate times of the season for the climate in the location. So for example, testing at Queensland Raceway in December makes as much sense as testing at Phillip Island in June for argument's sake.

There is potential here to turn this into a money spinner for the teams, if the crowds on a weekday (and it would logically be a weekday) were strong enough to cover costs.

The cost savings for TEGA/AVESCO would also be interesting to understand, with the technical staff only required to attend these events, instead of each time a team wants to test at its local circuit. The teams would save money in a reduction in circuit hire costs as well... even if the track is just up the road from them, paying upwards of $5k a day, even if you do share it, can start to get expensive in a 6 day test environment.

Similarly, if there were only these allotted test days, any activities outside these days would immediately come up on the radar as a big no-no.

The only other problem potentially is one of supply of tyres. I would have thought it logical to allow a single set of new tyres per car per test session to be purchased, on top of whatever complement of used tyres remain from previous race rounds. What is becoming increasingly concerning in the class is the number of people who don't have years of experience in the cars, stating they are still not experienced in new tyre running, and how to get the most out of a green set of tyres. This learning can be helped along by the supply of new rubber...

If these days were to prove a success, perhaps the number of "test" days could be expanded, purely for the public relations experience of course

[bestfit]

MotoGP have been running official, all team test days for several years in the month prior to the start of the season. They are extremely successful, giving the public a chance to see the new liveries and getting a gut feel for the likely competiveness of the various teams. They also draw enormous crowds. I think it's a great way to get the juices flowing for the new season.

[racer69]

The BTCC used to do this kind of thing until the late-90s.

Not a bad idea really, but why should the teams lose a test day, considering half the time is going to be spent mucking around doing useless interviews and photograghs taken.

[GTRMagic]

As I understand it, this Oran Park test will be a 2 day affair, the 18th for taking pics, and getting interviews, the 19th dedicated to track running, hopefully officially timed as well.

Not that times are all that relevant or remarkable anyway for such things....

[cavvy]

I'm no fan of Coch0 but you have to give it to them - a professional outfit.

[marcus]

I think its a great idea.

as previously said MotoGP have been doing it and CART and Indycar have also done it and Formula One is sort of doing it (unofficially) but it gets all the teams together and gives us punters some kind of insight as to what might just happen the following year.

[Peregrine]

[Spunky]

Have a test day one day prior to a meeting starting, at that track. Only extra cost for teams is another nights accomodation really. They are all there, all get to test on the same track etc etc.

[Senna05]

Now there's a bloody good idea!!!!

On rounds during the AFL Premiership, make the race distance 300k's, 2pm start. Run qualy and shootout in morning.

Saturday, run a distance unrestricted testing session, with 1 additional set of tyres. Possibly, dangle a developmental carrot for the teams, allowing another set of tyres to be used by a driver not currrently in the series, promoting the testing of new drivers.

I'm sure this would suite the teams, the young gun drivers out there, and most of all, our beloved Channel 10.

[retro]

Originally Posted by Spunky

Have a test day one day prior to a meeting starting, at that track. Only extra cost for teams is another nights accomodation really. They are all there, all get to test on the same track etc etc.

Aren't Avesco/Tega going to have 1 hour practice sessions next year??????????

........and lets have this thing at the paperclip - better class of fan there

[Just Do It!]

How come people call it a paper clip when it looks more like a horse shoe??

[racer69]

Remember AVESCO did this back in 1999, then called the TEGA test day, it was so successful they haven't done it since.....until now (maybe)

[Mattracer]

I can remember the crowd at the meadia day at Bathurst in 1997 on a weekday was sizeable, and this was back in '97. Things have gone places since then. Test days open to the public that everyone knows about is a great idea. better still, have them in each state that the teams are based in, ie all Vic teams go to PI or Winton, Qld at QR etc. Actually that's pretty much all of 'em isn't it?

[GTRMagic]

They had one in 1993 also, Bondy dragged his Corollas up there, Mr Doulman had the 2L championship winning M3, LP had the future Bathurst winner...

There were quite a few people around... I can recall a very slow trip back to Sydney that evening...

[TSR]

Will the home of motorsport Ch10 televise the offical AVSECO practice session at Oran, and if so will the only show Saturday or both days. If they do this would a good opertunity for one Mr L.Diffey to whon in his vioce for the 05 season.

[rdmdog]

Good Idea, should have done it ages ago!!

[Mattracer]

The way it is nowadays, ana all-in test day is a great idea. Sure, gate takings would be acceptable. It woyld be expected and kept reasonable. Not paddock charges, just Friday levels for entry. TV coverage a bonus.

[GTRMagic]

It seems the TEGA-titans have chosen not to proceed with this experiment, despite the obvious advantages it would generate. It seems the teams are unhappy at losing one of their beloved test days....

... the logical thing to my mind would be to give the teams the option of buying a new set of tyres, as they have just allowed the V8Lites teams to do, and for the 6 measly test days to remain intact, on top of this promo day...

[Nicholosophy]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

It seems the TEGA-titans have chosen not to proceed with this experiment, despite the obvious advantages it would generate. It seems the teams are unhappy at losing one of their beloved test days....

... the logical thing to my mind would be to give the teams the option of buying a new set of tyres, as they have just allowed the V8Lites teams to do, and for the 6 measly test days to remain intact, on top of this promo day...

That would make more sense. If all the teams HAVE to be there, it's not like one team isrunning one extra day of testing and gaining an advantage over the whole field. All teams would be getting one extra day and all having an advantage...

Oh well, thems the breaks...

