The Australian Racing Drivers Club is hoping that Sydney Motorsport Park can become the home of the country’s motor racing and technology industry with the opening of the new Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct (AMIP).
The AMIP is a new $10 million trackside development that is part of a wider $32 million investment in Sydney Motorsport Park from the New South Wales government. This is the same investment that saw the addition of lighting to the circuit for night-time racing and track days.
The ARDC and NSW government hope that this new precinct will repeat the success of the Silverstone circuit in the United Kingdom, with the home of the British Grand Prix surrounded by racing teams and related businesses.
The new AMIP precinct was officially opened today (August 16) by John Graham, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy and Jobs and Tourism, and ARDC president, Natalie Turmine. She said the goal of this new facility is to stimulate interest and involvement in motorsports.
“We’re writing the next chapter in Australia’s rich motoring history,” Turmine said.
“By offering a dedicated on-track centre for innovation, education, STEM and motorsport skills training, precision engineering and safety technology, this precinct will create opportunities that will benefit not just the motorsport industry but every road user.
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“It is also vital that we create a professional environment that supports, attracts and encourages female participation in motorsport, engineering and smart manufacturing.”
The facility already has its first tenants, with racing team AGI Sport and helmet manufacturer, Forcite, moved in in time for today’s launch. Forcite, which makes motorcycle helmets with in-built cameras and other technology, has already begun manufacturing its products there.
Forcite co-founders Julian Chow and Alfred Boyadgis have ambitions to expand from the two-wheel to four-wheel market and said being based right alongside the racetrack at Sydney Motorsport Park allows for faster development and new industry insight.
AGI Sport will use the facility as the home for its Formula 4 program that is part of the new F1 Academy for women, as well as the Ferrari Driver Development initiative.
“Our aim is to establish the number one elite race academy in Australasia at Australia’s number one race circuit,” explained AGI Sport team principal, Adam Gotch.
“The on-track location is a real drawcard for the sport’s rising stars as we nurture Australia’s next F1 driver.
The shared passion and support from the ARDC is the fuel injector to make this vision become a reality.”
While the AMIP is on the outside of the circuit, behind the main grandstand, the long-term plan is to add a direct access road from the new building to the track, which will allow operations like AGI Sport and Forcite to get onto the circuit quicker and easier.
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