Singapore F1 Venue Wins Award

The Singapore Grand Prix venue has won the award for Motor Sport Facility of the Year. The award was announced November 11 at the annual Motor Sport World awards in Cologne, Germany.

The 5.067km track was praised for the way the track was integrated through the center of the city and for successfully holding the first F1 race at night under the lights.

Runners-up for the award included the European Grand Prix in Valenica, the Toyota Racing Development chassis engineering building in Cologne and a new racing facility at Sturup in Sweden.

Fernando Alonso won the event for Renault, Rosberg obtained a rare podium finish in 2nd for Williams, and eventual World-Champion Lewis Hamiliton took 3rd for McLaren.

Source: The Straights Times, AsiaOne.com

IndyCar not Returning to Australia in 2009

The IndyCar Series will not be returning to race in Surfers Paradise in 2009. It was announced yesterday that the Indy Racing League and the Queensland government were not able to reach an agreement regarding long-term scheduling or financial terms. The Indy Racing League wished to move the race from October to March due to a clash with American football. Moving the race to March would conflict with the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne. Motor sports will still be present in Surfers Paradise in October of 2009 with Australian V8 Supercars.

In October of 2008, the IndyCar Series debuted in Surfers Paradise holding a non-points race. The race was won by Ryan Briscoe (first Australian driver to win in 18 years) of Team Penske in front of 97,000 spectators.

Highlights from Nikon Indy 300

Source: IndyCar.com, TheAustralian.news.com.au