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View Full Version : Been To The A1GP Site Lately?...



NismoZ
01-04-05, 11:45 AM
Neat video. Great sound. (turbo freaks be aware!) Now they're talking about race(s) in the US!? (So. Cal.) That surprised me. This thing seems to be growing fast. BIG starting fields. "Heat" races. The whole concept is bold AND interesting. Is there no US "Team" yet? Why not? Biggest chassis sale in history, from Lola. You think Haas would want ChampCar to follow that same path in '06-'07? KK could slip a Cosworth in there with no problem and blow that Zytec away and still keep ChampCar on a higher rung to F-1. Yes? No? Anyway, I am impressed by the obvious growth of this new off-season open wheel road racing series and fail to see how it CAN'T affect ChampCar's long range planning. I even read a rumor that ol' Juan Pablo himself is thinking of running in A1! Heck, by the end of '06 all the bugs ought to be worked out of that new Lola and it's mass production will make it WAY more affordable than now...and the great name of Lola/Cosworth can live on in a new, BETTER Champcar!

NismoZ
01-04-05, 12:15 PM
Sorry, that was "Zytek" engine...90 deg. NA V-8, 3.4 L, 520hp. Could this Lola tub be used in conjunction with a LESS powerful engine as a basis for the new spec Atlantics? I'm a real technofeeb, but it seems to me if a major goal of ChampCar is to contain costs this might be a sound consideration, either way. Has Toyota been put on notice, or could we see a Cosworth/ Atlantic series in '06? Anything from Swift lately? MAN, I just can't see running 'til the end of the decade in these same fat 'ol Lolas while everyone else does more than "upgrade"!

jonovision_man
01-04-05, 12:19 PM
Hah... click on their "Nations" link then on "North America"

Proud of their racing prowess, Americans are excited to compete on an "equal playing field."

You guys excited? :D

We'll see what kinds of drivers it attracts, could be something to watch.

jono

racer2c
01-04-05, 12:23 PM
JPM hanging up McLaren F1 to race in a 520hp startup series. Sure. Ok. No prob. Oh, in 2012? Ok, know I believe it.

extramundane
01-04-05, 02:00 PM
The A1GP chassis is one of the ugliest pieces of dreck I've seen lately. We're talking near-Crapwagon levels of ugly. The Zytek engine would make for a good ladder series powerplant, though, as long as it's more reliable than their LMP engine.

NismoZ
01-04-05, 03:12 PM
Ahhh....there you go again, 2c. No mention of JPM hanging anything up or moving to a startup series. As the A1 schedule allows almost all of it's races to be run in the F-1 "off" season, the snippet just mentioned he was interested in trying it. Believe it.

jonovision_man
01-04-05, 03:16 PM
Ahhh....there you go again, 2c. No mention of JPM hanging anything up or moving to a startup series. As the A1 schedule allows almost all of it's races to be run in the F-1 "off" season, the snippet just mentioned he was interested in trying it. Believe it.

I didn't see that on the site, can you post a direct link?

That web site is irritating, a total bandwidth hog, too much flash IMO.

jono

racer2c
01-04-05, 03:29 PM
Ahhh....there you go again, 2c. No mention of JPM hanging anything up or moving to a startup series. As the A1 schedule allows almost all of it's races to be run in the F-1 "off" season, the snippet just mentioned he was interested in trying it. Believe it.

There I go again with what?

I'm sure McLaren will enthusiastically allow Juan some winter fun. I mean heck, with only 520hp, what harm is there?

NismoZ
01-04-05, 03:29 PM
Nope, not on A1 site. I work from memory (!)...and, uh, what was your question again? :gomer: ( I read it a long time ago, )

NismoZ
01-04-05, 03:36 PM
Yeah, Roger let Gary Bettenhausen do a little dirt racing, didn't he? What could be the harm? :rolleyes: (I was merely feferring to your "exuberence" when discussing racing, no need to get defensive. I agree with your reaction. Only relating what I read...SOMEwhere! :) )

jonovision_man
01-04-05, 03:39 PM
Nope, not on A1 site. I work from memory (!)...and, uh, what was your question again? :gomer: ( I read it a long time ago, )

Just looking for a link to JPM saying he was interested in A1. I'd be surprised to see anyone of that calibre, at least not from the start.

jono

NismoZ
01-07-05, 03:41 PM
Ugly dreck, eh? Can't agree. Eye of the beholder, I guess. Rumor now has A1 maybe looking at Laguna Seca as well as a So. Cal. venue (LA street?) They want 2 in the US. Hope ChampCar is on top of this. It'd be unforgivable to fortify against an obvious enemy only to be pick-pocketed from the rear!

Rogue Leader
01-07-05, 06:01 PM
I had heard a rumor that they wanted to do a street course in NYC....

However I think only Bernie with F1 money could pull that off.....

jonovision_man
01-08-05, 01:30 PM
I had heard a rumor that they wanted to do a street course in NYC....

However I think only Bernie with F1 money could pull that off.....

Street course in NYC... geez, how many times has that rumour surfaced? At least a half dozen times for every series on the planet!

jono

Rogue Leader
01-09-05, 11:24 AM
Street course in NYC... geez, how many times has that rumour surfaced? At least a half dozen times for every series on the planet!

jono

Almost came true for CART.. :(

However there was more than one news story this year where Bernie said straight out that F1 needs to have a presence in the largest consumer market in the US (NYC). However he never said street race. But, considering the landscape in these parts, he doesnt have many options other than a street race.

jonovision_man
01-09-05, 02:15 PM
Almost came true for CART.. :(

However there was more than one news story this year where Bernie said straight out that F1 needs to have a presence in the largest consumer market in the US (NYC). However he never said street race. But, considering the landscape in these parts, he doesnt have many options other than a street race.

He mentions it, but he also mentions adding a race on the West coast...

And in the war with GPWC he's had to solidify deals with European circuits he likely intended to leave, such as Imola, to prevent a split from having a hold of Europe. That leaves him less options for expansion abroad, since the teams have no intention of running 20+ races!

I know A1GP has buckets of money, but I'd be surprised if they could pull something like this off at such an early stage. Running a street race isn't the same as setting up a race at an established venue.

That's my 2... no, 3 cents. :) The NYC street race will remain a dream of every OW series for at least a few more years.

jono

Rogue Leader
01-09-05, 05:10 PM
He mentions it, but he also mentions adding a race on the West coast...

And in the war with GPWC he's had to solidify deals with European circuits he likely intended to leave, such as Imola, to prevent a split from having a hold of Europe. That leaves him less options for expansion abroad, since the teams have no intention of running 20+ races!

I know A1GP has buckets of money, but I'd be surprised if they could pull something like this off at such an early stage. Running a street race isn't the same as setting up a race at an established venue.

That's my 2... no, 3 cents. :) The NYC street race will remain a dream of every OW series for at least a few more years.

jono


Oh I agree... I cant see a street race happening till 2008 the earliest...