A1GP To Add More Teams

[NismoZ]

It's getting late, but www.pitpass.com says Canada and the Czech Rep. are in and 2 more to soon follow. I think that's 27-28 teams. Canada will test on Monday for the 1st time at Silverstone...4 DAYS before the Brands opener. (on the long "GP Course" I longed to see CC on a few seasons ago) No US TV yet?

[WestMcLarenF1]

No US TV yet?

You would think that Speed Channel would be all over this. Or, better yet, HDNet. Well, as the old saying goes, you can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one get's filled up first. :(

[Dr. Corkski]

Canada will test on Monday for the 1st time at Silverstone...4 DAYS before the Brands opener.So I take it Eric Jensen is running the Canadian team? :gomer:

[trauma1]

So I take it Eric Jensen is running the Canadian team? :gomer:
fricking soda about went spraying on my screen, haven't heard much from him lately, that was a hell of a scam

[Grunschev]

You would think that Speed Channel would be all over this.

What does A1GP have to do with NASCAR?

See, I would have thought Speed would be all over things like FIA GT, FIA WTCC, Japan Super GT, LMES, and DTM. But I'd be wrong. No, I have to resort to the internet to find Alex Zanardi winning his first race since his accident or Mika Hakkinen winning at Spa in only his 2nd DTM race.

Having typed out my little rant, I see I have to modify it a bit. It looks like Speed does show the LMES. They condense the 1000km Silverstone race into a 1 hour highlights package. Granted, given the number of safety car laps at that race, a 1 hour highlight show may be appropriate, but still...

Wouldn't want to cut into their time for showing Texas Hardtails or Pinks.

Igor

[jonovision_man]

Autosport reported on the Czech entry a few days ago.

Tomas Enge to drive... that's pretty decent, best Czech driver anyway. :) F3000 champ (almost / kind of / sort of / not really).

Canada - who is it?? I'm dying to know, hopefully it's someone like Ranger? Not even sure if he's being rumoured.

jono

[jonovision_man]

Did you guys notice this?

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/09-15-2005/0004108335&EDATE=THU+Sep+15+2005,+11:20+AM


Scott Speed to Pilot 'We the People' Car for A1 Team USA in 2005-2006
David Price Racing Team Joins A1 Team USA

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A1 Team USA owner and CEO, Rick
Weidinger announced today A1 Team USA's driver for the inaugural season
kicking off at Brands Hatch, Great Britain, on Sept 25.

[Steve99]

nevermind

[trauma1]

well with Rick Weidinger and scott sharp running this team it's f ed already

[TedN]

..... Canada - who is it?? I'm dying to know, hopefully it's someone like Ranger? Not even sure if he's being rumoured.

jono

In this press release (http://www.a1gp.com/news/index.php?flashNavId=1&newsid=34) , it mentions Chairman of Regent Mercantile Bancorp, J Jay Laski (s/b Jaski) as team head for Canada.

I e-mailed this guy a fortnight ago requesting more info on the proposed Canadian entry. No response yet. His bio is here (http://www.matrixgroup.co.uk/about_matrix_group/group_divisions/corporate_finance?tandc=agreed) .

I too wonder who is supposedly behind this entry, and who the drivers will be?

Ted

[NismoZ]

T1...so you are saying Speed should have turned down the ride even though he tested quickest because his team stinks?

[jonovision_man]

In this press release (http://www.a1gp.com/news/index.php?flashNavId=1&newsid=34) , it mentions Chairman of Regent Mercantile Bancorp, J Jay Laski (s/b Jaski) as team head for Canada.

I e-mailed this guy a fortnight ago requesting more info on the proposed Canadian entry. No response yet. His bio is here (http://www.matrixgroup.co.uk/about_matrix_group/group_divisions/corporate_finance?tandc=agreed) .

I too wonder who is supposedly behind this entry, and who the drivers will be?

Ted

Weird, never heard of him.

jono

[NismoZ]

Check out www.A1GP.com, "rolling start"...Looks like Team USA's Scott Speed is first into turn 1. :D

[coolhand]

how will the new atlantics compare to A1GP?

[FCYTravis]

Slower and cheaper.

[Easy]

And weirder looking.

[racer2c]

And weirder looking.

