Grand Prix: No guarantees
Free tickets for ratepayers helped boost crowd numbers at the New Zealand Grand Prix, but it wasn’t enough to lock in the event’s return to Manfeild next year.
The annual motorsport event, said to be the jewel in the New Zealand Motorsport crown, returned to Feilding over the weekend with the expectation of bumper crowds.
Promoters Speedworks went all out by offering free tickets to 45,000 ratepayers in Palmerston North and Manawatu¯ District.
About 5000 of the free tickets were redeemed, but promoter Geoff Short could not confirm how many were actually used on the weekend.
A wet Sunday afternoon may have played a role in attendance numbers, which were only a modest improvement on previous years.
Although the main grass embankment looked packed, its popularity was likely bolstered by the grandstand to the left of pit lane being replaced by additional pit garages.
Short said it was much better than what he has seen in the past.
‘‘We are miles ahead of where we have been, there is no doubt about that. It has got the potential to only but grow.’’
However, he was not willing to confirm the NZGP would be back at Manfeild next year, despite previous reports from New Zealand Motorsport suggesting the event would be hosted by the Feilding track until at least 2020.
‘‘The initial deal that I know about, that we have agreed to, was one year based on the funding and support and everything else. Now, it is just an assessment on how well the event went, how the community supported the event.
‘‘The potential is there for it to be here for the next couple of years, but it is no guarantee.’’
He was pleased with the support it had received from the local councils, he said.
Short said as of Saturday night, they had sold 8500 tickets, a figure that included free ratepayer tickets, competitor tickets and general ticket sales.
Manfeild chief executive Julie Keane was pleased with the crowd numbers, even when the rain started about midday yesterday.
She believed the ratepayer tickets had been a success.
‘‘I saw a few people I know who
‘‘The potential is there for it to be here for the next couple of years, but it is no guarantee.’’ Geoff Short, promoter
had never been to a motorsport event.’’
Manfeild was no longer involved in the organisation and running of the event, those responsibilities were handed to Speedworks when the hosting rights were renewed last year.
She expected the event to be back next year.
‘‘Everything from our perspective has gone absolutely swimmingly so we are more than happy.’’
The weekend’s feature race provided an exciting finish to the event. Kiwi Marcus Armstrong was the hot favourite, but issues with his car after the safety car restart saw Richard Verschoor claim the NZGP title and Russian Robert Shwartzman take the Toyota Racing Series crown.
Veteran Ken Smith, 76, was a late addition to the race in a green Manawatu¯ car, but he was off the pace all weekend and was almost lapped in the NZGP race.
The wet weather also meant a series of crashes, to the excitement of the crowd.
One of the best came during the Toyota 86 races, when Bramwell King lost control on the final turn, right in front of the crowd.
He made heavy contact with the wall, but walked away unscathed.
Manfeild will have to make a quick turnaround, as horse riders start arriving from tomorrow for the New Zealand Dressage Grand Prix.
A final lap frenzy cost Kiwi Marcus Armstrong two pieces of silverware at the New Zealand Grand Prix yesterday.
The 35-lap race at Manfeild was looking in the bag for the Cantabrian early on, but things quickly changed.
Dutchman Richard Verschoor ended up lifting the Grand Prix trophy, while Russian Robert Shwartzman claimed the 15-race Toyota Racing Series title.
Armstrong was left fuming and threw his steering wheel after a final-lap restart when his car appeared to be stuck in safe-mode following a safety car cost him any chance of both titles.
Earlier in the race, it all looked to be going Armstrong’s way.
Starting from P2, he took the lead on the first corner and was well ahead of the pack.
Only Dutchman Verschoor, sitting third on the series ladder, was able to keep in touch with him.
The duo opened a large lead over the rest of the field and from there it looked like there were only two men in the race.
Verschoor made a strong move to take the lead, but second was still good enough for Armstrong to claim the TRS title.
The overtaking move was investigated, but officials deemed it legal.
‘‘I think it was good, I think it was amazing,’’ Verschoor said. ‘‘I got one chance, I went for it and I don’t regret anything.’’
But with five laps to run, Kiwi Taylor Cockerton ran out of gas and opted to park up in the gravel at turn one despite there being plenty of other safe options.
That saw the safety car come out for four laps, meaning drivers had one final lap under racing conditions.
The long safety car period ultimately hurt Armstrong.
‘‘On the restart, I was watching my mirrors and as soon as I went on the throttle I saw it was on safe mode. I think that is what happened to Marcus,’’ Verschoor said.
But it turned out well for Shwartzman.
‘‘That was incredible. Before the last lap I was disappointed because I saw that Richard and Marcus had the points so there was not much I could do. But some how [Armstrong] slowed down after the safety car and I just overtook them... and suddenly I am the champion.
‘‘It is incredible. I changed in one second.’’
Shwartzman, like Armstrong, is part if the Ferrari academy team.
Invercargill’s Brendon Leitch, who was the star of the morning’s race, finished fourth in the Grand Prix behind Frenchman Charles Milesi.
Veteran Ken Smith, 76, was well off the pace.
He got in a tangle with American Cameron Das early in the race, but the young American stormed back and over took Smith just 10 laps later.