A1GP.com
Australia is to replace its annual Indy motor race for a round of the A1 Grand Prix series.
Local government officials said they had been forced to scrap the Indy event after failing to reach an agreement with organisers about what time of year to hold the race.
Queensland’s Gold Coast normally holds its race in October but Indy officials wanted to switch it to March, at the same time as the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne and the start of the Australian football seasons.
Queensland Sports Minister Judy Spence said the government had opposed moves by the Indy Racing League to move the event from October to March.
“They have an expanded series of events and our Indy clashes with the early part of the American Football season,” she said.
“Moving our race to March as they had requested was not an option due to the clash with the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne and the Clipsal V8 race in Adelaide.
“In addition a March race would have involved track construction right in the middle of January school holidays and we would not tolerate Gold Coast residents being inconvenienced in that way.”
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the new series would feature the faster A1GP cars instead of Indy cars as well as V8 Supercars.
“I am sure the A1GP will be a terrific attraction for both ‘revheads’ and new fans to the world of motorsport,” Ms Bligh said.
“It will give a new lease of life to our event on-track with all the fun and excitement off-track also set to continue.”
The Queensland Government has been negotiating with the owners of the Indy Racing League over scheduling clashes but refused to move the racing carnival to March at the request of the US-based league.
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