Mark Gallagher

[Kiwi3]

Mark Gallagher, face of A1GP Team Ireland and ardent supporter of the A1GP concept is moving to lead Cosworth in F1. He will remain a shareholder but will obviously no longer be with the team on a day to day basis. He was one of the most capable and enthusiastic people in the A1GP paddock, and I think this is a real loss to A1GP.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Depends how you look at it - either you can say it is a sign that being in A1GP is a stairway to bigger things (like F1), or you can say that for a series trying to forge its own identity this is a big blow.

Still, the Irish team has 3 or 4 seatholders so it's not like they have to find new owners at last - the team should remain quite stable.

[RichardRenes]

Some people come from F1 and some people go. At least we know where he's going.. unlike, say, Mark Kershaw.. who just disappeared.

[Kiwi3]

He come from F1 in the firstplace so I don't think you can say A1GP is a staircase to bigger things in this case.

[kerrmanningjarv]

True, but he's gone back to F1 after 4 years in A1GP, and those 4 years of running a team will no doubt help him in F1, so I suppose that is one way in which A1 could be a "staircase".

But I'm sure the series (when solvent) wants to establish itself as a standalone series in its own right, so this is a blow for them. However the Irish team seems well run so I'm sure they'll be OK.