DURBAN TAKE A BOW: YOU ARE RACING AHEAD

Author: Barbara Cole, Daily News
Date: 30 Jan, 2006

Race has set International Standards

The Durban A1 Grand Prix was so successful that it has now set the international standard and raised the bar.

And Durban-born Stephan Watson, the general manager of A1 Grand Prix Global Holdings – the parent company that runs the races around the world – said the weekends A1 was the “biggest event since the race began.”

“It was massive and awesome. There were even people climbing trees to see the race. I hope Durban never lets it go.”

And if KwaZulu-Natal Premier, S’bu Ndebele, and eThekwini City Manager, Mike Sutcliffe, have their way, that dream may become a reality. The city will stage the event for another two years – and the contract is renewable.

“I hope it keeps going for a long time,” said Sutcliffe last night, who thought the race had been “absolutely stunning for the city.”

Both Ndebele and Sutcliffe praised the city’s engineerd and technical teams for behind the scenes work they had put in on getting the track ready.

The province and the city each put in R12.5m for the event.