KEY POINTS:
The cars are not even on the starter's grid but Taupo is already buzzing with motorsport fever and the hotels and motels are filling up fast.
As motor racing fans from around the world clamour for this weekend's A1GP World Cup motorsport event - the largest car racing event in New Zealand for more than 50 years - the Bahrain royal family is rumoured to be flying in.
A spokeswoman for Rotorua's Solitaire Lodge, which rents its plushest room out at nearly $2000 a night, has denied rumours that one of the world's wealthiest royal families is staying as their guests, although their helicopter pad with space for more than 40 choppers would make them ideally placed as hosts.
It is common knowledge that another famous New Zealand resort, Huka Lodge, has been booked out by international A1GP team owners.
More than 450 motorsport crew have flown in for the event, most of whom worked at the last A1GP round in Sentul, Indonesia.
The weekend event will see drivers approaching speeds of up 300km/h, in a competition that is motorsport's answer to tennis' Davis Cup.
Excitement among dozens of organisers at Taupo's 3.5km track yesterday was palpable, as 24 weeks of hard work neared completion.
Racing starts on Friday but tomorrow the trophies, hand-carved by a Maori expert, will be unveiled.
On Thursday most of the teams' drivers, representing 24 countries, will square off in a fun time-trial aboard jetskis on the lakefront.
Yesterday it was evident the event will be a huge money spinner for Taupo, and is set to lift motorsport's profile in New Zealand to a new high. Team New Zealand's Simon Johnson described it as "the closest thing this country will ever get to Formula One".
"Logistically it's been massive. People have no idea until they get to the track how many people are involved and how truly international it is. It's much richer, much bigger than the V8s."
Large corporate marquees and impressive temporary grandstands dominate the circuit.
On the ground, workers urgently walk, run, or ride golf carts between tents and portable offices. Truckloads of Portaloos arrive, and inside the media tent more than 200 internet connections are being organised.
Walking around Pit Lane, the language is dominated by European accents as mechanics piece together the cars as though they are works of art.
Upstairs, the hospitality marquees are being furiously decked out. Director of Montana Catering Dallas Fisher said he was preparing more than $1 million worth of food and beverages for the weekend.
"We'll provide hospitality to 3500 people, tables of 10 mostly. The best VIP lounge is called Pangaea and is for team owners and people like the Prime Minister.
"There will be crayfish tail entrees with horopito and piko piko sauces. For dessert they'll be having martini sorbets, flavoured with kiwifruit, blackberry, mint, or lemon."
About 530 catering staff will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Project manager Ian Maskell - who has been responsible for development work at Wellington's Westpac Stadium, Te Papa museum, and the capital's airport terminal - said managing construction of Taupo's A1GP infrastructure had been most satisfying. "Because it was a bit different. I was there five years ago when I sat down with [colleague] Chris Abbott. It was Chris who had the dream."
Taupo was chosen for an international motorsport circuit because it met so many criteria.
"About 2.5 million people are within four hours' drive."
Taupo also provided a wide array of other things to do besides attending the event. "They also had a club circuit here, which had a national calendar of events on. We went to the local authority and persuaded them to buy the adjacent farm and expand Centennial Park."
