Tarmac rally promoter splits with Motorsport Australia as Tasmanian government extends event
The promoter and owner of Australia’s premier tarmac rally, Targa Tasmania, will go it alone after announcing it has split with national motorsport body, Motorsport Australia.
TARGA, the entity behind Targa Tasmania and other Australian tarmac rally events, made the announcement last week, stating it had advised Motorsport Australia that it does “not see a viable future for TARGA under their [MA’s] sanctioning”.
The announcement also confirmed the cancellation of the 2023 Targa Tasmania that has been postponed until October, but pointedly stated competitors should start making plans for the event to be run in April 2024.
Concurrently, the Tasmanian state government confirmed it would extend TARGA’s contract to run the iconic tarmac rally to 2028. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff told the Hobart Mercury his government “will do all it can” to ensure the event goes ahead in 2024.
Rockliff told the newspaper: “What is also important is we provide certainty for the Targa event, and we’ll be extending it another year until 2028, in terms of the contractual agreement, and that will provide the organisers certainty, but also we’ll work with the organisers to ensure that the event goes ahead in 2024 as I know many Tasmanians will want it to.”
Motorsport Australia suspended tarmac rallying under its auspices after fatalities in successive Targa Tasmania events. It instituted two inquiries with TARGA’s support and handed down a series of changes to regulations intended to be a “hard reset” of the sport.
Many of the proposed changes have been divisive and criticised by organisers and competitors alike.
In recent weeks, MA unilaterally announced onerous new licencing and training requirements. It has since backpedalled on aspects of these requirements.
The Motorsport Australia ban has not affected tarmac rally events that have continued to run under other sanctioning bodies. It’s understood TARGA will seek alternative sanctioning arrangements for its events including Targa Tasmania in 2024 and beyond.
TARGA boss Mark Perry told carsales: “The most important aspect of this decision is the ability to determine our own course. We have strong community support both in Tasmania and the tarmac rally world and we are keen to reward that confidence.
“MA’s review process is now into its 15th month with no clear timeline for full implementation, and after us providing unequivocal support for this process, we have had to draw a line in the sand at this point.
“This decision will provide us with an opportunity to move forward… The reaction of our customers to the recent announcements relating to training and licensing made it very clear as to what needed to come next and hence here we are,” Perry stated.
Perry said the organisation “would not lose sight” of the report handed down by MA on tarmac rallying.
“Its findings need to be properly assessed and, where appropriate, acted upon,” he stated.
Perry said more details regarding the 2024 event would be released soon, including technical and sporting regulations. The April 2024 event’s course is expected to be as proposed for the delayed and now cancelled October 2023 event.
MA is yet to hand down its new tarmac rally vehicle eligibility requirements. It’s understood, however, that TARGA will keep its events open to a range of vehicles including the Outright GT vehicles Targa Tasmania has traditionally attracted.
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Keyword: Targa goes it alone