http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,...2-23770,00.html

Supercars abandon GP grid
By Robert Grant
July 31, 2006

THE V8 Supercars off the grid at 2007 Australian Formula One Grand Prix because of a clash of dates.

There was not enough time between the March 15-18 GP and the championship round in Perth the following weekend to allow the V8s to compete in Melbourne, Supercars chief Wayne Cattach said today.

The 2007 V8 calendar was drawn up in the expectation that the Melbourne grand prix would be staged one week earlier.

The decision to pull out of the showcase event was made by the Supercar board at the weekend.

There may also have been a broadcast conflict, with Channel Seven to telecast the V8 championship from next series, taking over from traditional motor sports broadcaster Channel 10.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation announced on Friday that the 2007 event would be staged on March 15-18, the weekend that the world swimming championships begin in Melbourne.

Cattach indicated today that the popular V8 program would have gone ahead at Albert Park during grand prix week had the date been a week earlier.

"We were very surprised on Friday that the date they chose clashes with the world swimming championships, which also makes it very hard to secure accommodation on that weekend," Cattach said.

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The Australian GP has nominally reclaimed the tyhe status as the season-opening race, although the dates remain provisional until ratification by FIA, the world governing body of motor sports.

"We are disappointed that we won't be attending and have notified (Grand Prix Corporation chief executive) Tim Bamford, who was surprised but accepting of our decision,'"Cattach said.

"It is physically impossible for our teams to compete at the grand prix and turn around just a few days later in Perth.

"Our planning for 2007 has been underway for several months, since we announced that Seven will assume the broadcast rights from next year.

"These discussions include moving the Perth round outside the AFL season due to the two-hour time difference of the western seaboard.

"With the grand prix a non-championship event, our first priority is to the regular championship season, our teams and the host broadcaster."

The V8 Supercars have traditionally raced at the F1 GP as the premier support category.

The event does not count for championship points and, as such, is not an official round of the V8 Supercar championship series

V8 Supercars Australia will release its full 2007 calendar in early September.


Agence France-Presse

Channel 7 to get the V8's, hrmm i dont like the sound of that

Bit of a shake up!

I know the V8's were not happy to be a support show(so to speak) to the F1 GP. I was in Melbourne last year for the F1 and alot of people were just about ignoring the V8's.

Let see how channel 7 look after it, maybe they will improve the Image even more, who knows really.

It could be a good thing for F1 in Oz too as network 10 may end up with a deeper coverage of F1.

Shit! I hope RPM stays, its my sunday arvo special!

I agree.

NEXT YEAR THE V8 SUPERCARS WILL B FUKD KUZ IT WILL B FLIKD BAK AND FORWARD WITH THA GAFL FUK CHANNEL 7

^ uh.... yeah bit of sense wouldn't go astray man

yeah i'm not really sure how channel 7 will go with the v8's, does anyone think that RPM will still be able to show segments on teh v8's?? i'd presume not

i can't see this working in the v8's favour, as channel 7 will be giving priority to the football

As long as channel 7 dont get the F1's or the WRC im happy