Gold Coast 600 to get bigger and better

... and include former Formula One stars such as Martin Brundle, Jean Alesi and David Coulthard.

V8 Supercars Australia boss Tony Cochrane said there was a possibility that all cars in the field could have an international driver next year if the formula proves a success this weekend. The 18 international drivers gathered at Queensland Raceway yesterday for a "Rookies Day" of familiarisation with the cars they will race at Surfers Paradise this weekend. Only half of the drivers have raced a V8 Supercar before.

"If ticket sales are anything to go by, it will be a success," Cochrane said. "Sales are up on last year. We're on target for 150,000 to 175,000 people this weekend. When we took over the event we had a three-year plan to get it back to its former glory. The previous promoter did a poor job really."

After the IndyCars withdrew from the event in 2008, the promoters replaced them with the A1GP series, but it went bankrupt last year and V8 Supercars Australia took over the event.

In February the new promoters suggested adding international co-drivers to ensure Queensland Government funding of $6.5m.

Sport Minister Phil Reeves said the government had a contract with V8 Supercars Australia and it was "up to them" how they spent the money.

"This event will go on to bigger and better things," he said. "We're going to have to look at the (ticket) numbers over the weekend and whether we'll have something to do with it in the future."

He said the event was important for the economy and accommodation bookings were going "really well".

Cochrane described the line-up of international drivers as "arguably the best line-up of drivers in any touring car race in the world".

"This is a ripper of a formula," he said. "But it's expensive. Our budget for the weekend is north of $16m."

He wouldn't say how much they had paid for the drivers.

"These are the best drivers in the world," he said. "We rang around quietly at first to gauge interest and were blown away with the level of enthusiasm. Next year this event falls between the Korean and Indian F1 GPs so we could have former F1 drivers such as Jean Alessi, David Coulthard and Martin Brundle. It is realistic to see those names next year if we have an international driver in every car in the field. We've had a lot of drivers in the last two weeks asking if there is a last-minute drop-out."

Three-time world touring car champion Andy Priaulx of the UK, who will co-drive with reigning Bathurst  champion Craig Lowndes, agrees that the standard of international drivers is high.

"Everyone in motorsport overseas knows about Bathurst and the drivers go back with a high opinion of the drivers, the cars and the teams," he said. "It's always a pleasure to come here and drive. The positive spin we can bring from competing here is with the foreign media. I'd love to come back again next year."

Priaulx admitted that few Australian motorsport fans would know who he was.

"Hopefully being partnered with Craig, they will like me."

Marino Franchitti, brother of IndyCar champion Dario who is co-driving with championship leader James Courtney, isn't racing but hopes to compete next year.

"James Courtney is my best mate and I was his best man at his wedding and he told me to bring my race suit, just in case," he said. "It's a big race with all the international drivers, but I think they could have filled up double the cars with the number of drivers who wanted to do it. It's such a great idea and it will get bigger and bigger every year."