Eastern Creek switch gathers pace.

Debate over the future of the Australian Grand Prix has taken another turn after it was revealed that a major feasibility study will be carried out into the prospect of upgrading Sydney's Eastern Creek circuit.

With the current venue at Albert Park in Melbourne under threat, not only from the evergreen environmental lobby, but also from Bernie Ecclestone's demands for the race to be run under lights to suit the European television audience, Australian motorsport bodies are considering alternative hosts.

Debate over the future of the Australian Grand Prix has taken another turn after it was revealed that a major feasibility study will be carried out into the prospect of upgrading Sydney's Eastern Creek circuit.

With the current venue at Albert Park in Melbourne under threat, not only from the evergreen environmental lobby, but also from Bernie Ecclestone's demands for the race to be run under lights to suit the European television audience, Australian motorsport bodies are considering alternative hosts.

As a result, the Australian Racing Drivers' Club [ARDC] has commissioned a $350,000 study to determine whether Eastern Creek - which currently hosts A1GP, V8 Supercars and national Superbike and F3 competition - can be upgraded to match the standards set by the newest F1 venues.

The contract for the race at Albert Park is due to expire in 2010 and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation is currently preparing its case for retaining a round of the world championship in the face of Ecclestone's threats to ditch Australia for one of the countries - such as Russia or Dubai - clamouring for a spot on the calendar.

According to The Australian, British-based Apex Circuit Design Ltd, renowned for its development of circuits in Dubai, Iceland, Abu Dhabi and Singapore - as well as being commissioned to produce the redevelopment plan for Silverstone - has been hired to carry out the study, based on the ARDC's plan to create a facility that could run two tracks simultaneously, doubling full-time capability, but focusing on how the main circuit can be brought up to the standards required by Formula One and MotoGP.

"[The study is] an essential first step in plans to ensure Australia remained relevant in world motorsport," ARDC president John Cotter said, "Strong competition from emerging nations to secure major motorsport events threatens to marginalise Australia, with a resulting loss in status and tourism potential.

"Equally, there is a real need to ensure that Sydney is well serviced with a motoring and motorsports complex to meet local needs, including driver education, track days and motor industry development requirements. The impending closure of Oran Park Raceway in Sydney's south-west will leave the Sydney basin with only Eastern Creek Raceway, and its use is already at near-full capacity."

The ARDC leases Eastern Creek on a long-term basis from the New South Wales state government, and is expected to receive approval for both the study and its own redevelopment plans as the political body has expressed an interest recently in attracting the F1 event away from Melbourne. It is understood that any actual redevelopment would depend largely on funding from the government, however.

"There has been some talk of persuading the NSW government to spend substantial money on a non-permanent street circuit less than 20 kilometres from Eastern Creek Raceway, on a model similar to that of Melbourne's Albert Park F1 track and the Surfers Paradise Indy Car track," Cotter continued.

"But both are used only once a year with large set-up and deconstruction costs, and the ARDC believes a permanent motorsport complex would be a far more cost-effective proposition, and be far more useful. It would have all of the upsides of tourism and excitement, combined with the value benefit of year-round use."

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