Does Australia’s new WorldSBK venue have the potential to take the sport to the next level?
The announcement that South Australia’s Shell V-Power Motorsport Park at The Bend will host WorldSBK from 2028 could herald the start of a new era in Australian motorcycling.
Against a background of rumours circulating about the MotoGP and WorldSBK rounds moving to the state, The Bend’s owner and developer, Dr Sam Shahin, has told AMCN his strategy is crystal-clear and all-encompassing.
“From my point of view, my priority is to convert The Bend to the Australian motorcycling centre of excellence,” he said between a series of yo-yoing trips to Europe. “It’s as clear as that. Much needs to happen over the next 12 months.”
A ‘centre of excellence’ is defined as a place that draws together expertise so The Bend is envisaged as being much more than just a race track that comes to life once a year for the WorldSBK round.
The Premier, Peter Malinauskas, alluded to this at the WorldSBK media ceremony on June 19, which was attended by representatives from WorldSBK, the FIM and Motorcycling Australia.
“With WorldSBK joining MotoGP, the Adelaide 500 and the AirTouch 500 Enduro (both Supercar races), this announcement reinforces our commitment to motorsport and reflects our determination to ensure South Australia remains the home of motorsport in this country,” he said. “It also provides a pathway for the next generation of riders, engineers, officials, volunteers and motorsport enthusiasts to engage with world-class competition right here at home.”
Shahin is the architect of South Australia gaining both world championship rounds. He was the one who seized the opportunity provided when MotoGP’s new owners Liberty pushed Victoria to run a street-based race. Shahin convinced Malinauskas to open the public purse to finance both securing MotoGP until 2032 and building a suitable parklands circuit.
However Shahin is diving into his own pockets to get the WorldSBK round for an undisclosed period, believed to be four years.
The Bend is the only circuit in Australia that has both FIA Grade 2 and FIM Category 1 accreditation, meaning it can run world championship motorcycle and car races (but not F1).
Despite the track already having this status, Shahin says more upgrades are needed after computer simulations revealed top speeds of 348km/h down the 1.2km main straight.
AMCN understands one of the most important areas of consideration is the pit lane exit. Like Phillip Island, Sydney Motorsport Park and several facilities around the world, the entry brings riders onto the track at the fastest part of the circuit and potentially onto the racing line.
It wouldn’t be an issue if Turn One veered left, not right. In effect, the pits are on the wrong side of the track, just like at these other circuits.
Meanwhile the pit entry is very soon after the corner that brings riders onto the main straight at speed. During his two years of racing the Ducati Panigale R 1299 at The Bend in ASBK Troy Bayliss actually used a few centimetres of the pit lane entry as part of his racing line.
These potential issues are relatively easy to work out. But one big challenge will be enticing spectators to a track that doesn’t have a huge profile either in Australia or at an international level.
Even when MotoGP star Jack Miller raced for two years at The Bend’s ASBK round fan attendance was modest rather than overwhelming.
This could change if two factors are taken into consideration.
Firstly, turning the facility into a ‘centre of excellence’ will inevitably raise its profile. The circuit was the testing ground for the all-new Brabham BT62 supercar so it already has potential that could be exploited if a well-known international team was encouraged to set up its base here.
For example, F1 star Valtteri Bottas lives part-time in SA with partner professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell and their life is chronicled in mainstream media. The same happened when Gold Coast-based MotoGP racer Casey Stoner started spending time in the state with his South Australian wife-to-be Adriana Tuchyna.
Secondly, local and state tourism authorities need to get involved to help promote the track’s nearby tourist attractions. These include the Murray River (the world’s third longest navigable behind the Amazon and Nile), Monarto Safari Park and Resort (the largest open-range safari experience outside Africa) and the historic wine producing district of Langhorne Creek.
The multi-circuit Bend facility, which also has a 100-room pit-lane hotel, expansive BIG4 Holiday Park campground, plans to develop a villa subdivision and already with workshop facilities, has come a long way since the site was bare dirt in 2015.
But making Dr Shahin’s new dream a reality will be another journey in itself.
