Le Mans Series
Mil Milhas won’t be an LMS round this year
© Planetlemans - Murilo Braz // A scene that won’t be seen in 2008
After intense negotiations that spanned through the last three months, the Automobile Club De L’Ouest (responsible for organizing Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Series) announced on February 4th that the Le Mans Series’ sixth phase in 2008 will be held in China, Shangai circuit, on November 2nd.
Despite the high technical level, perfect organization of the 2007 edition of the Mil Milhas Brasil, and support from São Paulo City Hall (and its Department of Sports), Sao Paulo Automobilist Federation, and Brazilian Automobilist Confederation, this decision was based on commercial reasons, which the Mil Milhas do Brasil Ltda. (responsible for organizing and publicizing this event) could not overcome.
The satisfaction of having provided in 2007, the highest technical level event, in which all records were reset, will be remembered . Additionally, the welcoming and organization were praised by all participants. All of these facts strengthen the trust in our ability to organize events that contribute to the greatness of the national sports.
Mil Milhas Brasil will continue its tradition, in order to retain the title of being the most important Latin American Automobilist event. New negotiations are in place and a new format is under review. News will be provided shortly.
Antonio Hermann D.M. de Azevedo
President
(after the official press release)
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I would imagine most of this was market driven, with China coming onto the stage as a world market. Also is the fact of the ACO trying to kick off the new Asian Le Mans Series with the race in Shanghai, but another thing that has not got much light is the fact that almost everyone I heard any comments from during the event stated that the infra-structure at the facility was very lacking.
L.P.
I’m mixed about the loss of the Mil Milhas. Like so much of sports car racing, it was a nice link to the past on a fantastic track in racing-crazy nation. However, last year’s race came across on TV as dull - thanks to the lack of participants - and poorly attended. I hope that it was just a case of going abroad too soon and that there will be another attempt at the Mil Milhas in the future.
The Shanghai race sounds great - good track, great facility, emerging market. Hopefully more cars will make the trip and that will translate to more fans in the seats. What I really like about it though is it’s tie-in with the new Asian Le Mans Series. I think if the ACO wants another world championship, it would be better to build the calendar around smaller, geographically-isolated championships. So the Shanghai race will be the showcase race of the Asian Le Mans Series, meaning the race will count in the LMS points and it can draw on local series participants as well as the top LMS teams. Maybe the same idea could be applied to Central & South America before the next Mil Milhas? Better yet, why not do the same with ALMS and make Sebring and Petit Le Mans count towards a world championship?