KEY POINTS:
MANAMA, Bahrain - Australia's V8 Supercar series will continue a path of expansion and a shift towards street circuits after Hamilton earned its own street race from 2008 and Singapore became a leading contender for another international round.
As the V8s make their Middle East debut at the
Bahrain International Circuit, series bosses confirmed Hamilton's seven-year deal while also hinting that Singapore leads the race for the next international license over South Africa, Thailand and Malaysia.
The successful bid by the Hamilton City Council to construct a 3.4km track that borders the city's CBD has effectively saved New Zealand's future in the Australian series.
V8 officials have become increasingly frustrated with the inadequate facilities at Pukekohe raceway just outside of Auckland, this year's race marred by a high-speed crash which broke a photographer's leg and a section of spectators in the main grandstand almost crushed by a support series car.
Hamilton event promoter Dean Calvert, who also chairs the Pukekohe race, said winning the rights for a street race had saved the event for the country.
"We knew that had this not been successful, then the V8 Supercar Championship, which is being courted by countries around the world, would not return to our country," Calvert said.
"There is a massive job ahead of us, firstly to run next April's event at Pukekohe for the final time and then to build this incredible street event in Hamilton."
V8 Supercar chairman Tony Cochrane said the series almost gave up on New Zealand after having street races rejected by Wellington and Auckland.
"I was never confident. I think to be fair my board thought I was an idiot to have another go after being knocked back twice," said Cochrane.
"The bottom line is I was not prepared to give it away because we would not have a future there."
With Hamilton coming into the schedule for 2008, it would mean four of the expected 14 rounds would be street races - and this doesn't include the current push for street events at Sydney, Townsville and Perth.
All three cities have fully-developed proposals waiting for council approval and V8 officials are keen for all to become permanent fixtures on the calendar.
This would mean current race circuits like Ipswich's Queensland Raceway, Sydney's Eastern Creek and Oran Park and Perth's Barbagallo Raceway face uncertain futures.
The approach from a Singapore consortium is also interested in running a street race.
V8 Supercars Australia chief executive Wayne Cattach said there were plenty of offers coming from around the world for the touring car series to be taken further abroad, but the series remains committed to a maximum of four overseas races.
"Other people are door-knocking us," Cattach told Auto Action.
"Singapore is one of those countries ... I think it would be a wonderful place to go racing.
"It has all the ingredients we look for but these things cost a lot of money."
- AAP
