V8/A1GP deal secured

V8 Supercars has won the lions share of benefits to come out of the Indy cars departure from the Gold Coasts motorsport event.

The category has locked in a five-year deal with the Queensland Government to race on the Gold Coast with the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, which sees the two series sharing equal billing as the showcase events for the weekend.

In a deal confirmed last weekend, the V8s will complete two 200-kilometre races, which equates to more track time in 2009 compared to this year.

In 2009, A1GP and V8 Supercars will hit the streets of Surfers Paradise from October 22 to 25.

V8 Supercars will use the main pit area because of the need to refuel in the longer races with the 85 per cent ethanol blend of fuel (E85), which will be introduced at the start of the 2009 Championship.

The category will refuel on the outer wall in the main pit area, similar to how Indy cars used the area, while A1GP will be housed in the old V8 Supercar pit area, but will have use of the Indy pit area if refueling and new tyres are needed during a race.

Besides the need to refuel, the V8 Supercars’ two 200km races will be spiced up even further with teams given the choice to use the current control tyre or a softer, quicker tyre, which has a shorter life span.

According to the Queensland Government, a competition will be held to officially rename the event in coming weeks.

Queensland Sport Minister Judy Spence confirmed the A1GP will replace Indy cars, which would not commit to an October date in Australia.

“A1GP motor racing series will join the Gold Coast 300 as a co-headline act alongside the Australian V8 Supercar Series from 2009,” she said.

“Recently, we announced in-principle an agreement that the A1GP motor racing series would join the Gold Coast event in place of the Indy cars,” Ms Spence said.

Stone Brothers Racing driver James Courtney was happy to see the V8 Supercars ‘graduate’ to the old Indy pit area.

“It gives us a lot more credibility at the event by being in the main pit lane as this is one of the signature events on our calendar along with races such as Bathurst and Adelaide,” he said.

“With all of the new changes on our format next year it will mean that this particular event will place even more emphasis on V8 Supercars as the variables will make for a lot better racing than perhaps we’ve seen here in the past.

“I personally really like the two tyre compound scenario where you will find a lot of guys in places they may not normally be and in situations they might not normally be in.

“I think that is a great initiative by the sport and again here (on the Gold Coast) could potentially make a great difference.”

V8 Supercars Australia (VESA) Chairman, Tony Cochrane, said VESA was delighted to finalise the new five-year arrangement “at what has been one of our signature events”.

“The inclusion of A1GP at the event will add to the overall spectacle over the next five years,” he said.

“I know the teams are very excited about what will be our new conditions here at this particular event.”

A1GP lost its round at Eastern Creek when the New South Wales Government pulled funding.

The category’s Chairman, Tony Teixeira, said the A1GP wanted to go back to Australia and the Gold Coast was an ideal venue for the series.

“I am aware we are being given a perfect opportunity to showcase our series to the Australian fans, who have been great supporters of both the series and their own team,” he said.

“Australia has a rich motor sport heritage and I know our TV fans worldwide will be delighted to have this spectacular race on our calendar.

“Both the Government and (promoters) IMG have offered us every courtesy in putting this together, and I think we must have set a record in doing such an important deal in such a short space of time.”

Gold Coast 300 General Manager Greg Hooton said he was excited by the announcement.

"This is really something to look forward to – the A1GP cars and the V8s racing on the streets of Surfers Paradise, bringing the World Cup of Motorsport to the Gold Coast and Australia.

"Our event is Australia's premier motor sport event with four days and four nights of on and off track entertainment, and it is here to stay.”