IRL: A return to Australia still possible

IndyCar series’ management has not ruled out a possible return in Australia but there are issues, which caused the series to leave the Gold Coast last year, which are still a major hurdle.

Money and scheduling are at the center of the problem as estimates shows that it would cost about $20-million to bring the IndyCar series back to Australia. That compares to the $3-million to $5-million it costs to stage a race in North America.

But more than money, the scheduling is a problem that both sides as the IRL organisers and the Australian promoters don’t seem to agree on a date at which the event should be presented.

For the Surfers Paradise organizers, fall is what they are looking for. On the opposite, for the IRL this is the worst time given the lure of American football and other sports in the U.S. they see the risk of disappearing from the media spotlight at home.

Australian organizers had hoped to replace the IndyCar event on the Gold Coast with the A1 Grand Prix. However, they were forced to cancel the first event scheduled for later this month after the series could not guarantee its cars would be shipped to Australia in time.