Weirder than the A1GP car? :eek:

[NismoZ]

A1GP's Team Canada just announced Vancouver's Sean McIntosh as it's driver in the Brands Hatch opener. McIntosh, 20, is a title contender and 5-time winner in this season's Formula Renault UK series. Canadian businessman Wade Cherwayko is behind the A1 effort but all race operations are in the hands of England-based John Village Automotive (JVA) Hey! Is that fair!? ;) He tested well Monday at Silverstone in his first time in the car, lapping 2nd fastest!

[NismoZ]

Plus...Italy, Japan and Austria are now in and Brands Hatch is saying the place has already sold more than their premier Superbike event...60,000+ and growing. They are ecstatic! Any of you doubters and naysayers doing any rethinking yet? :p

[NismoZ]

AND, I hear 1 entire grandstand has been sold to just Irish fans! The World Cup Of Racing, huh?...will the hooligans soon be getting any idaes? :eek: Justifiable worries along those lines, I think. I hope track owners and promoters as well as the A1 Series have contingency plans. A whole new "passionate" race fan may soon be created. Get ready!

[cameraman]

Get ready!

For what, a 15 second sound bite on SpeedNews?

[Steve99]

For what, a 15 second sound bite on SpeedNews?
If the hooligans start a riot, they will get more time. It's the NASCAR way.

[NismoZ]

Speednews, huh? Perhaps the whole circus will have a much greater impact among the "more knowledgeable" fans internationally? I for one certainly do not intend to judge it by a NASCAB comparison or how it plays to a fender-fan obcessed media, locally.

[Steve99]

Are there rules about how many cars each team can/must run in each race?

[NismoZ]

I believe ONE, but each team can rotate up to 3 team drivers at the various races. Dan Wheldon "WILL" drive some for England I'm reading, as well as Kanaan and Herta for their countries. There isn't a whole lot I don't like about the concept yet, but as always we'll have to see how everything works out on the track.

[cameraman]

Perhaps the whole circus will have a much greater impact among the "more knowledgeable" fans internationally?

Why the hell should I get excited about a race that I am not permitted to watch? If you want to drool over the potential of reading a two paragraph race recap on Pitpass you can have it. In case you haven't noticed we are not allowed to watch A1 because it is foreign and therefore evil and wrong. Have you forgotten that as US citizens we are not allowed to watch anything that does not involve inbred hillbillies punting each other during yellow flags?

[NismoZ]

Awww..your anger is certainly evident, but I see this as something not US based that will have to grow into this market. The organizers are aware of this as originally no US/NA races were scheduled, but that has changed. Anger/frustration, whatever...I like the potential of this series and it promises much of what ChampCar has offered for quite awhile...international reach, road racing, level more affordable playing field (than F-1) a national pride angle (CC was/has been unable to sell that aspect) and a place where young lions can make their mark among jorneymen racers and even ex-F-1 talent. Compared to that GP Masters idea which is receiving a lot of attention I think the innovative A1GP is miles ahead. I share your frustration at not being able to see the opener "live" and the unbalanced attention given to the 'CABS, but this is just the beginning. I don't know if I'm drooling, but I AM anxious to see how this product plays out. :)

[Accipiter]

well with Rick Weidinger and scott sharp running this team it's f ed already


Oh don't worry. Team USA is actually going to be run by Dave Price Racing. U-S-A, U-S-A... er... U-K, U-K. :rolleyes:

[pchall]

Oh don't worry. Team USA is actually going to be run by Dave Price Racing. U-S-A, U-S-A... er... U-K, U-K. :rolleyes:


It is really beginning to look like the sheik can buy everybody and everything he needs to have his own 1/1 Scaletrix Series. ;)

[NismoZ]

Interesting to note however that a guy like Fittipaldi had trouble coming up with the 5-10 million needed to run a guy in Champcar but seemed to find enough "friends" to ante in the $162 million franchise fee for A1gp. That amount gets them the car, engines, all transportation, maintainence etc. and all drivers are being paid, no ride buyers. Still seems steep to me, but...(?) Maybe they figure once they are in and they run for 10 years, that's only 16.2 mil per season?

