ROB17
Super Moderator
Sunday 13/09/2009 09:45
Author: Allan Edwards | Source: BigPond Sport - copyright
V8 Supercars Australia has announced its 2010 championship calendar at Phillip Island today (Sunday).
It reveals that the championship will start early and will include a nine-week mid-season break, meaning the season will have a distinctive autumn and spring phase to it.
Executive Chairman Tony Cochrane unveiled the calendar at the L&H 500 after last week announcing the season would start with a ground-breaking Middle East double-header in February at both Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.
The earlier start has compacted the two-half season with 10 events up until mid-June, a nine-week break and six events to finish the season, culminating again with the massive Sydney Telstra 500 in December.
?The earlier start gave us a great opportunity to tighten up the regularity in which we race, but also give our teams an all-important rest in the middle of the year,? Cochrane said.
?It gives our TV viewers a much needed, more regular viewing pattern.
?The Board and I are extremely happy with the outcome and ecstatic that we have expanded the calendar to 16 events including the non-Championship Australian Grand Prix. We look forward to some further announcements concerning the AGP in the future months.
?It?s great news for the sport and for our teams and with more racing than ever ? for our fans!?
Cochrane said the news of starting in the Gulf region at Yas Marina Circuit on February 18-20 and the Desert 400 at the BIC on February 25-27 was an enormous result for the sport and its international footprint.
?To add Abu Dhabi and the incredible Yas Marina Circuit is just tremendous. We can?t wait to get to one of the world?s most rapidly expanding regions and economies,? he said.
?That they have been able to work alongside our great friends at BIC to establish this partnership has been wonderful. It?s a brilliant place, amazing circuit and sensational organisation.?
Cochrane announced that a potential replacement for the BIC event, scheduled for November 5-7, would be announced in the coming week following some ongoing negotiations.
?As we have received our sanction fee for this year?s Bahrain event, we are looking to use the replacement round as a charity fund raiser.
?At this stage, until we can confirm our future requirements, both Perth and Queensland Raceway are provisional dates on the 2010 calendar.?
In other calendar movements the Falken Tasmania Challenge has been moved to November from this year?s May date while the Norton 360 Challenge at Sandown has also been shifted to the more weather friendly date of November 19-21, slotting the BigPond Perth 300 to a more workable June date.
It also enables a top-end loop for teams to curve around the country from Perth to Darwin, Darwin to Townsville in one movement, if they choose to take that option.
The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series:
18 ? 20 February Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
25 ? 27 February Desert 400, Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain
11 ? 14 March Clipsal 500, Adelaide Parklands, SA#
26 ? 28 March Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, VIC
16 ? 18 April ITM Hamilton 400, Hamilton, NZ
31 April ? 2 May Qld Raceway, QLD#*
14 ? 16 May Winton, VIC#
4 ? 6 June BigPond 300, Barbagallo, WA*
18 ? 20 June SKYCITY Triple Crown, Hidden Valley, NT
9 ? 11 July Dunlop Townsville 400, Townsville, QLD#
MID SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP BREAK
10 ? 12 Sept L&H 500, Phillip Island, VIC
7 ? 10 Oct Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Mt Panorama, NSW#
21- 24 Oct SuperGP, Surfers Paradise, QLD
5 ? 7 Nov Falken Tasmania Challenge, Symmons Plains, TAS
19 ? 21 Nov Norton 360 Sandown Challenge, Sandown, VIC#
3 ? 5 Dec Sydney Telstra 500, Homebush, NSW#
* Denotes provisional
# Denotes Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series
Author: Allan Edwards | Source: BigPond Sport - copyright
V8 Supercars Australia has announced its 2010 championship calendar at Phillip Island today (Sunday).
It reveals that the championship will start early and will include a nine-week mid-season break, meaning the season will have a distinctive autumn and spring phase to it.
Executive Chairman Tony Cochrane unveiled the calendar at the L&H 500 after last week announcing the season would start with a ground-breaking Middle East double-header in February at both Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.
The earlier start has compacted the two-half season with 10 events up until mid-June, a nine-week break and six events to finish the season, culminating again with the massive Sydney Telstra 500 in December.
?The earlier start gave us a great opportunity to tighten up the regularity in which we race, but also give our teams an all-important rest in the middle of the year,? Cochrane said.
?It gives our TV viewers a much needed, more regular viewing pattern.
?The Board and I are extremely happy with the outcome and ecstatic that we have expanded the calendar to 16 events including the non-Championship Australian Grand Prix. We look forward to some further announcements concerning the AGP in the future months.
?It?s great news for the sport and for our teams and with more racing than ever ? for our fans!?
Cochrane said the news of starting in the Gulf region at Yas Marina Circuit on February 18-20 and the Desert 400 at the BIC on February 25-27 was an enormous result for the sport and its international footprint.
?To add Abu Dhabi and the incredible Yas Marina Circuit is just tremendous. We can?t wait to get to one of the world?s most rapidly expanding regions and economies,? he said.
?That they have been able to work alongside our great friends at BIC to establish this partnership has been wonderful. It?s a brilliant place, amazing circuit and sensational organisation.?
Cochrane announced that a potential replacement for the BIC event, scheduled for November 5-7, would be announced in the coming week following some ongoing negotiations.
?As we have received our sanction fee for this year?s Bahrain event, we are looking to use the replacement round as a charity fund raiser.
?At this stage, until we can confirm our future requirements, both Perth and Queensland Raceway are provisional dates on the 2010 calendar.?
In other calendar movements the Falken Tasmania Challenge has been moved to November from this year?s May date while the Norton 360 Challenge at Sandown has also been shifted to the more weather friendly date of November 19-21, slotting the BigPond Perth 300 to a more workable June date.
It also enables a top-end loop for teams to curve around the country from Perth to Darwin, Darwin to Townsville in one movement, if they choose to take that option.
The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series:
18 ? 20 February Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
25 ? 27 February Desert 400, Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain
11 ? 14 March Clipsal 500, Adelaide Parklands, SA#
26 ? 28 March Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, VIC
16 ? 18 April ITM Hamilton 400, Hamilton, NZ
31 April ? 2 May Qld Raceway, QLD#*
14 ? 16 May Winton, VIC#
4 ? 6 June BigPond 300, Barbagallo, WA*
18 ? 20 June SKYCITY Triple Crown, Hidden Valley, NT
9 ? 11 July Dunlop Townsville 400, Townsville, QLD#
MID SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP BREAK
10 ? 12 Sept L&H 500, Phillip Island, VIC
7 ? 10 Oct Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Mt Panorama, NSW#
21- 24 Oct SuperGP, Surfers Paradise, QLD
5 ? 7 Nov Falken Tasmania Challenge, Symmons Plains, TAS
19 ? 21 Nov Norton 360 Sandown Challenge, Sandown, VIC#
3 ? 5 Dec Sydney Telstra 500, Homebush, NSW#
* Denotes provisional
# Denotes Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series
