28th August 2007

While Rome Burns…

posted in A1 Grand Prix, Champ Car, Commentary, Formula One, IRL |

A1 Team USAThe fiddlers of CCWS, IRL, F1 and finally A1GP keep fiddlin’.

What is it with open wheel racing in America? Has the genre become a carrier of an infectious disease so virulent that everyone is fleeing the isolation ward?

As we are all aware Bernie, surgical mask firmly in place, took his plaything and went home to Asia and Europe leaving America without open wheel’s premier series. (Saying something to the effect, “We don’t need no stinkin’ USA”)

The two nutcases co-owners of CCWS have taken half of their 16 event schedule out of the United States and spread them over Europe, Asia, Mexico and Canada.

What’s left is half a CCWS season (part of that is in Canada) and the IRL with it’s 16 event schedule and fields half the size of a decent local dirt bull ring’s 30 lap feature.

The final “fiddler” as Open Wheel Rome burns is the A1GP who just announced their schedule for the upcoming season. What’s missing?

Sept 30 - Zandvoort (Netherlands)
October 14 - Brno (Czech Republic)
November 4 - Asia (venue to be decided)
November 15 - Sepang (Malaysia)
December 16 - Zhuhai (China)
January 20, 2008 - Taupo (New Zealand)
February 3 - Sydney (Australia)
February 24 - Durban (South Africa)
March 16 - Mexico City (Mexico)
April 6 - Shanghai (China),
May 4 - Brands Hatch (England)

Very perceptive sports fans, the Good Ole U.S. of A. (also MIA are Estoril and Dubai)

Organizers say another date is to be “added at a later date.” Presumably that will be Laguna Seca where last years event was held. And there is that big fat open date on 9 March the week before Mexico.

The A1GP bills itself as the Grand Prix of Nations and A1 Team USA fields a car carrying the tagline “We the People,” the people of America should get a chance to see their “branded” team race on its home court.

Not to mention, A1GP will be facing stiff competition this year from Bernie’s new baby GP2 Asia Series. The three year old World Cup of Motorsport will find it very hard to compete against Bernie’s billions.

Early this year Bernie noted F1 Mclaren’s long-time investment in Lewis Hamilton and blasted the current crop of F1 owners: “I told these bloody people: ‘Why don’t you run a GP2 team and during the year you can sift through half-a-dozen drivers, and maybe you’ll find the right guy?”

Indeed, and at this point (granted it’s early after only two seasons) A1GP hasn’t “graduated” anyone to a higher form of racing. The closest to moving up would be A1 Team India’s Narain Karthikeyan (”Fastest Indian in the World“). But his record comes with a caveat, he debuted in 2005 with the Jordan’s F1 team that predated his involvement with A1GP.

Interesting enough Karthikeyan is reportedly (reportedly because the contract hasn’t been signed) set run in the Speedcar Series that will run as a companion event at some GP2 Asia events. It’s a cinch he won’t be a member of A1 Team India’s driver lineup this winter if he runs Speedcar.

Also note A1GP’s retreat from Dubai, that venue is scheduled to be the opener for both Speedcar and GP2 Asia. I suspect that’s Bernie’s first monetary shot across A1GP’s bow. And it won’t be the last.

A1GP better firm up this years stop in the U.S., and add more in the future, and also start thinking very hard about a couple venues in Canada as well.

If not A1GP may not make it to it’s fifth anniversary two years from now.

UPDATE: How Timely. Confirmation, not that it’s needed, of how screwed up the U.S. open wheel scene is: The final CCWS event at Phoenix is no more, Kaput, finished, history!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at 4:52 pm and is filed under A1 Grand Prix, Champ Car, Commentary, Formula One, IRL. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

There are currently 14 responses to “While Rome Burns…”

Why not let us know what you think by adding your own comment! Your opinion is as valid as anyone elses. (Except mine, it takes precedence over all!)

  1. 1 On August 29th, 2007, peterg said:#

    Indeed, and at this point (granted it

    posted on August 29th, 2007 at 10:44 am

  2. 2 On August 29th, 2007, peterg said:#

    Marc? Do you really think A1GP has to have a U.S date? Considering the lack of interest in OW in the States I’m not sure that it will hurt the series.Obviously a U.S fixture would be great but I don’t see it as critical.

    posted on August 29th, 2007 at 10:48 am

  3. 3 On August 29th, 2007, Marc said:#

    I forgot about Germany’s Hulk Peter.

    I don’t think being in the US is essential for A1GP but if Bernie throws enough cash at GP2 Asia I don’t see they have much of a chance competing in Asia or the Middle East.

    I hope they all become successful, not likely, but you can hope.

    posted on August 29th, 2007 at 11:47 am

  4. 4 On August 30th, 2007, George said:#

    A U.S. racing site for A1GP is irrelevant as long as there is no broadcaster willing to air the series here. I haven’t seen a race yet, so how is it possible to market the series or a local race without TV coverage?

