• Print
• Send
• - Font
• + Font
• RSS

Whitaker believes its all about keeping spectators happy

More news

• Lots of hard work for HRT
• No extra pressure on Luff
• Bargs and Seto pair up
• More Superbike support
• Clipsal selling strong

Martin Whitaker, who will be installed as V8 Supercars Australia's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in April, believes the category is heading in the right direction.

The current head of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), where V8 Supercars held its Gulf Air Desert 400 last weekend, said unlike other motorsport categories V8s understands the racing is about entertainment.

"The racing's a backdrop; it's a background sound in a funny sort of way," he said.

"But what they (fans) are here for is because they know they are going to have a good day out."

Referring to the BIC, he said organisers worked to bring spectators into the racing environment.

"Oddly enough, you can see now that things are beginning to change a little bit in Formula One," he said.

"Every year we always do an autograph session with every single Formula One driver and very few circuits do that because there's actually a lot of work involved and the drivers don't want to do it, which is a crying shame.

"They need to learn a few lessons from your guys (the V8 Supercar drivers)."

And Whitaker understands that motorsport is more than just the racing.

"Entertainment sport is the name of the game we are in," he said.

"Ultimately that's what we are all here for and bizarrely I think all too often some racing championships forget that."

Whitaker, who was involved in the British Touring Car Championship when he worked as Ford's Motorsport Director, said he has always loved touring car racing.

"I've just got an affinitive with tin-top racing and I love rallying as well," he said.

Whitaker described V8 Supercars as vibrant with vitality and character. He has vowed to make himself open to the motorsport media.

"I have always wanted to make sure that I was media friendly and it's always worked, but at the same time I think it's really important because this is very much a people's sport," he said.

"I've always found it a lot easier to get on with people rather than avoiding them.

"I always used to laugh watching people in Formula One panic seeing somebody coming the other way and immediately doing a 90-degree (turn) and disappearing up an alley.

"I've never been like that and I certainly never intend to be like that.

"Hopefully those are some of the qualities I can bring to the job; I've always been an ideas person and I've never been frightened of working so I suppose that helps."