The charade is over. Only two days before they were scheduled to test at Queensland raceway and a week before the first race the A1 GP on the Gold Coast has been terminated.

The Queensland Government will now showcase the popular tourist venue to the World via four 150 km V8 Supercar races.

SuperGP General Manager Greg Hooton said that whilst it was obviously disappointing that GCMEC has had to terminate the contract with A1GP, plans have been put in place to ensure a full, new-look, program when the 2009 Nikon SuperGP commences next Thursday October 22.

“GCMEC and the Minister have worked with V8 Supercars, to develop the new race program which will now be rolled out at the event,” said Hooton.

“This program comprises of four 150km V8 Supercar races, two over each day of the weekend, seeing an unprecedented amount of V8 Supercar racing on the streets of Surfers Paradise.”

All well and good, but how does that fit in with the promises of the Queensland Government to deliver a truly international major openwheel event to the taxpayers of Queensland.

Queensland Sport Minister Phil Reeves said in a statement this afternoon: “I’d like to acknowledge the V8 Supercars for their ability and willingness to step up and ensure the Nikon SuperGP is a fantastic event.

“The Nikon SuperGP is an iconic event and this change I believe can only enhance its reputation as one of the world’s greatest motorsport events.

“I’m sure racing fans will not be disappointed and it will again be another great event. The Nikon SuperGP is much more than just racing, people come for the whole experience.” he said.

Meanwhile the only real winner in this whole disgusting mess is once again the only person in Australian Motor Racing with any semblance of business and entrepreneurial savvy at all, Tony Cochrane.

Cochrane has long coveted the Gold Coast event as his own and now it would seem he has his wish.

The big losers out of this, apart from the taxpayers of Queensland, are hard core Aussie race-fans who have watched this event go from a popular round of the now defunct Champcar World Series to just another V8 Supercar round.