Alan Jones Interview, A1GP Teams Announced
Season Five of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport kicks off in less than two weeks time and the A1GP entry list for the Nikon SuperGP, 22 - 25 October in Australia has been announced.
The provisional list of 19 teams set to line up on the grid to race on one of the most exciting street circuits in the world includes reigning A1GP 2008/09 champion Ireland and past champions France, Germany and Switzerland.
Nineteen countries in total are on the list, with the variety sure to give everyone someone to cheer for at the four-day event on the streets of Surfers Paradise.
Nikon SuperGP General Manager Greg Hooton welcomed the official release of the team’s ahead of what is the season-opener for A1GP.
“I am really excited to be able to officially announce the countries that we will host at our event, the Nikon SuperGP, from next Thursday when they arrive on-track for the opening round of their fifth season,” said Hooton.
“It is an exciting and varied line up, and includes all of the past season champions (Ireland 2008-2009, Switzerland 2007-2008, Germany 2006-2007 and France 2005-2006) as well as our own home-team, A1 Team Australia.
“As the final preparations for our race count down over the next few days, I look forward to welcoming the drivers and staff of all of these teams to the Gold Coast, and to seeing them in action on our streets in what I am sure will be some thrilling racing!”
The 2009 Nikon SuperGP will host Event 11 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series and the first round of the 2009/10 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.
The event is produced through a partnership between the Queensland Government and IMG - tickets for this year’s event are on sale now through Ticketek on 1300 303 103.
OFFICIAL TEAM LIST: ROUND ONE, 2009-2010 A1GP WORLD CUP OF MOTORSPORT AT THE NIKON SUPERGP
A1 Team Australia
A1 Team Brazil
A1 Team China
A1 Team France
A1 Team Germany
A1 Team Great Britain
A1 Team India
A1 Team Indonesia
A1 Team Ireland
A1 Team Italy
A1 Team Mexico
A1 Team Monaco
A1 Team Netherlands
A1 Team New Zealand
A1 Team Pakistan
A1 Team Portugal
A1 Team South Africa
A1 Team Switzerland
A1 Team USA
A1 Team Malaysia announced they will not be on the grid for the first round of the 2009/2010 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.
A combination of factors has forced the team to make this difficult decision, primarily driven by the unavailability of appropriately experienced drivers and the rumours surrounding the Series’ participation at the event.
Jack Cunningham, Chief Executive, A1 Team Malaysia, explains, “The opening round of the new A1GP season is less than two weeks away. It is unfortunate for us that we do not have a driver available for this event. We have not been able to conduct any pre-season testing in the A1GP car and, with the minimal practice session time available during the weekend, any driver we propose would be severely disadvantaged and ultimately, uncompetitive. It has been a difficult decision, but without the proper preparation, it would be foolish, unsafe and unfair of us to put any driver in this position.
“Surfers Paradise is notorious for the huge challenge it presents to even the most experienced drivers, so we had to consider our position very carefully. The minimal preparation time was just not enough for us to put anyone else forward and led us to conclude that the best option would be to miss the event.”
“The rumors about the Series have put us in a very difficult position with our business partners. We were already facing the tough decision not to compete due to our lack of driver, but these have added to the pressures on us to make a decision on our participation at Surfers Paradise. Our priority is to Malaysia, our commercial partners and our stakeholders; we have to be confident that we are representing them to our best ability, operating professionally and competitively.
A1 Team Malaysia has competed in the last four seasons of the A1GP Series and has been one of the front running teams during this time. The team has consistently finished in the top 10 and is regarded as a potential championship title contender having finished 6th overall of the 22 teams competing in the last season.”
NOTE: Despite my doubts of three weeks ago it looks as if season five is a go, at least it is for Surfer’s Paradise. It also appears as if Ferrari is still on board to supply engines as their logo once again appears on the series website and in A1GP press releases.
Something that wasn’t true three weeks ago.
UPDATE: Maybe I spoke, and wrote, too soon.
A renewed shadow’s been cast over next week’s Nikon SuperGP - with fresh claims the A1 cars are stuck in London.
This time they’re reportedly being held because urgent safety modifications haven’t been made to the vehicles.
At the same time, Brisbane Airport claims to have no booking for the aircraft, which is meant to be transporting them here for the race.
UPDATE II: Apparently the release of the A1GP cars from the U.K. has be settled via a lawsuit settlement. No word on the Brisbane Airport issue. Peter, you’re a hellava lot closer than I, give’em a call to see what the hell is going on.
As it relates to the Ferrari engine supply issue, there’s an unconfirmed report claiming Ferrari is taking legal action due to A1GP’s failure to pay 30% down payment for supply of engines.
Nevermind Peter, its been confirmed Brisbane Airport has no flights from the U.K. on its schedule.
Question: Does all of this make A1GP boss Tony Teixeira motorsports reigning Drama Queen?
UPDATE III: A1GP Team New Zealand also kept in the dark.
The New Zealand A1 team will not come to the Gold Coast until the A1GP cars have landed in Australia, as speculation the series will not make it here in time for next week’s SuperGP reaches fever pitch.
A1GP Team New Zealand commercial director Hamish Miller said he had been kept in the dark and was sceptical London-based bosses would meet their promise to fly to the Gold Coast.
He was still waiting for confirmation and said his team would not be flying to the Gold Coast before he definitely knew the cars and equipment were here.
“We are still waiting for an absolute confirmation from A1GP that the cars will get there in time,” he said.
“From a timing perspective, there are some question marks over if they will make it.
“They remain upbeat that everything is going ahead but there is a big question mark.
“Our understanding is that they haven’t left London yet and if that’s the case obviously from a timing perspective it means it is going to be tight.”
The New Zealand team is booked to fly to the Gold Coast on Tuesday but will not come if the cars have not landed by then.
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If there is smoke there is fire, & there have been just too many bad vibes leaking out of A1GP.
Worse, I fear the Gold Coast round may be a Safety car parade, those concrete walls are magnetic for inexperienced drivers.
Agreed Peter, in fact I’m about to post a second update to this story.
Look I dont want to see the series fail; but I cant ignore the reality of the poor position that the series has found (put?) itself in.
Re Surfers, there has been virtually zero coverage in the media& little advertising regarding ticket sales. I did see on TV ad a few weeks back.
When that idiot TG dropped Australia off the IRL circuit I thought he had handed one of AOW’s crown jewels to A1GP……alas it seems they have lost it.
BTW, how does a car that has already been built to FIA regs, & previously raced, suddenly fail a side intrusion rule by the FIA.
Is that the safety issue, side intrusion?
I hadn’t heard, in fact was confused whether it was an issue with the cars of some type of transporter for them.
And now A1GP has called off the event, I hope the Qld organizers sue his backside, actually there may be a breach of contract in the agreement. Teixeira has proven, since taking over from the series founders, that his ideas & “direction” for the series is flawed.
As for next year they should tell him to take a hike, I think it may well end up being a standalone V8 event as the weekend has always been packed to the rafters. The only other single seater series would be GP2Asia & that is completely impractical in this neck of the woods & this time of year.
BTW, Teixeira must have been lying through his teeth in these last few weeks, this inability to arrive did not eventuate overnight.
“Question: Does all of this make A1GP boss Tony Teixeira motorsports reigning Drama Queen?’
No…..just a clown.
When is the next event “meant” to happen?