Motor sport leaders will hold a summit later this month to decide the framework of the proposed state government-backed ‘super circuit’ outside Melbourne.
Their determinations will contribute to an independent $1.5 million feasibility study commissioned to weigh the viability of the multi-purpose track.
Due to be presented to the Victoria Government by the end of the year, the report will guide the state administration on whether the $250 million project is worth funding.
Taking six months, it will investigate the potential economic and community benefits of the planned motor sport, driver training and automotive development complex at Avalon, south-west of Melbourne.
The major national motor sport bodies will make their recommendations on how the track and associated facilities should be used for racing at all levels.
A 150-hectare site alongside Avalon Airport near Geelong has been identified as the location of a new ‘Home of Motorsport’ in Victoria, funded by the state government.
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Speedcafe has learned that senior representatives of the main car and motorcycle racing governing bodies are scheduled to gather in just over two weeks to discuss the main requirements for the international standard circuit.
The meeting will set the guidelines for the preliminary design of the track, which is not due to be finalised until the scheme is approved. Australia’s FIA- and FIM-affiliated national authorities are to be represented, most likely by their chief executives.
Leading the talks will be Motorsport Australia and Motorcycle Australia, joined by Karting Australia, Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) and Speedway Australia (SA).
The Avalon motor sport complex proposal is focused on car and motorcycle circuit racing, plus a complementary karting track.
Although ANDRA and SA are participating as motor sport stakeholders, it’s understood there are no plans to incorporate a drag strip or speedway.
The long-established Avalon Raceway dirt oval is close by on the other side of the Princes Freeway between Melbourne and Geelong. However, Victoria lacks a modern drag racing facility, so a case could be made to incorporate a state-of-the-art strip.
As envisaged by Motorsport Australia and Motorcycle Australia, the Avalon ‘super circuit’ would be an FIA Grade 1/FIM A Grade course of between three and five kilometres.
Aimed at completion by the end of 2026, a likely main circuit would allow multiple shorter layouts for club and national racing.
Speedcafe understands that a leading international track design company will be retained to provide an initial rough layout to accompany the feasibility study before a more detailed layout is commissioned if the project is approved by Spring Street.
Victoria’s Labor Government has budgeted $1.5 million for the independent report, which will be conducted by one of the major auditing companies.
The study is the first stage of the plan to establish a world-class track for international and top-level national car and motorcycle racing on a greenfield site within easy reach of Melbourne.
Commonwealth-owned land between Avalon Airport, Victoria’s second gateway, and the Princes Freeway has been targeted for the circuit and, ultimately, a motor sport/driver training/automotive hub.
It is 15km from Geelong, Victoria’s second largest city, and 50km from Melbourne – and even closer to the metropolis’s burgeoning western suburbs.
Avalon Airport is operated by Linfox, which owns the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Despite this, apart from releasing its claim to leased land adjacent to the airport to build the circuit, Linfox would not be directly involved in the financing or running of the proposed racing centre.
Driven by Motorsport Australia, the Avalon proposal is for a permanent car and motorcycle racing circuit to become the long-term ‘Home of Motorsport’ in Victoria as participation at all levels booms.
It’s projected to cost $250 million if scaled to its full potential as a motor sport hub incorporating driver training and automotive testing facilities.
For car racing, the Avalon track, aimed at being in operation by the start of 2027, would replace Melbourne’s southeast suburban Sandown circuit, which by common consent only has a few more years left to run before being closed for redevelopment.
Supercars has a deal for the revived Sandown 500 enduro this September and next year and hopes to continue there until at least 2026.
If it goes ahead, Avalon would be the logical location for a Melbourne region Supercars event well into the future, as well as being suitable for other major international and local categories.
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