A1GP feel good factor (or lack thereof)

[Kiwi3]

There seem to be some very polarised opinions at the moment, therefore think it might be interesting to do a little poll on the 'state of the nations'.

Let us know how you are currently feeling about A1GP and post a comment about why.

Please remember though that everyone has different levels of involvement/knowledge and regardless of this everyone is entitled to their opinion.

P.S. I'll open the voting with mildly positive, I hope that Tony Teixeira can continue to fund it just enough to keep it ticking over, and Surfers Paradise will help.

Cheers,

Kiwi3

[champcarman]

The Series has plenty of positives but also a lot of negatives.

Good cars (and good looking cars), great racing, good venues, racing at the right time of year, involvement of Nations where racing has no great history or heritage. are some of the positives.

Negatives are lack of big name drivers, continual questions regarding the financial state of the Series, lack of sponsors on the cars, pay drivers instead of the best a nation can provide and the uncertainty of the calendar.

Recently the driver situation has possibly improved, for example Liuzzi in the Team Italia car was a positive step. Adam Carroll seems to be a star and guys like Doornbos and Jani are top class.

The Series should be comprised of real up and comers and F1 testers or similar and the Series promotors should publicise the Series as a showcase for future stars and F1 types. At the moment a major weapon for critics of the Series is the perception that the drivers are a bunch of nobodies.

This will be particularly important when the Series visits the Gold Coast in it's next season because of the comparison with the Indycars and V8 Supercars with their big name drivers.

Perhaps the Series commentators could refer to the contestants more using the drivers names than the Nations names!

[kerrmanningjarv]

"A little positive, it will ride out the current climate but will take a long time to grow"

That's my position... I love the series, I really enjoy watching it and I can't wait to be at Brands Hatch on Sunday. I think a nations cup idea is unique and it is backed up by great excitement and an improving driver line-up.

But, with the current economics, it will take a few years for them to become financially stable, to a level at which they have a good length calendar (12 weekends would be fine I think) and every team is professionally run, races for the whole season and picks as strong a driver as possible.

I am cautiously optimistic for the future as I think the idea is great and the people running it seem enthusiastic about what will happen in coming years.

[Asp]

I'm definitely a little negative. There's a lot of doomsaying about, and if you believe all of it A1GP is going to collapse is a messy heap any minute now.

I don't believe that's going to happen, but, there's no smoke without fire - and some of the serious problems have definitely reared their ugly head for all to see.

I think A1GP will survive, but it's definitely struggling, and I don't see how we can call them anything else but threats to the series' survival.

[bella]

the thing with a1 is there's always been issues with prompt payment and so on (although you could argue that's just how motorsport rolls) right from the start. it's never been on a completely sure footing, and logic would say that times of financial hardship would make things even more difficult.

i guess it depends at which point the teams are unable to obtain credit or funding from sponsors/seat holders to pitch up the money they're owed without knowing for certain themselves whether it's going to be paid or not. there's always room for a degree of uncertainty but with prize money unpaid from last year that's hardly a good indicator for future chances of receiving funds owed.

[RichardRenes]

I am very positive. It's here, it will stay and will grow stronger every season. Yes Murphy's law was strictly applied this season, and no judge showed any mercy yet.

As for the 'no smoke without fire': I saw a nice interview with Geraint Anderson yesterday. He said that some bankers in the London city start rumours just to make profits... I sometimes have the idea it's the same with A1.

One thing though: their media staff really must do better, and be a tad more honest about things.

[strider]

Originally Posted by RichardRenes

One thing though: their media staff really must do better, and be a tad more honest about things.

Maybe they haven't been paid either and don't want to risk that situation becoming permanent by telling the truth.

Ditto Team GBR.

[Kiwi3]

While a sample size of 14 so far is hardly representative I must say I thought the poll results would be worse. So far the negatives are only slightly ahead.

Interesting that nobody has no opinion or neutral, I guess it's a topic that everyone will have an opinion about.

[diabloA1]

I'm slightly positive. Indeed A1GP is in a crisis this year which is a good thing in my mind because it forces them to buck up or fold. I think they are bucking up.

