No V8 championship race for AGP

26/03/2008 For the foreseeable future, the V8 Supercar support event at the Australian Grand Prix will not count towards the Championship, thats the message from V8 Supercars Australia.

With a proposed time change to 5pm expected for the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix next year - or perhaps an earlier 10am start to suit international television audiences – it was believed that doors would open to the possibility of giving the V8 Supercar races more presence at Albert Park.

A longer race format would make the V8 Supercars a serious lead-up event for spectators as they wait for the main F1 race, and awarding drivers championship points has recently gained increased support in pitlane. However, category CEO Wayne Cattach said it would not be possible at this stage to make the current non-pointscoring round count towards the Championship for various reasons.

“The V8 Supercar Championship Series requires the facilities to run full practice, qualifying and race start procedure in order to conduct a full-points Championship round at any venue,” said Cattach.

“This includes the ability to incorporate pit stops into the race format with the adequate team facilities on pit lane to conduct compulsory stops and the necessary garaging to enable them to make running repairs on damaged race cars.

“It also requires a minimum race distance,” added Cattach. “Typically the shortest race distance we host at a sprint event is three races of 120km with a compulsory pit stop. Clearly this is not achievable at the Grand Prix due to the time restrictions of a Formula One event.

“There is also only one other event [Indy] where we have agreed to a joint billing and we do not have any intention in the foreseeable future to duplicate that unique arrangement elsewhere,” said the category chief.

2008 saw the return of the V8 Supercars to the AGP after a one year absence, and was broadcast on the category’s previously contracted broadcaster Network Ten. But Cattach also revealed that Seven's current contract and exclusive rights to broadcasting the Championship was also a factor behind why the category does not contest Championship points at the AGP.

“The Seven Network owns the exclusive rights to all V8 Supercar Championship Series events. While the Australian Grand Prix is televised by a rival network we will not contest a full round of the Championship,” clarified Cattach.

“In the meantime we are quite relaxed about playing a support role at the AGP and offer a unique format that may vary from year to year,” he concluded.