Grand Prix Series Returns to Australia, Home of Speedway
Benfield Sports International (BSI), organisers of the FIM Team and Individual World Speedway Championships, today announced it’s continued expansion plans for the Grand Prix Series in 2002 by publishing the provisional calendar for next year.
Amongst the highlights next year is a return to a famous Speedway venue from a bygone era, Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden. Additionally, new venues for GP’s at the famous Hamar Olympiahall Stadium in Norway and Krško in Slovenia demonstrate BSI’s driving ambition to grow the reach of this sport currently undergoing a huge revival of TV audiences and attendances around the world.
The biggest surprise however, is a move to the country where Speedway was invented early this century, Australia. The final round of this years’ Championship will be contested at the spectacular Stadium Australia in Sydney in October 2002.
John Postlethwaite, CEO of BSI commented:
'This new exciting calendar reflects the progress we have made in just two years. Our GP events and the relaunched SWC team event saw a 170% increase in attendances this year, with over 100 countries taking live or highlight television pictures of all our events.
'Our belief that this event is the most exciting televised motorsport in the World is beginning to get through to fans and television viewers alike.
'No other world motorsport event has 24 race starts, fantastic overtaking and a high drama finale to every event in stadiums where spectators can see 100% of the drama unfolds over a 3 hour period.
'We knew that once we mastered the ability to take this event into some of the world’s greatest stadia, and added the right formula of entertainment and presentation, that its growth would be unparalleled in either 2 or 4 wheel racing'.
FIM President, Francesco Zerbi added:
'When looking back to the last two years, it is evident that the world of Speedway has improved a lot, as we had stated during the presentation of the five year plan made in Wroclaw in July 1999. In fact, the Individual Speedway World Championship Grand Prix made a very big step forward during this 2001 season, with the inclusion of new venues and big stadiums welcoming a lot of spectators and Speedway events of the best quality. The introduction of the Speedway World Cup also reached a great success and had an important impact on the world of Speedway. Now, heading towards the 2002 season, I am very glad to see that the work carried out by our partner Benfield Sports International will bring more improvements, with more events and new venues on the calendar. This shows that Speedway has a very big potential, and I have no doubt that the level of this sport will continue to increase.'
FIM CEO, Guy Maitre also expressed his enthusiasm for the sports’ revival:
'The 2001 season of the Speedway Grand Prix Series, as well as the first Speedway World Cup, new formula of the National Team Championship, were a great success in terms of public attendance, media coverage and TV broadcasting. The 2002 calendar will bring another important progress, with the number of events growing up to ten, including new overseas countries. I am sure that, with the professionalism and the enthusiasm of our partners from BSI, Speedway will continue to grow and improve, and will shortly revive as another major motorcycling sport in the world.'
Race Director and ex-triple World Champion, Ole Olsen, who founded the GP Series in 1995 summed up this latest news:
'I never realised when I started this GP Series six years ago that we could have such and exciting calendar to look forward to. I’m delighted with what we have done in the last two years and can’t wait for next season to start'.
For further information or comment contact:
Nicola Sands, PR Manager, Benfield Sports International
Tel: +44 (0)207 578 7453
Email: speedway@benfieldsports.com
Website: www.speedwaygp.com
Amongst the highlights next year is a return to a famous Speedway venue from a bygone era, Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden. Additionally, new venues for GP’s at the famous Hamar Olympiahall Stadium in Norway and Krško in Slovenia demonstrate BSI’s driving ambition to grow the reach of this sport currently undergoing a huge revival of TV audiences and attendances around the world.
The biggest surprise however, is a move to the country where Speedway was invented early this century, Australia. The final round of this years’ Championship will be contested at the spectacular Stadium Australia in Sydney in October 2002.
John Postlethwaite, CEO of BSI commented:
'This new exciting calendar reflects the progress we have made in just two years. Our GP events and the relaunched SWC team event saw a 170% increase in attendances this year, with over 100 countries taking live or highlight television pictures of all our events.
'Our belief that this event is the most exciting televised motorsport in the World is beginning to get through to fans and television viewers alike.
'No other world motorsport event has 24 race starts, fantastic overtaking and a high drama finale to every event in stadiums where spectators can see 100% of the drama unfolds over a 3 hour period.
'We knew that once we mastered the ability to take this event into some of the world’s greatest stadia, and added the right formula of entertainment and presentation, that its growth would be unparalleled in either 2 or 4 wheel racing'.
FIM President, Francesco Zerbi added:
'When looking back to the last two years, it is evident that the world of Speedway has improved a lot, as we had stated during the presentation of the five year plan made in Wroclaw in July 1999. In fact, the Individual Speedway World Championship Grand Prix made a very big step forward during this 2001 season, with the inclusion of new venues and big stadiums welcoming a lot of spectators and Speedway events of the best quality. The introduction of the Speedway World Cup also reached a great success and had an important impact on the world of Speedway. Now, heading towards the 2002 season, I am very glad to see that the work carried out by our partner Benfield Sports International will bring more improvements, with more events and new venues on the calendar. This shows that Speedway has a very big potential, and I have no doubt that the level of this sport will continue to increase.'
FIM CEO, Guy Maitre also expressed his enthusiasm for the sports’ revival:
'The 2001 season of the Speedway Grand Prix Series, as well as the first Speedway World Cup, new formula of the National Team Championship, were a great success in terms of public attendance, media coverage and TV broadcasting. The 2002 calendar will bring another important progress, with the number of events growing up to ten, including new overseas countries. I am sure that, with the professionalism and the enthusiasm of our partners from BSI, Speedway will continue to grow and improve, and will shortly revive as another major motorcycling sport in the world.'
Race Director and ex-triple World Champion, Ole Olsen, who founded the GP Series in 1995 summed up this latest news:
'I never realised when I started this GP Series six years ago that we could have such and exciting calendar to look forward to. I’m delighted with what we have done in the last two years and can’t wait for next season to start'.
For further information or comment contact:
Nicola Sands, PR Manager, Benfield Sports International
Tel: +44 (0)207 578 7453
Email: speedway@benfieldsports.com
Website: www.speedwaygp.com