[bella]

Originally Posted by RichardRenes

He said that some bankers in the London city start rumours just to make profits... I sometimes have the idea it's the same with A1.

in that case, speak to the team managers and team staff who haven't been paid money they've been owed. i'm sure that'll change your mind

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by bella

in that case, speak to the team managers and team staff who haven't been paid money they've been owed. i'm sure that'll change your mind

I have sat in the boardroom of an office of an oil company and heard it said from the horses' mouth that they seriously considered sponsoring A1GP but backed out because of the negative rumours floating around. That was at the beginning of 2007. Rumours and innuendo have had a direct and negative effect, and there have been people with this agenda.

[RichardRenes]

I wonder who started that rumor/ fact. If the team owners and or drivers have not been paid, I am sure they knew that was going to happen an consented with that.

I am also quite sure that the team owners WILL be paid a.s.a.p.

[Kiwi3]

It seems that there are quite a few people from within the paddock that have reported late or non-payments. In this area I have no knowledge but since it's a commonly reported theme I presume it is quite true and not just a rumour.

However a different matter is that rumours of the imminent demise of A1GP have been around since before the series even started and have been at times bordering on malicious, and as I posted before that has hurt the series.

I am still of the opinion that Tony Teixeira is stretching payments as far as possible, it seems to the point where he will fork out when a crisis erupts, as seemed to (almost) happen in Durban in season 1. But I also get a sense that the backing is there in the background for when the crisis happens.

Does this summary suit everyone or am I way off the mark?

[jackschmidt]

"A little negative, it will continue to face difficulties and threats to its survival"

I love A1GP and that there's a whole lot of positives. I actually give hats off to the folks at A1 because amidst all the bad rumours lingering about, they still manage stay alive and even pull off some fantastic racing. Give credit where it's due.

However, even with this, there are plenty of naysayers who will continue to preach A1's doom regardless of whether it is true or not. Coupled that with such an erratic season with bad officiating calls, teams disappearing and reappearing within the season, GBR in administration, cancelled races, non-payments and unfinished cars. It's given such a potent season on paper plenty of marks for their detractors to raise.

Inspite of all this, if Tony and all the gang manage to put out a much more stable 5th season, I feel I'll begin to change my opinion of the series to a more positive light.

As of now, what I want to see is A1GP survive with a stable fifth season.

[Mak]

Fantastic series concept, unfortunately Debt ridden, due to poor business decisions from the top.

[Mystery]

Slightly negative for me.

I think the series has potential still but I'm not convinced Tony Teixeira is anything more than a cheque book and he needs someone who can actually run and promote a racing series.

[danieljboys]

Does anyone have a crowd attendance figure for yesterday? It was certainly down on last year. Eve the seating area at the top of Paddock Hill was only 80% full this time around. The run down from Paddock was packed as usual but there definitely less people at Druids than in previous years.

For 29 quid the day is very good value for money with plenty of support races and a reasonably priced raceday program at a fiver. I can't understand why more people didn't show up unless there was just a general lack of awareness OR more people have decided to go away for bank holiday.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Combination of the factors you said, plus a less competitive team GBR, a GBR driver who was considered as not deserving of the seat (although his performance hopefully changed some minds) and the series' image seemingly taking a turn for the worse due to the short unstable season.

Crowd was noticeably smaller than last year but still a good international level crowd I think.

[bdwoody]

if the team got some kind of monetary incentive to boost the crowd at the home A1GP then that would help the show. i.e team GBR gets a lewis hamilton / andy priaux / antony davidson kinda guy in the seat then the spectators would want to see that and the money generated would help the team (nations) cause.it would be up to the nation to get as many people through the gate at their own GP to help the finances .just a thought .....

[bella]

Originally Posted by danieljboys

For 29 quid the day is very good value for money with plenty of support races and a reasonably priced raceday program at a fiver. I can't understand why more people didn't show up unless there was just a general lack of awareness OR more people have decided to go away for bank holiday.

maybe people only realised the weather was going to be good after they'd stopped advance ticket sales, when you had to pay £35. or the idea of paying 2x£29 for parents plus fuel was a bit steep? or maybe their key demographic is unemployed and unable to fork out 1/3 of their dole money for the ticket alone!

i was thinking (steady), the ticket price on the day would require it to be nearly twice as good and nearly twice as worth it as f3/gt. i don't think you could say that, even if the noise of the whole field was quite pleasing!

i thought it was a good turnout to be honest. they seemed to go over the top with the catering stands a bit though, but the bars just about catered for the dutch portion of the crowd