The Australian Racing Drivers' Club is preparing to bring the Eastern Creek track near Sydney up to Formula 1 standards in case Melbourne loses the Australian Grand Prix.
The Albert Park race's future is in jeopardy because the Melbourne authorities will not agree to Bernie Ecclestone's demands that the event becomes a night race so that European television audiences can watch it live during daytime hours.
Eastern Creek - which was originally constructed in 1990 for 500cc world championship motorcycle racing and now hosts A1GP and Australian national series - would require substantial redevelopment before it could host F1.
The ARDC has commissioned British company Apex Circuit Design, the firm responsible for the Dubai Autodrome, to carry out a $350,000 feasibility study at Eastern Creek to determine whether it could host a grand prix should the race leave Melbourne after 2009.
ARDC president John Cotter described the move as "an essential first step in plans to ensure Australia remained relevant in world motorsport".
He believes it is vital that Australia remains a strong motorsport power, and is determined to keep the country on the F1 schedule.
"Strong competition from emerging nations to secure major motorsport events threatens to marginalise Australia, with a resulting loss in status and tourism potential," Cotter told the Australian Associated Press.
He added that the ARDC favoured a permanent international racing circuit rather than another temporary street track in the ****of Melbourne and its Australian GP predecessor Adelaide.
"There has been some talk of persuading the New South Wales government to spend substantial money on a non-permanent street circuit less than 20 kilometres from Eastern Creek Raceway, a model similar to that of Melbourne's Albert Park F1 track and the Surfers Paradise IndyCar track," Cotter said.
"Both are used only once a year with large set-up and deconstruction costs.
"The ARDC believes a permanent motorsport complex would be a far more cost-effective proposition, and be far more useful."
Edit: Damn GS and its odd thinking of swear words
Source: ITV.com/F1
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