Singapore V8 talks

V8 Supercars is eyeing Singapore as its next overseas event.

A delegation of Singapore motor racing officials will visit Sandown's V8 race in June.

Speaking after the successful debut of the Hamilton street race in New Zealand at the weekend, V8 Supercars Australia chairman Tony Cochrane said the series was investigating three options for a Singapore event.

The first option is to race as the daytime support race for the night Singapore Grand Prix.

Cochrane said he was confident that if V8 Supercars Australia secured that deal, it could be in place for next year's championship series.

The second offer on the table is a stand-alone race at the permanent circuit that is under construction in Changi. The track is expected to be ready in time for 2010.

The third idea is to run at the Singapore Grand Prix for two years before moving to the Changi circuit.

The Changi track is being built near Singapore's main airport alongside the beach.

“The government is right behind using motor sport as a major economic and tourism platform. It just a matter of determining if V8 Supercars is a part of that,” Cochrane said.

While he said there was still “a lot of water to go under the bridge” before a deal was signed, Cochrane was adamant Singapore was the ideal venue for the series' third international race.

He cited Singapore's strong expatriate Australian community, time zone and proximity to Australia as its key strengths.

After the Sandown visit Cochrane will travel to Singapore in July to continue talks. With New Zealand and Bahrain on the schedule, he has admitted Singapore would be the last international addition for a while.

“Long-term we're always talked about four,” Cochrane said. “But I think long-term a third event would be the last until 2015.”

Should the Singapore deal be signed, it would most likely mean the end of V8 Supercar racing in Sydney.

Cochrane said Eastern Creek would have to make way for the new race after years of disappointing crowd numbers.

But he has vowed to keep fighting for a street race in Sydney.

Cochrane has also revealed V8 Supercars is pursuing a July date for next year's new Townsville street race. He said that was the preferred time but is waiting on government approval before making it official.