A1GP: This is Done Now, Just NOW?
You have to wonder (or is it just me) why this association is just now being formulated and announced.
Shouldn’t this have been done many months ago (a year actually)? Done at a time when whatever input they have could have been incorporated into the new car as it was being designed and constructed by the “International Constructor of Mystery” for the 2008-09 season?
Glad I’m not a multi-millionaire making these decisions. On the other hand maybe a few A1 teams that have being given the royal goat-screwing by those in charge would prefer my more common sense approach.
Anyway… A1GP World Cup of Motorsport is delighted to announce that Magneti Marelli is to be the official technical partner of the series for the 2008/09 season. Under the terms of the agreement, A1GP will utilise Magneti Marelli electronic systems in many key areas of the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari cars.
Using the Magneti Marelli modular design engine and gear control system, A1 Teams will benefit from increased data logging capability, 100% real-time telemetry cover, and reliable integration with all other control units on the car. The system currently controls the gearbox, data logging and all steering wheel functions.
John Wickham, General Manager, Technical & Operations of A1GP, said, “This is an important partnership for A1GP as we enter a new era with the Powered by Ferrari cars. Reliability has been excellent during the test programme, with no problems encountered in over 7,500-kilometres of testing throughout Europe.”
Roberto Dalla, Head of Magneti Marelli Motorsport Department said: “We are very happy to be part of the A1GP world. It was an interesting technical challenge, we have applied our technology to a new and different area with regards to data logging, gearbox control and steering wheel, so showing how flexible our solutions are, and what a high-level of performance they have.”
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=58d413b1-dcc9-4623-91b2-9986bb3c8135)
Regarding the production of the car, the early press releases from A1GP kind of indicated that Ferrari were involved with the production, not just as a consultant.
I’m begining to wonder if Ferrari really are the builder, something we initially scoffed at.
Autoblog March 13, from A1GP release.
“The chassis is based on the design of the highly successful F2004 chassis, incorporating A1GP’s core values to deliver close, exciting racing among a competitive field where overtaking is an essential part of the entertainment.
A1GP Technical Director, John Travis, is overseeing the design, development and production of the car from premises in Bognor Regis in the UK, with Rory Byrne acting as a consultant. Meanwhile the work on the manufacture and supply of the A1GP engine is being overseen by Ferrari’s Jean-Jacques His.
The Powered by Ferrari project was first announced on 11 October 2007 when the most famous name in motorsport signed a six-year agreement to manufacture and supply all A1GP engines for this unique series and provide consultancy on the design of all A1GP chassis from season four onwards”
This says Ferrari are only building the engine, however, A1’s HQ at Bognor Regis says nothing about production of the car.