14/03/2012
NEWS STORY
Hermann Tilke (right), Formula One's circuit designer of choice, has joined forces with Australian company iEDM. The press release states the union is bringing in 'shared expertise, knowledge and passion' though it's not clear exactly what each party gets from the partnership.
Tilke has designed a number circuits on the current Formula One calendar - Sepang, Shanghai and Yas Marina to name a few - and has often come under fire from fans who suggest his circuits create boring racing. The German's trademark is long straights, tight corners and a medium to high speed sequence of corners midway through the lap.
iEDM is an Australian company which has been responsible for creating the Townsville V8 Supercar venue, as well as the Homebush circuit around Sydney's old Olympic site. Similarly to Tilke the circuits are not especially popular, Homebush in particular, with both venues concrete canyons. Townsville mixes public roads with a purpose built section though remains fundamentally a temporary circuit.
Motor sport in Australia is currently struggling, outside of V8 Supercars which seem set on global domination. The country's premier class of motor sport has races in a number of locations globally, including the Circuit of the America's from next season, while at home existing venue's lie to waste.
Eastern Creek in Sydney and Mallala in Adelaide are both boycotted by top level motor sport. Despite a number of efforts to build a new circuit, and a number of locations suggested, nothing has ever come to fruition. Eastern Creek has recently had some investment which means it can now be run as two individual circuits, though falls a long way short of the facilities required for Formula One.
The partnership therefore suggests more race tracks are soon to appear in Asia. iEDM is focussed on the Asia-Pacific region which, given Tilke is European, may mean some projects could be sub-contracted out to the Australian company. It seems the only logical conclusion one can draw from the deal.