Is a shorter Surfers Paradise track layout the answer to the longevity of the popular Gold Coast event?
That’s the proposal that V8 Supercars executive chairman Tony Cochrane will submit to the Queensland Government in the coming weeks as he lobbies to take charge of the iconic street event.
The V8 Supercars boss has made no secret of his desire to take control of the Gold Coast event, saying that he wants it to become a V8 Supercar Events run race meeting. V8 Supercar Events currently promotes the Bathurst 1000, Townsville street race, Symmons Plains, the Phillip Island 500 and the end of season Homebush street race.
Cochrane told The Sunday Mail that a shorter circuit would be a win-win situation for the government and the fans.
“I would cut two whole blocks off the southern end of the track, having the cars turn left a lot quicker,” he said.
“The first and most important benefit is it will make the racing appear more often in front of the spectators.
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“The more times the cars go past the spectators, the better they are.
“It would also take some of the disruption out of the Surfers Paradise precinct.”
The proposed circuit would create a hairpin where the circuit’s second chicane currently lives.
One downside to consider to a shorter track is that the hotels at the southern end of the track would no longer have ‘trackside’ accommodation, dramatically reducing their asking price and demand for rooms. However, all of the ‘iconic’ sections of the circuit – the first chicane, the back chicane and the hairpin – would remain untouched.
