Taupo Motorsport Park
Encyclopedia
Taupo Motorsport Park (also known as the Taupo Race Track) is a motorsports circuit located in Broadlands Road, Taupo
, New Zealand
. It is owned and operated by MIT Development Ltd.
It is considered to be the best facility of its type in Australasia
. The circuit was an upgrade from a 1.4 km Taupo Car Club's circuit to the new 3.5 km (2.2 mi) international layout in 2006. The Motorsort Park completed in 2006 at the cost of NZ$13 million. It features driver training facilities, a motorsport business park with 13 first floor corporate suites and a second floor race control/corporate/catering complex.
On 21 January 2007 Taupo Motorsport Park hosted the sixth
race in the 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix season
and on 20 January 2008 it hosted the fifth race in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
. In order to create more overtaking opportunities, a tighter chicane was introduced at the end of the straight. On 25 January 2009 Taupo Motorsport Park hosted the fourth race in the 2008–09 A1 Grand Prix season. Due to the tight ‘s’ bend close to the start cause collisions in the pass, the rolling start replaced by a standing start for the 2009 event's Sprint race.
The Taupo Race Track project has received a Silver Award by the Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand
, praising the high-quality delivery of the project, which was designed and constructed in tandem to achieve very tight deadlines. However, on 8 May 2008 Newstalk ZB
reported that the motorsport park is NZ$3 million in debt and the owners are seeking equity to help keep their business afloat.
(830-metre long, 17 metres wide) with full capacity viewing for 10,000. The motor racing circuit has various licences ranging from National Grade 1 Motorsport License, FIA Grade 2 Motorsport License and International Motorcycling Safety Standards depending on which track configuration. A1 Team Ireland
's driver Adam Carroll
commented that the track got little bumps and is technical and tight.
Taupo
Taupo is a town on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the seat of the Taupo District Council and lies in the southern Waikato Region....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is owned and operated by MIT Development Ltd.
It is considered to be the best facility of its type in Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. The circuit was an upgrade from a 1.4 km Taupo Car Club's circuit to the new 3.5 km (2.2 mi) international layout in 2006. The Motorsort Park completed in 2006 at the cost of NZ$13 million. It features driver training facilities, a motorsport business park with 13 first floor corporate suites and a second floor race control/corporate/catering complex.
On 21 January 2007 Taupo Motorsport Park hosted the sixth
2006-07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, New Zealand
The 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, New Zealand is an A1 Grand Prix race, held on January 21, 2007 at Taupo Motorsport Park, New Zealand. The sixth race in the 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix season and the first meeting held at the circuit.__FORCETOC__...
race in the 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix season
2006-07 A1 Grand Prix season
The 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix season was the second season for the A1 Grand Prix series.It began on 1 October 2006, at Circuit Park Zandvoort, and the season ended at Brands Hatch on 29 April 2007. A1 Team Germany won it with 128 points, 35 points lead ahead Team New Zealand.-Teams:24 teams, each...
and on 20 January 2008 it hosted the fifth race in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
The 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season was the third in the relatively short history of the championship.- Teams :All teams used same A1 Grand Prix car including chassis , engine and tyre...
. In order to create more overtaking opportunities, a tighter chicane was introduced at the end of the straight. On 25 January 2009 Taupo Motorsport Park hosted the fourth race in the 2008–09 A1 Grand Prix season. Due to the tight ‘s’ bend close to the start cause collisions in the pass, the rolling start replaced by a standing start for the 2009 event's Sprint race.
The Taupo Race Track project has received a Silver Award by the Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand
Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand
The Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand is New Zealands main business association representing engineers providing consultancy services in a wide range of disciplines...
, praising the high-quality delivery of the project, which was designed and constructed in tandem to achieve very tight deadlines. However, on 8 May 2008 Newstalk ZB
Newstalk ZB
Newstalk ZB is a nationwide New Zealand talk radio network operated by The Radio Network of New Zealand . It is available in almost every radio market in the country, and has news reporters based in many of them...
reported that the motorsport park is NZ$3 million in debt and the owners are seeking equity to help keep their business afloat.
The circuit
The track includes four alternative configurations (consisting of 3.5 km, 3.4 km, 2.2 km and 1.3 km), two separate pit areas, a three-story pit lane complex with 32 ground floor pit garages that is currently under construction. The track also features an NHRA standard drag stripDrag strip
Drag strip may refer to:*Dragstrip, track used for drag racing*Drag Strip , Transformer character who is one of the Stunticons*Videocart-9: Drag Strip, drag racing videogame released in 1976-See also:*Dover Drag Strip...
(830-metre long, 17 metres wide) with full capacity viewing for 10,000. The motor racing circuit has various licences ranging from National Grade 1 Motorsport License, FIA Grade 2 Motorsport License and International Motorcycling Safety Standards depending on which track configuration. A1 Team Ireland
A1 Team Ireland
A1 Team Ireland is the Irish team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series. The team were the A1 Grand Prix champions for the fourth season, 2008-09.- The Team :...
's driver Adam Carroll
Adam Carroll
Adam Carroll is a Northern Irish racing driver. He currently races in the GP2 Series for Super Nova and in Auto GP for Campos Racing, making his debut with pole position at Donington Park...
commented that the track got little bumps and is technical and tight.