A1GP announces first 6 national franchises

[gttouring]

still the car is sharp- spot on, the rear wing endplate treatment is very much to my liking, and it is just a proper modern openwheeler.
but another "top" open wheel series?
and a national spin to it? F1 already runs as drivers represent their respective countries- this is a silly diversion i feel, as no country will really back their car after season one, if they do at all now...
good design and it would be a nice addition to IRL or CHampcar, A1 GP sounds like Steak sauce to me.
Premier 1 which also had a nice premise floundered before it took off, A1 is to do better? oh is this because it is in the off season of every other series and is primarily in the middle east? The Idea of A1 should have been tossed up as a way to run F2- i mean Gp2, so a few privateers and countries can go at it, so youngens can get a chance to show themselves with the best, and recieving national support and Fame. This Oi! another one...

[gttouring]

but i do like a winter series idea. but not like this...and it has nice bits just something is off here...

[tyrrellf1]

Originally posted by gttouring
but i do like a winter series idea. but not like this...and it has nice bits just something is off here...

TASMAN F 5000 anybody?

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Suze
Circuit or circuits?

One each,also Doha has one in use today for Moto GP.That makes 3 in the same corner of the desert with not a known driver in several thousand miles.As it is looking like the biggest race meeting in the UK next year will be the historic event at Gooodwood,and I remember marshals scraping the ice of the track for F1 at Brands in March,maybe Britain could have a round of this winter series?

[Suze]

Could do...I'd like to see it at Donington. Anyone else?

[Kicking-back]

It won't come to Donington - because the point is that the countries it is being held in will mostly be in summer when the series is on.

The races are China, Malaysia, Japan, Bahrain, Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Australia and South Africa.

We'll be able to see it all live on Sky Sports.

[Suze]

But, if those cars are any good, could you not just have seen it coming down the Craner Curves?!

[Kicking-back]

It would be good through the Craners, yes, I wouldn't deny that.

It's just that Europe isn't the geographical home of this series.

We wouldn't call on Formula Nippon to have a round at Brands, for example

At the launch yesterday, Maktoum said part of the appeal in Britain will be that when it's cold, dark and raining, you'll be able to turn on the TV and watch a "summer" race, in the middle of winter.

It'll certainly help the winter "withdrawal symptoms" from racing!

[mac]

At first I thought this was some kind of joke. I'm becoming less pessimistic, but still would like more convincing of how serious a championship it will be and what place it will have in international motorsport.

Did they get the UK and US paint schemes mixed up?

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
It won't come to Donington - because the point is that the countries it is being held in will mostly be in summer when the series is on.

The races are China, Malaysia, Japan, Bahrain, Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Australia and South Africa.

We'll be able to see it all live on Sky Sports.

According to my atlas,China & Japan are in the northern hemesphere,so summer is same as UK.(Also as far as UK from desert 'headquarters')Do you have a calendar as I have not seen one yet? Does Bahrain get 2 rounds?

[Kicking-back]

The calendar will be pubished soon. Bahrain doesn't have two races - that was a slip from me!

More details should emerge at the next press conference which is in South Africa in a few weeks time.

[L-B]

The only ones that are southern hemisphere are Aus and South Africa. The rest just have better winters.

[Asa]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
We'll be able to see it all live on Sky Sports.

If you are watching in Europe, the races in China and Malaysia will be at 6:00am in the morning...

Shanghai gets pretty cold in winter, just like the UK, but Zhuhai in southern China is fine, winter is about 10 degree C.

Malaysia has no winter, by the way, because it sits very near to the equator. It is summer all year round.

[CleanTone]

we can all bet on drivers now: Monteiro, Khartikeian... Won't Irungattukottai(indian) host a race?

[Redlake27]

It would be good to see those drivers who can't get an F1 seat racing in this:

Wurz, Davidson, Montagny, Firman, Paffett, Briscoe, Coulthard

[BSchneiderFan]

Kerr, van der Merwe, Bernoldi, Hynes, Burti, Davidson, Kaneishi, Courtney, Lotterer...

[Rob29]

More info in todays MSN;
13 rounds Sep 2005 to March 2006;
USA
Bahrain
Lebanon
Malaysia or Indonesia
Australia
South Africa
Brazil
Mexico
USA (2)
China
Japan
Europe
Dubai

[flor]

wow 13, i didnt expect that many

[Kicking-back]

I think that calendar is pure speculation.

A1GP certainly haven't announced anything officially - and as far as I know it'll not race in Europe.


"Races take place during the European winter, in countries enjoying summer weather conditions such as Dubai, Bahrain, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and South America." says the officials.

[CleanTone]

rob, that would be awesome.

Add Qatar, Argentina and both Indonesia/Malaysia and have a full time 16 dates

[Mathias]

Adam Carroll for A1GP!

[Rob29]

15 mins coverage of the London launch including shots of the car testing on Skysports World Motorsports programme today,which should see several repeats.

[Mr Jinxx]

was that the same as the DVD in the mag?

[Rob29]

Huh? what DVD? what mag? I have never seen a racing DVD in any magazine,have some VHS tapes which came with Motor Sport.

[ActiveMS]

Someone told me over the weekend the UK franchise cost 90m........ouch!!

Not sure if that was pounds or USD. Either way looks like someone has the cash and will pay their drivers.....