V8s seek standalone Singapore event

27/03/2008 V8 Supercars Australia has its eye set on a standalone Championship event in Singapore, not as a support category to the Formula One as first thought.

As Singapore prepares to host its inaugural F1 night race this September, recent paddock talk has suggested that V8 Supercars could be the perfect daytime support event if a deal to take Australia's premier racing category off-shore to Asia was to eventuate.

However, speaking to V8 Insiders, V8SA spokesperson Cole Hitchcock revealed that the category was exploring the opportunity of holding its own standalone event at a different time of year to that of F1, but still on the same 5.067km street circuit being constructed for this year's F1 race.

“We're not talking to Singapore about racing during the F1 weekend, I think you'll find we're talking about racing at Singapore on our own card as we do in Bahrain,” said Hitchcock.

“We're in the very, very early stages of talking to them about a possibility, and I stress it's a possibility, of staging an international V8 Supercar round at the Singapore circuit but not on the same weekend as the Formula One event.”

V8SA chief Wayne Cattach recently told BigPond Sport that talks about a possible event were “productive” but stressed a deal was nowhere near being signed.

“There is no offer on the table,” said Cattach. “We have had a general discussion about the possibilities, but there is nothing concrete. At this stage it is a case of them getting to know what we do.”

V8 Supercar figureheads have confirmed already meeting twice with Singapore Grand Prix officials this year. Approximately 50 Singapore representatives were guests of CAMS at the opening round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series last month to further scout for marshals and other such provisions of services which CAMS is contracted to provide for the Singapore F1 event.

They also took the opportunity to investigate the possibilities of staging a Supercar race in their country at the same time, and discussions were continued with a different group of delegates at the recent Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne two weeks ago. It is understood Bahrain International Circuit custodian Martin Whitaker was also consulted regarding the way it has integrated V8 Supercars into its circuit event management for the Singapore contingent to learn from.

In pursuit of building a motorsport industry in Singapore, the Republic's government recently opened up a site along the seafront in Changi to build a possible private Grade 2 racetrack. It would not be at the required FIA standard for a Formula One Grand Prix, but events like the A1GP, MotoGP, Japan GP would be suited. While facilities for car testing, a driving training school and an FIA-CIK-approved kart raceway were also proposed. It is not understood whether V8 Supercars could contest a round there as well.

It is also a possibility that Singapore Grand Prix officials could be present at round three of the V8 Supercar series at Hamilton, New Zealand, in late April.