Fans are the winners

V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton has spoken about the category’s commitment to improving the overall experience for fans at Supercars events.

Speaking with Matt White and Mark Larkham on Ten’s RPM, Warburton said Supercars was committed to improving the standard of event facilities and circuits the championship visits. 

Symmons Plains Raceway recently underwent extensive upgrades ahead of last month’s Tyrepower Tasmania SuperSprint, which saw the iconic venue’s safety and presentation standards lifted. 

Helping to delivering the same upgrades to other circuits around the country – which benefit the wider motorsport community – is a priority for Supercars, said Warburton.

 “We’re very fortunate through our government associations that we have these massive mainstream events, like the Gold Coast race, Sydney and Clipsal, and great associations with governments,” Warburton told RPM.

“But we’ve also got a number of facilities that aren’t up to standard.

“The number one thing that keeps fans away from sport is the amenities and cost of food and beverages, so things like our Park and View [ticketing option], where people can come and barbecue at heritage tracks, has proven to be extremely successful.

“That’s the big thing that we’ve got to keep working with CAMS on, and lobbying the governments, and we saw that at Symmons Plains a month ago – the facilities and the upgrades that we’ve been a part of delivering for motorsport for 365 days [of the year] at that circuit.”

Warburton also spoke on the long-term growth of the category and the important link between manufacturer investment and team sustainability, and ensuring manufacturers continue to be attracted to the sport.

“[The Gen2 regulations] gives the manufacturers optionality for when they need to make the change,” he said.

“It’s a massive state of flux in the automotive industry as it moves from manufacturing to pure importing, and I don’t think those product plans are clear.

“But the one thing we are absolutely dictorial about is the cars have got to be loud, they’ve got be fast, and quite frankly, it has to be the best touring car action on the planet, which I think we can claim at the moment...  

“We’re here because of the teams. If we didn’t have the teams, we wouldn’t have our superstar drivers and we wouldn’t have a competition.”

The Virgin Australia Supercars Championship resumes this weekend for the fourth round of the championship at the Perth SuperSprint.