Formula One coming to Bathurst on 22 March

First filed 28 February.

We’re still waiting on CAMS to greenlight the event, but assuming permission is granted, as expected, Craig Lowndes and Jenson Button will be in Bathurst on Tuesday 22 March. They’ll be there, of course, to drive a McLaren F1 car around the famous 6.2km Mount Panorama circuit.

We brought you this news earlier in the month, but after the break you can see the official press release from the Bathurst Regional Council.

The statement details a loose itinerary for the day, being billed as Vodafone’s King of the Mountain Drivers’ Swap, which includes Lowndes and Button swapping their respective racecars for a total of five laps around the mountain. Supposedly three of those laps will be at pace.

Interestingly, the presser below states McLaren will be using an MP4-26, which is their latest 2011 spec machine. Surely not? Usually F1 teams keep a few old chassis operational for promo events, and you’d expect this to be the case here.

If/when this event goes ahead, it’s certainly one that shouldn’t be missed. Two questions remain, then, how many people will turn up to watch an F1 car at Bathurst, and what sort of lap time can Lowndes set?

UPDATE 2 March: Apparently both the Bathurst Regional Council and CAMS are awaiting final details from Vodafone about this event before it can be rubber stamped.

However, Terry Aylett from Bathurst Council has told AUSmotive, “there still doesn’t seem to be any doubt that the permit will be granted.”

While Clive Banfield from CAMS said, “We have agreed in principle to what has been proposed and we can foresee no problems with it provided their [Vodafone’s] documentation confirms that proposal.”

UPDATE 6 March: Thanks to Rocket Rod for posting a tip in the comments section that the F1 event will take place between 10:00am–1:30pm. We’re also hearing that Jenson Button might get a drive of the McLaren F1 car as well. The itinerary would likely be Lowndes in the McLaren, Button in the V8 Supercar; before the pair swap back into their usual modes of transport. There’ll be a reasonable delay in between while the F1 chaps change seats, pedals and so on.

Green light given to Formula 1 event

Media Release – 17 February 2011

Mount Panorama is set to play host to an historic motor racing event next month, after Council last night gave the green light to a proposal to bring Formula 1 to Bathurst.

On Tuesday, March 22nd there are plans for the mountain to reverberate to the sound of Jenson Button’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-26 Formula 1, which will complete a number of laps around the famous circuit.

V8 legend and Team Vodafone driver, Craig Lowndes will take the controls of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-26 F1, as part of a car swap between Lowndes and Button, organised by Vodafone, the major sponsor of both teams.

Each driver will complete five laps of the circuit in the others’ car, three of which will be at speed. The event is expected to attract thousands of visitors to Bathurst on the day.

Final approval is still required from the governing body of Australian motor sport, CAMS. This is expected to be granted in the coming week.

“This is fantastic news for Bathurst and we are thrilled that everyone has been able to work together and make it happen in such a short period of time,” said an excited Mayor Paul Toole.

“Mount Panorama is one of the world’s premier racing circuits and Formula 1 is the planet’s premier motor racing category so this event will provide huge exposure for our region.”

Vodafone’s King of the Mountain Drivers’ Swap will happen in the lead up to this year’s Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Saturday 26 and 27 March 2011.