Motor Racing Down Under

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Wednesday, 06 January 2010 15:28

Hello from “Down Under”

Throughout the coming year I will be reporting back to you from a range of motorsport events in Australia.

These will include a Formula One round at the Australian Grand Prix, V8 Supercar Championship races such as the Clipsal 500 and Bathurst 1000, Top Gear Live and the more grass roots racing events such as the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championship.

I will be giving you an insight to what the events are like for everyone, from the spectators and volunteers to the drivers, team members and more. You will be hearing about all the action, both on and off the track, the interesting characters, the history and the best bits of the locations where the events are held.

The first event for me to kick off the year will be Top Gear Live in Sydney but the first full on motorsport event will be a V8 Supercar Championship race, the Clipsal 500 held March 11-14 in Adelaide - the capitol city of South Australia.

“Clipsal” as it is affectionately known by all who attend, is an action packed event set around a 3.22km street race circuit in the Adelaide CBD. In a battle of Holden (GM) against Ford, imagine twenty nine V8 powered beasts with a top speed of 294kmph racing past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and you should get the picture.

Set over 4 days, 8 different racing categories will feature on track with a concert for race goers being held every night. Crowd figures peaked at 291,460 in 2008, while the temperature has hit 37ºC in the shade and 60ºC in a race car driving around the concrete canyon. That is an Australian Autumn for you.

Following the Clipsal 500 for me will be the Australian Grand Prix to be held March 25-28 in Melbourne, Victoria.

It is the only Formula One event that travels “down under” and was held in Adelaide from 1985-1995 on a slightly longer track then is currently used for the Clipsal 500. Melbourne controversially took over the race in 1996 where it has remained ever since.

The 5.3km, 16 turn street circuit is made up of public roads in and around Albert Park, only 2km south of Melbourne’s CBD. Believe me we do have ‘proper’ race circuits in Australia but I will get to those later in the year.

With Michael Schumacher having 4 Australian Grand Prix wins under his belt and Jenson Button scoring his first win of his World Championship season there in 2009, the 2010 race will be one you won’t want to miss! Until then... Jacki Warnock www.girlracer.co.uk