Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct: $10m SMSP facility “just the beginning”

The commissioning of a new building on the outside of Sydney Motorsport Park’s main straight is the first stake in the ground for what’s claimed to be the start of a motorsport industry precinct that will rival that of such famed tracks as Silverstone in the UK.

Dubbed the Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct, the relatively modest structure – originally built to house a NSW-focused Supercars team which failed to materialise – is now home to a motorcycle helmet maker and a Formula 4 race team that hopes to find Australia’s next Formula 1 driver.

"Keeping the best in the business here in Western Sydney, we will help create the smart jobs and technology of the future"

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Opened today by the NSW Labor Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy and Jobs and Tourism, John Graham, and to be run by the Australian Racing Driver’s Club (ARDC), the $10 million facility is the next step in a $32 million expansion plan that’s already realised circuit lighting as well as extensions to and partial resurfacing of the 23-year-old venue’s track.

“Keeping the best in the business here in Western Sydney, we will help create the smart jobs and technology of the future, which will fuel our economy and further support an already hugely popular sport that’s attracting visitors day and night to this first-class circuit,” Mr Graham (below) said in a statement.

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The NSW Minister for Sport, Steve Kamper, said the Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct was a key part of the NSW Government’s investment in Sydney Motorsport Park.

“The NSW Government recognises and understands the passion for motorsport in western Sydney,” Mr Kamper said.

“We are an enthusiastic supporter of the Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct at Sydney Motorsport Park which will create a cluster of world-leading businesses to drive innovation and create employment opportunities in western Sydney.”

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F1 hopefuls to work out of AMIP

The precinct is home to AGI Sport, which is owned and run by local motorsport identity Adam Gotch.

AGI Sport plans to run more than a dozen Formula 4 open-wheelers from the facility as part of a program for aspiring racers to start on the ladder towards Formula 1.

“The ARDC have had a long-term desire to get behind a high-end race car academy for elite-level drivers coming out of karting and on their way to Europe, Gotch told Wheels, “and they’d dearly like to be associated with a driver that makes it to F1 one day.”

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Adam Gotch is one of the first tenants of the precinct

In 2022, AGI Sport worked with six young karters, and Gotch says five of those six now live overseas in pursuit of a full-time open-wheel racing career.

“With the excitement of the Netflix show Drive to Survive, there’s a huge buzz around the world about F1 at the moment,” he said. “This is where it starts.”

Gotch admits that there’s a sense of excitement around the new facility, which has a line of sight across to Australia’s fastest racing corner at the end of SMSP’s main straight.

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Gotch (far left) shows dignitaries through the AGI Sport facility

“There was funding available, and long term there will be a series of these [facilities] up the main straight."

“When a client turns up to have a look, there’s a definite ‘wow factor,” he said. “The ARDC have been working on this [precinct] for some time, and Motorsport Australia has gotten involved, which has brought the state government in.

“There was funding available, and long term there will be a series of these [facilities] up the main straight.”

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Trackside location a draw for racing industries

Glenn Matthews, ARDC CEO, said the new precinct offered a unique environment for the industry.

“What’s unique about AMIP is its trackside location within SMSP – undoubtedly Australia’s busiest and most diverse permanent race facility. The attraction of working alongside a smorgasbord of different car and bike events and experiences, race categories, teams and engineers creates a real honey-pot effect.

“We want to attract the brightest minds to join us here at Sydney Motorsport Park to collaborate with the leaders in the automotive industry to create the jobs and technology of the future.”