Highlands Motorsport Park owner Tony Quinn and the park's management team have slammed a decision rejecting the park's bid to host the New Zealand Grand Prix.
MotorSport New Zealand (MSNZ) announced this week the Manawatu's Manfeild Park had won the right to continue to host the event for the next three years - from 2015 to 2017. Manfeild had a ''successful record of holding the event'' and its proposal showed significant community and regional support, MSNZ president Shayne Harris said. The Cromwell-based Highlands park was one of four tracks which vied to host the prestigious Grand Prix.
The Highlands team said yesterday they could not understand the governing body's decision.
''By keeping with the status quo, it [the Grand Prix] will continue to be a non-event in the world of motorsport, '' a statement from Mr Quinn and his team said.
''We believe we put the best case forward for Highlands being the promoters and host circuit of the New Zealand Grand Prix - we were prepared to give it our all and ignite passion and life into the Grand Prix, restoring its place on the world stage - and we had the means and expertise to do it.
''We don't know why MotorSport NZ have not taken this opportunity to change the ways that have already proven not to work.''
The Highlands team said it was ''very disappointed'' and claimed MSNZ had not asked for details of the commercial opportunities available at Cromwell. One of the options promoted by Highlands was to alternate the event between the North and South Islands, with Highlands as the promoter to ''ensure consistency, with economic benefits across both islands and making it more accessible than ever to fans''.
Mr Harris and MSNZ general manager Brian Budd said Highlands Motorsport Park's reaction to the decision was ''disappointing''.
''There was a contestable process which was gone through that all circuits were part of and the result was that the incumbent just came out on top,'' the MSNZ said.
''Information was requested from Highlands relating to the commercial imperatives; only some of that detail was provided.''
The Highlands team said its main concern was the state of motorsport in New Zealand.
Because MSNZ had been through ''several tumultuous years'', its ability to govern the sport had been ''diluted and the industry is suffering''. MSNZ rejected that criticism and said the Grand Prix needed to be put in perspective as one race within a race meeting which was one of 700 permitted motorsport events held in New Zealand annually.
''Motorsport New Zealand is supportive of Highlands. We did a lot of work with Tony Quinn and his team in terms of getting it licensed, over a long period of time,'' Mr Budd said.