[Raglanparade]

Why not run the test days throughout the year at the circuits that do not get a race on the v8 Calender.

Winton
Wakefield Park
Queensland Raceway
Calder Park
Sandown Park
Adelaide International Raceway

You run 1 test day at each venue. They are all compulsory. These 6 days are the teams test days.

Calder Park can accomidate a big crowd, as can Sandown. You could even have the Sandown test day the week before Bathurst as a shakedown after the 500 before the big one.

[GTRMagic]

I like that idea jasonhill9884... then no team gets an advantage from testing on their "home" track.

What I would like to see though, would be a test day where a team can run any driver that hasnt run in the Supercar series in the last few seasons, to run as many laps as they like, to blood the driver in the cars.. running in components or going for outright laptimes... whatever... but to bring the next generation of drivers thru the ranks...

So lets say they run one test session at QR, and allow all the Qld based teams to run there... in the morning, a Formula Ford driver getrs to run 40 laps in an SBR car for example... and that entitles the team to run 40 laps in the afternoon session with the main series drivers aboard (or they could let the FF driver go again...) but unless the young kid gets a go, there is no afternoon testing for the team. This would work the same at a Victorian circuit for the southern/SA/Albury teams.... test a young guy/gal in the morning... let the big guns play in the afternoon....

Who knows, they may discover a talent for their enduro squad...

[Nicholosophy]

I can see why TC would not be in favour of this. The V8Lites are meant to be the feeder series for the Big Game, so if teams are suddenly testing and picking drivers from outside that area, it's going to show that the V8Lites isn't the great feeder series TC wants Joe Public to believe.

Oh sorry, this is a sport not a business isn't it...

[GTRMagic]

But teams are choosing drivers who arent coming from V8Lites... like Fabian Coulthard and Alex Davison from Carrera Cup, or a multitude of Formula Ford runners...

It makes sense for teams to be able to "give a young bloke a go" in an open test session, where there are other people around them, and see where they are in the grand scheme of things.

That you incentivise the teams to be given a "free kick" with their regular drivers in the afternoon if they give the young blokes a run in the morning should be enough reason to do it.

I know a number of very talented young drivers, who are the future of the sport, but dont have the publicity factory behind them to secure gigs... this would be a good way to try and equalise...

[Raglanparade]

The test sessions should occur on the back of a V8 Supercar event

TEST DAY ONE

There will be a compulsory pre-season test day. This will occur at Sandown Park the week before the Australian GP (Non-Championship Round) at Albert Park. This gives the teams a chance to come to Melbourne early (those from QLD and SA), and shake down there cars at Sandown 3-4 days before they hit the track at Albert Park.

This could also work in with publicity because the Celebrity Drivers for the AGP are usually training at Sandown Park the week before the GP. So you could combine celebrity training and V8 Supercar testing to create a spectacle.

If unable to use Sandown as a testing venue, Phillip Island is to be used as a substitute.

TEST DAY TWO

The week after the Adelaide 500, the teams stay in Adelaide after the race, or come a couple of days early, and run a test day on the Tuesday or Wednesday at Adelaide International Raceway. This gives those in Adelaide a chance to see the cars testing.
Mallala could also be used for the test day if it was deemed Adelaide International Raceway was not suitable. Alternatively, the teams could all line up at Woomera and conduct what will be known as a 'Dynamik Test'. If either circuit is unable to be used, the teams will assemble in Mount Gambier and MacNamara Park.

TEST DAY THREE

Manfield Raceway in New Zealand. The teams will be required to be in New Zealand a couple of days before the Pukekohe Round. A compulsory testing day with all teams in attendance in Manfield helps to expand the V8 Supercars into more then one location in New Zealand. Depending on Manfields schedule, other circuits in the north island may be used. Taupo anyone ?

TEST DAY FOUR

Queensland Raceway. This day will occur in the week before the Queenland Raceway Round. Gives teams a chance to familiarise themselves with the circuit, and also begin working on Bathurst and Sandown configurations. This will be the second last test session before Bathurst, and the last session before the Sandown 500. This session may be extended to give co-drivers extra time in the cockpit.

TEST DAY FIVE

After the Sandown Race, and before Bathurst, there will be a compulsory test day at Winton. This gives something back to the circuit that spent $15 Million upgrading and then lost a championship round. This will be the teams last hit-out before heading North to Bathurst. This test will be roughly a week after Sandown, giving the teams 2 weeks to further prepare there cars for the great race. This will be the last chance to let co-drivers obtain some much needed practise time.

TEST DAY SIX

This will be held at Wakefield Park between the Gold Coast and Simmons Plains rounds. This is the last hit out for the year, and could be used to help blood drivers for the 2006 series, or to obtain some final useful data. Inevitably, some teams will only have a box of bits left from the Gold Coast Round, and in that situation, the teams will be allowed to run a test day at Calder Park in the week before the season finale at Phillip Island.

________________________________________________________________________

On a different topic, what is stopping teams from running in the Nurby 24hr, or the Spa 24hr as a form of developing the car. Im sure there would be other championships in the world which the supercars would qualify to run in.

[Nicholosophy]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

But teams are choosing drivers who arent coming from V8Lites... like Fabian Coulthard and Alex Davison from Carrera Cup, or a multitude of Formula Ford runners...

It makes sense for teams to be able to "give a young bloke a go" in an open test session, where there are other people around them, and see where they are in the grand scheme of things.

I totally agree and think the idea is a great idea. However I was just looking at it from a TC view...

I can't see him liking it one bit.