Are World SBK still coming to Hampton Downs 2010?

**Shaun P** · 26th April 2009, 21:14

It seems very quiet since their press release some months ago?

I tried emailing them a couple of weeks ago but didnt get a response.

http://www.hamptondowns.com/News.wse

MEDIA RELEASE

SUPERBIKES COME TO WAIKATO IN 2010

Hampton Downs Motorsport Park has recently won a bid to host a round of the SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

Hampton Downs CEO, Jamie Kett, said it was a fantastic international series and a major sporting and tourism boost for New Zealand.

The SuperBike World Championship has 15 international rounds from late February to mid October. The New Zealand leg will be staged a week after the Phillip Island round in Australia in late February. Each round has four race classes with 140 riders from 27 countries participating.

Mr Kett said that Hampton Downs had negotiated the rights to hold for event from 2010 for a minimum of 3 years. The SuperBike World Championship has a worldwide media audience of more than two billion people.

"The benefits for the Waikato region are huge. Over three years it is expected to bring in about $75million in foreign spending to New Zealand.

This is the first major coup for Hampton Downs and we are very excited. Coming on the back of the Australian V8 Supercars in Hamilton, the region is firmly established as the Motorsport capital of New Zealand," he said.

Waikato District Council Mayor Peter Harris said the winning of the series was a brilliant opportunity for the region and the Motorsport park. "This is a very popular event and the flow-on effects for the district and the city will be significant. We will continue to work closely with the park regarding the consent process," he said.

Quotes:

Claude Danis
"My role within the FIM is to ensure the safety and fairness of motorcycle racing throughout the world. I recently meet with Jamie Kett in Qatar to discuss the Hampton Downs Circuit design and the possibility of a round of the SBK World Championship being held there. As long as the circuit satisfies all the safety requirements I would fully support their proposal and I am very excited with the prospects of SBK returning to New Zealand"

Claude Danis
President Road Racing Commission
Federation International Motorcycle (FIM)
T +41 22 9509500
E cl.dan@skynet.be
www.fim.ch

Paolo Flammini
"New Zealand and the Superbike World Championship are old friends.

The Manfield track has been a traditional World SBK venue in the first years of our adventure and riders like Aaron Slight and Simon Crafar have been the protagonists of some of the most beautiful pages in the Superbike World Championship history.

We all at FGSport welcome the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park initiative and look forward to give the Kiwi fans a new opportunity to "touch" the WSBK world."

Paolo Flammini
Chief Executive Officer
Headquarter: Rome
Phone: +39 06 50966403
Fax: +39 06 50966460
Email: paolo.flammini@fgsport.com
www.fgsport.com

Paolo Ciabatti
"It has been a real pleasure to meet with Hampton Downs MotorSport Park representative in Qatar and I really hope that WSBK will be coming soon to NZ."

Paolo Ciabatti
SBK General Manager
Headquarter: Rome
Phone: +39 06 50966403
Fax: +39 06 50966460
Email: paolo.flammini@fgsport.com
www.fgsport.com

Sandra Perry

Sandra Perry MNZ President commented that is was a worthwhile experience attending Round One of 2008 World Superbike Championship Round at Losail circuit Qatar to see first hand the huge growth and improvement since the Championships inception in 1988 when New Zealand hosted the inaugural final round at Manfeild.

Motorcycling New Zealand look forward to the event 'returning home' to Hampton Downs in 2010 remembering it was approved by the Federation Internationale Motocyclisme in 1987 as New Zealand's idea.

Sandra Perry
President
Motorcycling New Zealand
m 021849901
e sandraperry@hotmail.comwwww.mnz.co.nz

**enigma51** · 26th April 2009, 21:19

From what i have been told they first need to get sign off from the governing body's in wsbk and that will only happen after the circuit is finish.

**cowpoos** · 26th April 2009, 21:19

as I understand it...and I may well be wrong.

Someone has to front woith an enormus amount of cash to secure the event.
FGsport doesn't run as a charity...

**Peter Smith** · 27th April 2009, 10:58

[QUOTE=Shaun P;1129186558]It seems very quiet since their press release some months ago?

They may be busy designing a knobbly tyre to fit a 6" wide rim

**tri boy** · 27th April 2009, 12:39

Or host the inaugural "Bull Dozer n Motor Scraper Racing Series"

**Shaun P** · 27th April 2009, 16:22

I would have thought it would be ready by March 2010 to coincide with the Phillip Island round

**Robert Taylor** · 27th April 2009, 18:10

Originally Posted by Shaun P

I would have thought it would be ready by March 2010 to coincide with the Phillip Island round

Dont hold your breath, at the moment its only suitable for MX. If theres a wet winter coming I think theyll struggle to get it ready before the end of the year.

**Shaun P** · 27th April 2009, 18:18

Get a chain gang shovelling gravel then, they can even go home for lunch, put the taxpayers money to some good use

**jimbo600** · 19th September 2009, 20:22

Apparently not. Can't see it here any time soon either.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sp...?&R=EPI-118333

Next years World Superbike championship looks set to become a 13 round series instead of 14 with the Qatar race being dropped from the schedule.

Qatar has been on the calendar since 2005 but with virtually no crowd and minimal bike sales, there was little benefit for teams and manufacturers to race at what is another high cost fly away race.

The fate of the WSB race was also influenced by the high profile MotoGP night race which took place just four weeks after the WSB round.

The 2010 season is expected to start at Phillip Island in Australia on 28th February with series organisers trying to adjust the calendar to make round two in Kyalami South Africa in an effort to reduce logistic costs.

The rest of the rounds will be at the same circuits as in 2009 with one UK race at Donington Park and three rounds in Italy at Monza, Misano and Imola. Winter testing is likely to take place at Portimao in January and Phillip Island before the opening race.

**Kiwi Graham:Me** · 19th September 2009, 21:20

I dont think Hampton Downs would have a problem hosting the WSBK circus, the problem would be who's going to pay for it all.
Its got to be a six figure sum to put on a WSBK round. Who in NZ can afford that amount of cash?

**scrivy** · 26th September 2009, 20:07

Originally Posted by Kiwi Graham

I dont think Hampton Downs would have a problem hosting the WSBK circus, the problem would be who's going to pay for it all.
Its got to be a six figure sum to put on a WSBK round. Who in NZ can afford that amount of cash?

er..... try a high 7 figure amount!!

**Devil** · 27th September 2009, 15:05

Application is to be made for 2011.
Track has to be fully completed (including surrounds).

**lostinflyz** · 27th September 2009, 15:35

Originally Posted by Devil

Application is to be made for 2011.
Track has to be fully completed (including surrounds).

Depends who your friends are.

i remeber hearing stories from portimao last year of the diggers being hidden out back on the friday to do final prep work before the cameras started rolling on the sat. or some of the commentators mentioning seeing a sizeable convoy of work vechiles leaving the track on the way in mid week.

certainly wont be next year, provisional calender is out and aint no talk of nz. surprise surprise

**Shaun P** · 27th September 2009, 19:21

Yeah I had an email form H.Ds recently basically saying they had trouble finding a local promoter to take on the event and are trying to get it happening for 2011 on the back of the Phillip Island round, whether that happens or not....
Its still a great acheivement though building a facility like that given NZs population base and lack of government support.