2011 V8 Supercars

Heard this official launch on the V8 extra program in aus a couple of weeks back. no denying it now AVESCO....

30th March
V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA has this week unveiled its 'Car of the Future' plan, which will see the homegrown racing series introduce new rules and welcome new manufacturers from 2012.

While the series will remain the domain of V8 engines, the doors will open to imported cars and different capacities - provided the engine output meets regulations.
Lead by five-time champion Mark Skaife, the Car of the Future plan has been designed to both reinvigorate the series by introducing exciting new challenges, while also cutting costs and helping teams maintain a strong budget.

At the plan's unveiling this week, Skaife said that the cost of winning a championship has doubled in the past 15 years, and the ultimate goal of the CoF plan is to take the emphasis off money and which team has the most.
Under the new rules, the cost of a rolling chassis will be capped at $250,000, adding a further $50,000 for each engine - down from around $100,000.

Costs will be further cut in the long term by increasing control parts - including a control floor plan, control rear suspension and uprights, and new 18-inch control tyres.

Skaife said that even if the series is unable to attract other manufacturers, the CoF blueprint will still have a massive benefit to existing teams across the Ford and Holden camps.

“If you said in three or four years time that no other manufacturer wants to join the series, this business is still in a much better position,” Skaife said.

“You’ll have a safer car, you’ll have a lighter car, you’ll have better quality of racing, you’ll have a reduced cost base that is significantly less than today and you’ll have stakeholder viability with teams still in business.”

He said that while the 'Red versus Blue' battle has served the sport well, the changing attitude among buyers and enthusiasts meant that the series would benefit from welcoming other brands and growing the V8 Supercars supporter base as a result.

I'd rather see this than an initiation ford FWD ford Taurus trotting around the track
 
Australia's V8 Supercars will soon have a new owner, with the series' 18 teams and founding investor Sports Entertainment Ltd (SEL) entering into a sale agreement today with Australian Motor Racing Partners Pty Ltd (AMRP).

The sale to AMRP comes with a new ownership structure and a $300 million capital investment, supported by financial backer Archer Capital, an Australian investment firm.
Full details of the sale have not been disclosed, although a report in the Australian Financial Review claims that the Archer-backed AMRP beat out Singapore-based World Sport Group for the sale.

The transaction is expected to be completed later this month. While AMRP will become the championship's major investor, the racing teams and management will retain a 40 percent share in the series.

Previously, the teams held 75 percent of the series, with SEL holding the remaining 25 percent.

A new board of directors will be established, with V8 Supercars boss Tony Cochrane continuing in his role as Chairman. The teams will also have two representatives on the board.

“It has been a fantastic and exciting 14 year journey to date, and this new ownership structure and investment are an exceptional outcome for everyone who loves this sport," Mr Cochrane said.

"Everyone in V8 Supercars should be immensely proud of the business and the sport that has been created. For my part, I am most proud of the nearly 1,600 jobs that are now contained within V8 Supercars."

A new V8 Supercars Commission will also be created, operating as an advisory body that will focus on the championship's rules, regulations and formats.
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Interesting times ahead... Hopefully we don't see the majority holder wanting to change the series too much..
 
V8s! going to Austin. :)
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92748

By Sam Tremayne
The Australian V8 Supercars will race in Austin, Texas, from 2013 after agreeing a five-year deal to compete at the new Circuit of the Americas facility.

V8 Supercars already has a strong TV presence in North America through broadcasters SPEED TV, and as part of the deal the network will televise the two 200-km races live throughout North and South America.

Although a date for the race is yet to be set, the deal also represents the first time an Australian motorsport series has held a full championship race in the US - and has been hailed by V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane and Texas Governor Rick Perry.

"This is a huge deal for V8 Supercars and one that all Australians should be proud of," Cochrane declared.

"North Americans have embraced V8 Supercars through the SPEED network in a way that is beyond anything we could have imagined.

"Our sport is delighted to have entered this partnership with Austin and the incredible Circuit of the Americas. This is a truly amazing place and one we hope many Australians will travel to."

Texas Governor Perry said the arrival of V8 Supercars - just a year after the Circuit of the Americas is due to host its first ever Formula 1 grand prix – will provide a further boost to the state's economy.

"While Texas has established itself as the nation's place for business, it's quickly becoming the nation's place for big sporting events as well.

"V8 Supercars now joins Formula 1, MotoGP, NASCAR, the NFL, NBA, NCAA and USTA, among the many that have chosen Texas to host major events in the last few years.

"This is more good news for the Lone Star State, and will provide a significant boost to the economy of Central Texas."

The Circuit of the Americas is still under construction, but the 5.5-km purpose-built facility is due to host the 2012 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix and a round of the 2013 MotoGP world championship.
 
dont forget - new track means more sold tickets and more adds... => more money... and I think the management are supporting teams to make it more affordable, which includes travel etc.

and actually, this is commercial sport - when you are showing yourself more all around the world, its better for sponsors
 
The way V8 do their Flyaway rounds is simple, The Venue pays to fly them there and back and the costs of staying there so it really depends on who's willing to fork out. That's why they're at Abu Dhabi, that's why they went to China and Bahrain, that's why they're going to a crap Tilke track in the US and not a Good Circuit like Laguna, Infineon, VIR, Road America, Watkins or about 10-20 other circuits in the US
 
Close to every car being confirmed now, the list is impressive. Look for Priaulx, Bourdais, Pagenaud, Said, Bergmeister and Westbrook to be the best.

  • James Courtney / Dan Wheldon (UK) : IndyCar
  • Garth Tander / Ryan Briscoe (Australia) : IndyCar
  • Tony D'Alberto / Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) : Formula 1
  • Alex Davison / Marc Lieb (Germany) : Le Mans
  • Mark Winterbottom / Will Power (Australia) : IndyCar
  • Will Davison / Mika Salo (Finland) : Formula 1 & Le Mans
  • Todd Kelly / Jorg Bergmeister (Germany) : Le Mans
  • Jason Bright / Stephane Sarrazin (France) : Formula 1, Le Mans & WRC
  • Shane van Gisbergen / Scott Dixon (New Zealand) : IndyCar
  • Greg Murphy / Oliver Gavin (Great Britain) : Le Mans
  • Dean Fiore / Gianni Morbidelli (Italy) : F1 & WTCC
  • Jason Bargwanna / TBC
  • Rick Kelly / Richard Westbrook (Great Britain) : Le Mans
  • Steven Johnson / Dirk Muller (Germany) : WTCC & Le Mans
  • James Moffat / Joey Hand (USA) : ALMS
  • Jonathon Webb / TBC
  • Karl Reindler / Fabrizio Giovanardi (Italy) : WTCC
  • Warren Luff / Marino Franchitti (Great Britain) : Le Mans
  • Lee Holdsworth / Simon Pagenaud (France): IndyCar & Le Mans
  • Michael Caruso / Augusto Farfus (Brazil) : WTCC & Le Mans
  • Russell Ingall / Jan Magnussen (Denmark) : Formula 1 & Le Mans
  • Tim Slade / Helio Castroneves (Brazil) : IndyCar
  • Steve Owen / Boris Said (USA) : NASCAR & Le Mans
  • Paul Dumbrell / Christian Klein (Austria) : Formula 1 & Le Mans
  • Fabian Coulthard / Patrick Long (USA) : Le Mans
  • Jamie Whincup / Andy Priaulx (Great Britain) : WTCC & Le Mans
  • Craig Lowndes / Sebastien Bourdais (France) : Formula 1, IndyCar & LeMans
 

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