A Change of Drivers for A1GP Team USA
A1 Team USA announced today that Phil Giebler will be the team driver for the A1 Grand Prix Race of Nations in Dubai. Giebler, 25, who has already been successful in open-wheel racing abroad, will get his first experience in the “We the People” car on December 11, 2005.
“A1 Team USA feels a real responsibility to bring on young, talented drivers like Phil who are looking for a chance to break out on to the bigger stage,” said [team owner Rick] Weidinger. “Phil has already had some success racing in Europe, and we are quite confident that he will be able to score important points for us in Dubai. I think that Phil is a true discovery for A1 Team USA and feel he’s going to deliver in Dubai.”
Team USA started the season with Scott Speed as primary driver. After three undistinguished starts Speed was replaced with IRL, Champ Car and American Le Mans veteran Brian Herta for round four at Eastern Creek, Australia. Herta finished 15th and 10th in that event, the teams best showing to date. The Team is currently buried in 14th place, 79 points behind Championship leader Team France.
Weidinger said “Bryan [Herta] is still an important member of our A1 Team USA”, and that the veteran is expected to back in the seat during the Spring A1GP events.
Giebler has had previous success racing in F3, F-3000 and the prestigious ELF/La Filiere Campus Championships in Europe where he was the only American champion in its history. He has also run in the Indy Pro Series and Toyota Atlantic but his efforts have been hampered somewhat by budget concerns.
The next stop in Sheikh Maktoum
a1gp intrigues me. i would like to see it given more attention here in the US. I think it’d be interesting to put one of the NASCAR boys in the car also, namely jeff gordon. and i want to see the races on tv, namely speed channel atleast. i’m upset that they arent doing san antonio anymore, as a texan, i had hopes to go to that event and show my full support for team USA. oh well, maybe i can find a way to go to laguna seca.
The chances of getting Gordon back into an open wheel car now are slim to none, unless it were a Sprint or Midget.
A couple things have amazed me after five events. First there hasn’t been one engine failure over five events, 10 races, 20 qual sessions and 15-20 practice sessions. There have been a couple incidents of electrical problems but nothing mechanical.
Secondly is how dominate the French team is. In a series that has identical cars and tires it shouldn’t happen but it has.
BTW A1GP is carried via Direct TV and a division of Comcast, the OLN Network, is about to sign to carry the remainder of the events.
i’m on dish network. i think that might have to change though, it seems there is more and more stuff on OLN that i’d like to see everyday but dish network doesnt offer it.
and gordon did do the f1 test a few years ago, i think something like a1 would be great for the nascar guys, no long term commitment and they race through the winter. and we know gordon does have a desire to prove himself on an international level, he’s at RoC this weekend.