V8 Supercar driver Tony D’Alberto heads north to the Gold Coast this week for what promises to be one of the biggest racing weekends of the V8 Supercar season.
The collapse of the A1GP event means the V8 Supercars will take centre stage on the streets of Surfers Paradise and will boost their appearance to fill the void by running four 150km races.
The increase of time on track means the Gold Coast event will be the second biggest V8 Supercar race of the year, sitting behind only Bathurst in terms of kilometres covered at a race meeting.
The change has sparked all teams into action as they now prepare for four races instead of two, meaning more tyres, fuel, mechanical gear and new race strategies will be needed.
For D’Alberto, who is coming off a top-10 finish at Bathurst, the change is an exciting one, along with the new challenges facing his Bottle-O team.
“The fans will love it for sure. Four races around the street circuit will certainly keep us all on our toes and make for some interesting racing,” said D’Alberto.
“It will be a demanding weekend, especially in a warmer climate and surrounded by concrete walls. The track always makes for close racing, but the extra distance will certainly add a new element.
“The Clipsal 500 in Adelaide is always tough on the body and the car and here we are about to tackle 600 kilometres in what could possibly be similar conditions.”
The late change to the event will almost certainly bolster crowd numbers, many of who flock to see the V8 Supercars run two races.
Like the Adelaide event, warm weather and a weekend full of racing brings on a party atmosphere and rarely does Surfers Paradise let you down when it comes to providing a perfect backdrop for the V8s.
“It has always been a great event in the past, but the change to four races will definitely take it to the next level,” added D’Alberto.
“The team is ready for the extra challenges and I’m really looking to build on what was a great result at Bathurst. I can’t wait to hit the track.”
Last Modified on 19/10/2009 19:49