Full Throttle

Not Likely, with 19 events on the calender and Mexico and South Africa waiting in the wings the Chances of Israel gaining an F1 date are slim to none, even if they had a track in place. But this is interesting none the less.

Until now, the concept of a grand prix in Israel was sheer fantasy.

Motor racing in the country was all but non-existent thanks to legislation that failed to protect drivers and teams from normal road rules.

But in Jerusalem on Wednesday, parliament green-lighted the ‘Sports Drivers Bill’ that lifts the obstacles that hinder the development of motor sport in the country.

”It is absolutely crazy that until today Israel was one of only a few countries in the world where racing was forbidden by law,” [Switzerland is another one - ed] politician Ehud Rassabi told The Jerusalem Post.

Israeli rally driver Danny Levy admitted that a F1 track in Tel Aviv is a long term goal, but said 2005 Minardi test driver Chanoch Nissany proved that ‘Israel is making a name for itself’ on the world’s racing stage.

Ok I’ll go out on a limb and make a prediction. F1’s calender won’t be graced by having the “Nishbar li Hazayin Grand Prix” anytime within most of our lifetimes. (20 points and one free ticket to Disneyland for anyone with the correct definition of “Nishbar li Hazayin”)

Founder, President, CEO and Grand Poobah of A1GP Sheikh Maktoum recently announced the Series would add 5 more teams for the 2006-2007 season. I bet Israel will be one of them and Chanoch Nissany one of it’s two drivers.

BTW, just kidding about the two tickets… and the 20 points for that matter.

A1 Grand Prix, Formula One, Auto Racing