'TGP' to kick off Bahrain F1 event

[bahraini spirit]

hi found this in a local newspaper, enjoy.



THE first round of the 2004 FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix World Championship and a race for the all-new BMW junior cars in the Formula BMW Asia series will be the added attraction to the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix which kicks off on April 2 with the actual Formula One race set for April 4 at the Bahrain International Circuit.

An action packed three-day schedule was unveiled yesterday which has something to offer every motor racing enthusiastic.

The FIA Historic Racing Championship for Thoroughbred Grand Prix (TGP) cars represents a unique era of Formula One racing. The cars represent the age between 1966 and 1985. Spectators who are Formula One aficionados as well as fans will be delighted to see the mouth-watering display of classic racing cars from yesteryears.

The TGP will have a practice session on Friday and a qualifying session on Saturday while the actual race will open the programme on Sunday.

The TGP race will feature 25 cars including some classics associated with legendary names like Gilles Villeneuve, Ronnie Peterson, Rene Arnoux, Carlos Reutemann and Alan Jones.

Many of these cars are powered by the ubiquitous Ford Cosworth DFV 3-litre engine that powered so many of the Grand Prix winners of that age.

Cosworth is still the engine manufacturer with the most Grand Prix victories - 176 - and the British company is a sponsor of the FIA TGP Championship.

The Formula BMW Asia race will provide a glimpse of things to come to the Gulf region where the German manufacturer has signed a number of deals to support the growth of junior formula racing.

The Asian series cars will be seen for the first time in Bahrain and they are certain to create excitement among young enthusiasts and would-be race drivers who aspire for a chance to compete at this level in the future.

Other on-track activities including demonstration laps by the magnificent Mercedes 196 Streamliner which will be driven by former Grand Prix winner Frenchman Jean Alesi. The car represents the golden era of Grand Prix motor racing of the 1950s, campaigned by among others the late great, five-times world champion Jean Manuel Fangio. This car epitomises the Mercedes Benz domination in the 1950s.

But the top event of the three-day racing fiesta will certainly be the third round of the Formula One World Championship.

There will be two practice sessions on April 2 and two more the next day before the qualifying round starting at 2pm. The 57-lap race will be flagged off on Sunday.


BAHRAIN SCHEDULE

Friday, April 2, 2004

11.00am to 12.00 noon Formula One Free Practice Session 1

13.00pm to 13.30pm Thoroughbred GP Free Practice Session

14.00pm to 15.00pm Formula One Free Practice Session 2

16.00pm to 16.30pm Formula One Press Conference

17.00pm to 18.00pm Formula BMW Asia Free Practice Session

Saturday, April 3, 2004

8.30am to 9.00am Thoroughbred GP Qualifying Session

10.00am to 10.45am Formula One Free Practice Session 3

11.15am to 12.00noon Formula One Free Practice Session 4

14.00pm to 15.40pm Formula One Qualifying Session

16.00pm to 16.30pm Formula BMW Asia Race 1

Sunday, April 4, 2004

10.30am to 11.00am Thoroughbred GP Race

11.10am to 11.25am Track Display - 1953 Mercedes-Benz W196R

11:45am: Formula One Driver's Parade

12.20pm to 12.50pm Formula BMW Asia Race 2

13.15pm to 13.45pm Formula One Grid Presentation

14.16pm Formula One National Anthem

14.30pm Formula One Grand Prix (57 laps)

Please note the above timetable may be subject to amendments

[Led ZeppF1]

Mate, you had posted two identical new threads.

Anyway, thanks for the sharing.

[bahraini spirit]

ya thats what i thought so since the site was a bit slow and it didnt accept the new thread so i clicked the post topic button twice and i suppose thats the reason. anyways bahrain rally just finished and it was a successful event.

[ActiveMS]

Good news for Bahrain, but personally I find TGP very boring. They all seem to be middle aged millionaires pussy footing about in classic F1 cars and not risking a thing. IMHO if you are going to spend so much in order to race, you may as well push caution to the wind and give it some wellie.

[Kicking-back]

They certainly don't "pussy foot around" in TGP.

In American historic racing it tends to be more of a cautious parade - but I've seen some real battles in TGP.

[Rob29]

For more info on TGP see www.tgp-f1.com/

[Knowlesy]

I thought this thread was a Shcuey haters: "That German Prat."

Hmmmm......how mistaken was I?

Isn't TGP just a glorified set of parade laps?

[Rob29]

knowlesy,if you watch the TV coverage,I think you may find a more exciting race than current F1?

[Teretonga]

TGP is much more interesting than F1!

[Adam43]

It is, but it is F1!

[Knowlesy]

Well admittedly I haven't seen much coverage, only about 6 or 7 races. Haven't seen that much action though and the cars performance differences are pretty diverse. It's not a race in my opinion, just a saunter round a track for an hour or so.

I still enjoy it though.......nothing better than watching some old favourites (Cosworth, ground effect Williams' for example) rolling around. It's good stuff, I can't deny it!

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by knowlesy
It's not a race in my opinion

It definitely is.

[Mackmot]

I quite agree KB. TGP is great racing much better than current F1 cars that never overtake. If you dont believe me go to Donington on 2nd May

[cos]

So only F1, TGP and FormulaBMW? Not great value for money... the AustralianGP had about 12 support races.

[bahraini spirit]

dude we're just gettin started its the first time its run and we swapped places with china and had less time to build this thing. of course u won't expect 10 support races or whatever in such a short time. and besides the aussie one is been goin on for a long time, so give it time.

[Kicking-back]

Most Grands Prix only have F1, F3000 and Porsche Supercup.

[point]

who knows we'll men in robes drivin a formula car in support races!

but seriously, ive read somewhere that there's a couple of arabs in the f1 powerboat

[Knowlesy]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
It definitely is.

As I say KB, I've only seen a few races and so my judgement is pretty innaccurate.....as you guys seem intent on battering into me!

I'll keep watching whether it's a race or not!

[Mackmot]

You dont believe us do you. I was running John Crowson in a March N177 this season and he was definately racing.

[Knowlesy]

When did I say I didn't believe you? As I have said, my judgement isn't really valid as I haven't seen enough races.

If you want an argument, I'll see you outside at 8 o' clock, no knuckle dusters allowed.

[Led ZeppF1]

Williams test driver Marc Gene, at the wheel of a 2003-spec FW25, will become the first man to lap the Bahrain International Circuit on Wednesday.

Williams have also supplied a second car for the ceremony - the ubiquitous Saudia-sponsored FW07 as raced in the 1981 and 1982 seasons by World Champion Alan Jones and Argentine Carlos Reutemann.

http://www.formula1.com/news/1307.html

[Rob29]

Originally posted by point
who knows we'll men in robes drivin a formula car in support races!

but seriously, ive read somewhere that there's a couple of arabs in the f1 powerboat

No arabs in TGP so far,but they are common in off shore powerboats and desert rallies.They wear overalls same as everybody else.No women though, which could be a problem.Most mid-east countries are banned from holding international athletics contests because of sex discrimination.

[ASCII Man]

Jean Alesi will be driving the Mercedes W196, that brought Fangio his 4th title in 1955, at Bahrain.

[bahraini spirit]

bahrain just took part in an international athletics competition and the olympics and girls took part in that. as for discriminating between men and women, we dont have that, but there are limits to what u can do. hope this is clear.