V8X - Team building with Roland Dane

A new Season is already upon us, as we prepare for kick-off in Adelaide at the Clipsal 500. New sponsors appear, new liveries, drivers re-appear in different teams and the PR spin machines go flat-out, pumping out a level of optimism that can, in most cases, never be achieved.

However, there are indeed some very significant changes on the way for the 2008 season that should have a positive impact on the whole category and that we can all look forward to with justifiable optimism. Here’s my list of reasons to smile going into the new season:

The 500 at Philip Island – while we might worry about the weather down there in September, the fact is that PI is one of the great race tracks of the world. We now have both our enduros at circuits that most drivers overseas only dream of competing on. With the venue’s continual program of improvements, I always love going there.

Returning to the AGP – it’s great to be going back there to absorb the atmosphere, take part in what is normally a first-class weekend of entertainment, and catch up with old friends in that crazy F1 world.

15 events – it’s not easy to manage the logistics let alone the expense of our calendar, but we do need to be able to continue to visit every State plus the Top End, as well as take part in the AGP and our major marquee events each season – so let’s be positive about the extra weekend away.

New DSO – I see that our new Driving Standards Observer, Tomas Mezera, has gone on record to say that he will clearly spell out to drivers what he expects of them and what is acceptable and what is not.

He has an excellent reputation from his work within the Porsche category, so I’m sure that I’m not alone in believing that he will bring a high level of clarity and transparency to the role of DSO.

Sponsors – while there will always be sponsors coming and going in our sport like in any other, some doom mongers would have you believe it is only a one-way street, with droves of sponsors leaving.

The reality is that there will be plenty of evidence in Adelaide of new corporate activity within the category – a new platform sponsor for the Championship and various new team partners up and down the grid, including Nokia and Komatsu here at TeamVodafone.

As for Triple Eight, we might not have won a Championship yet, but we have a pretty enviable track record to try to uphold in 2008, including defending the Big One at Bathurst.

Hopefully the continuity that we have within the team and driver lineup will help, as should the arrival of a new car for Craig that is identical to the one that he and Jamie used to win at the Mountain last year.

By the time you read this we should have announced our TeamVodafone enduro drivers and, due to the non-availability of Allan Simonsen and Richard Lyons this year, we’ve taken a new direction with a couple of pretty interesting overseas steerers.

These are guys who passionately want to race in our cars at the two best Australian circuits, because they are true racers.

If they can maintain the standard set by Allan and Richard over the last two years we should be travelling well. Meanwhile, enjoy the Season!

– Roland