[Dr. Corkski]

Oh don't worry. Team USA is actually going to be run by Dave Price Racing. U-S-A, U-S-A... er... U-K, U-K. :rolleyes:Kinda like how Team Australia Champ Car is run by Walker Racing? :gomer:

[TedN]

Why the hell should I get excited about a race that I am not permitted to watch? If you want to drool over the potential of reading a two paragraph race recap on Pitpass you can have it. In case you haven't noticed we are not allowed to watch A1 because it is foreign and therefore evil and wrong. Have you forgotten that as US citizens we are not allowed to watch anything that does not involve inbred hillbillies punting each other during yellow flags?

More than likely, SPEED will broadcast this series as one of its weekly winter filler series during Nov-Dec-Jan.

Ted

:(

[racer2c]

Interesting to note however that a guy like Fittipaldi had trouble coming up with the 5-10 million needed to run a guy in Champcar but seemed to find enough "friends" to ante in the $162 million franchise fee for A1gp. That amount gets them the car, engines, all transportation, maintainence etc. and all drivers are being paid, no ride buyers. Still seems steep to me, but...(?) Maybe they figure once they are in and they run for 10 years, that's only 16.2 mil per season?


162mil? That number seems very high to me.

[ChampCar#3]

162mil? That number seems very high to me.




YEAH.............that figure seems way too wacky!

[Accipiter]

If Weidinger is willing to throw that kind of money around, why the hell did Kelly Racing go out of buisness?

[trauma1]

Kinda like how Team Australia Champ Car is run by Walker Racing? :gomer:
sorry Doc take derrick any day running a team over the bunch team USA has now, scott sharp as a consultant for road racing, it's laughable, like cheever running a F1 team

[chop456]

sorry Doc take derrick any day running a team over the bunch team USA has now, scott sharp as a consultant for road racing, it's laughable, like cheever running a F1 team

While he did demean himself by going earling, you do know what Sharp did and won before that, right? He even had an IMSA teammate you might have heard of.

[trauma1]

and it was how many years ago, turning left for the last 10years hasn't exactly hepled him much, to have a bunch of ex earl participants running the team doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence, i'm still leary of the a1 thing and how long it's going to last and how many teams are running at the end of the year, i'l give them credit, i really didn't think they would turn a wheel, but pissing of bernie like he did isn't going to help

[Dirty Sanchez]

A1GP is being shown live on Setanta Sports. you can subscribe thru direcTV.

[Accipiter]

Kinda like how Team Australia Champ Car is run by Walker Racing? :gomer:


Sort of, but last I checked, Champ Car isn't billing itself as "The World Cup of Racing." Therein lies the distinction.

[Dr. Corkski]

Sort of, but last I checked, Champ Car isn't billing itself as "The World Cup of Racing." Therein lies the distinction.So what? World Cup of soccer teams are often managed by someone of another nationality. At least the Team Australia in A1GP will only have Australian drivers.

[Steve99]

A1GP is being shown live on Setanta Sports. you can subscribe thru direcTV.
I smell a blackout coming. Did they buy the rights to show it in the U.S.?

[Easy]

Almost every A1GP franchise is being run by a European based racing team.

Carlin Motorsport (UK) is running Team Japan, Portugal and Lebanon.
Team Rosberg (Germany) is running the Austrian franchise.
Arden Int'l (UK): Team UK and Team Brazil.
Alan Docking Racing (UK): Team Australia
Super Nova (UK): Team Germany, Team Pakistan
Coloni (Italy): Team Indonesia
DAMS (France): Team Mexico
WSR (UK): Team New Zealand
etc...


So don't be pissed about DPR running the US franchise, its SOP.

[Accipiter]

Who's pissed? Bemused, sure. Certainly not pissed.



So what? World Cup of soccer teams are often managed by someone of another nationality. At least the Team Australia in A1GP will only have Australian drivers.

Well, one driver, and another drivers suit filled with the talentless son of a driver.



162mil? That number seems very high to me.

Apparently it is.

Fom an AP story:


A1 franchises are priced based on the population and wealth of the country. The most expensive franchises cost $50 million and the least expensive $15 million.

Obviously Weidinger must have paid the full $50 M. I wonder how much he has to pay DPR on top of that.

[Dr. Corkski]

Well, one driver, and another drivers suit filled with the talentless son of a driver.A famous last name and no talent is still more than what Marcus Marshall has.