    And it needs to be on a nationally carried channel like Speedtv or ESPN. I think it was briefly carried here by the outdoor network.

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 1:19 am

  5. 5 On August 30th, 2007, Marc said:#

    This year it is George. At least that’s what Speed is promoting on their website.

    Of course it’s not all good news, they’re taped delayed until Wednesday.

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 4:12 am

  6. 6 On August 30th, 2007, George said:#

    “Of course it

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 5:12 am

  7. 7 On August 30th, 2007, Richard Matthias said:#

    Have to say I disagree about whole idea of A1GP “graduating” drivers to “higher forms of motorsport. Both Europe and the USA already had a long and complex ‘ladder’ for aspiring drivers to climb. GP2 was specifically designed to be the training ground for F1 hopefuls - the cars drive like F1 cars, have F1-type tyres and fairly powerful engines. The design brief for GP2 was that pole time should be close to a back of the grid F1 time. I’m not sure how close they got to that goal, but the goal is the point - this series is all about testing potential F1 drivers.

    A1GP is nothing like GP2 - the cars are heavy and drive heavy according to the drivers. The tyres are hard and the aero much less. This might be excuses, but it is sighted as the reason why several very experienced drivers have struggled to set a good time in an A1GP car while the most sucessful have been young drivers who have come recently from karting or Formula Ford with perhaps only a little F3 experience.

    While we can see that Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg might have a big future ahead of him, it will be due to how he performs in the more ‘establishment’ series he drives in from now on, not on the basis of his season 2 A1GP domination. The two french drivers that dominated season 1 of A1GP haven’t had much sucess since.

    If A1GP has a future (and frankly, I’m amazed season 3 is actually happening), it has to become a show that is all about A1GP racing. They should be have known drivers that are paid to race and it should be able somehow to run at a profit rather than being paid for by young drivers buying drives (as happens in every ‘feeder’ series). I don’t know where the money is going to come from - I’m not even sure where it comes from now - but that should be the goal rather than trying to become yet another meaningless feeder series.

    A1GP is at a massive dissadvantage for not being an FIA series (it is sanctioned by them but they have no other involvement other than safety) and failing to differentiate itself from the many FIA supported series would be a big mistake.

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 6:49 am

  8. 8 On August 30th, 2007, peterg said:#

    Sorry Richard, must respectfully disagree.

    GP2 & A1GP chassis are both built to F3000 regs. Dallara tendered for the A1GP contract alongside Lola. Regarding engine output, the Renault sodomo’s kick out 600bhp & the Zytecs 500bhp.The respective weight difference between the two chassis is not that great.

    Richard said :- “A1GP is at a massive disadvantage for not being an FIA series (it is sanctioned by them but they have no other involvement other than safety) and failing to differentiate itself from the many FIA supported series would be a big mistake’ Ummm….Richard one of the reasons GP2 is doing so well is that it is NOT a FIA series, it run & owned by a mate of Briatore’s, the FIA have no involvement. The reason the previous F1 support series failed was BECAUSE it was the official FIA F3000 series, Thus it had no real identity or title sponsor or manufacturer involvement.

    Richard said :- “The two French drivers that dominated season 1 of A1GP haven

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 9:59 am

  9. 9 On August 30th, 2007, Marc said:#

    Peter, you beat me to the response and took the words right out of my modem.

    I can’t argue with any of it.

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 2:06 pm

  10. 10 On August 30th, 2007, peterg said:#

    Yes but I was careful not to offend a new member……..now if it had been the McLaren shill, George, well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 2:54 pm

  11. 11 On August 30th, 2007, peterg said:#

    BTW, I wonder how much Ron is paying George????

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 2:55 pm

  12. 12 On August 30th, 2007, Marc said:#

    Ummmm… twice the national debt of Lichtenstien?

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 7:57 pm

  13. 13 On August 30th, 2007, Marc said:#

    George - Tivo?

    HDTV?

    DLP? What to hell are you talking about? I’m lucky to get anything in “color.”

    posted on August 30th, 2007 at 8:18 pm

  14. 14 On August 31st, 2007, Richard Matthias said:#

    peterg (whoever that is):-

    I well aware of the origin of the A1GP chassis. I’m going on what the drivers have reported about how the car is to drive. They say that it’s heavy and very low on grip compared to F3 and GP2 cars. Remember that F3000 wasn’t very popular with the drivers either and was wound up when F1 teams started ignoring it and picking drivers from major F3 series instead. GP2 might look comparable on stats, but it’s in a completely different league on track.

    As for driver selection - I mostly agree with what you say about it being a chance to show off young drivers from a particular country, certainly for smaller nations or those without a history of motorsport like Indonesia. But for European countries that have a multitude of series for young drivers to race in - I don’t see anyone campaigning to get their country’s A1GP seat. And audiences are already on the decline after the newness of Season 1. Whatever the reasons for why A1GP was established, I’m suggesting that it should regard itself as something more than just another feeder series.

    posted on August 31st, 2007 at 3:03 am

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