Season 4

[Alan52]

Another indication of A1's terrible relationship with race organisers is that by season4 only 1 circuit-Sepang-that was on the schedule in season 1 remains.I can't think of any other series in the history of motor sport that has had basically a 100% turn around in venues in 3 years.Unless they start reducing their asking price they will soon run out of places to race although with all the TBC's in the calendar thet might have done this already.

[Kiwi3]

To be honest I think it's a bit unfair to compare with season 1, when the series was brand new and some events were a disaster (no promotion and hence no spectators). Some of the changes are a reflection of the fact that A1GP can now demand sanctioning fees, when back then it was paying to race. In other words a reflection of the growth of the series, which is a good thing.

Some reactions about the schedule:

Alan Jones slams NSW government (on the same day as a damning report slamming the NSW tourism body appears):

http://news.theage.com.au/sport/aust...0610-2obv.html

Rick Weidinger plans US round (says something that this is from a team press release and appears on a specialist motoring web site rather than general media. In other words - very little public interest in the US yet):

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...10/089641.html

Group hug between A1GP and KwaZulu-Natal government, however sorry our new car won't fit:

http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2008/08061016451001.htm

[superjohn]

1 21 September 2008 A1GP Mugello, Italy
2 05 October 2008 A1GP Zandvoort, Netherlands
3 09 November 2008 A1GP Jakarta, Indonesia
4 23 November 2008 A1GP Sepang, Malaysia
5 14 December 2008 --------> AUSTRALIA
6 25 January 2009 A1GP Taupo, New Zealand
7 22 February 2009 South Africa (TBA)
8 15 March 2009 A1GP Mexico City, Mexico
9 29 March 2009 -------> Shanghai or Guangzhou Street China
10 12 April 2009 A1GP Algarve, Portugal
11 03 May 2009 Great Britain (TBA)

i would prefer the above.

[RichardRenes]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Another indication of A1's terrible relationship with race organisers is that by season4 only 1 circuit-Sepang-that was on the schedule in season 1 remains.I can't think of any other series in the history of motor sport that has had basically a 100% turn around in venues in 3 years.Unless they start reducing their asking price they will soon run out of places to race although with all the TBC's in the calendar thet might have done this already.

that is because 3 years ago, a grade 2 homologation was enough, while now they are looking at 1T homolated circuits to cope with the increased power and speed of the car.

That is the main reason why Brno, Durban, Brands Hatch, Sentul and Zhuhai are gone.

Note that Mexico City is basically a grade 2 homologated circuit, but because it's at 2000 + metres, power and speed are greatly reduced.

[rychard]

From the South African website www.saracer.co.za

No more Durban A1GP
Written by sw
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
As predicted on SA Racer some time ago, A1GP has lost its glamour event.

The fourth A1GP series will not be going to Durban. This was announced by CEO Pete da Silva yesterday.

Tourism KZN released a statement confirming the decision and expressed disappointment as the race was said to be growing in stature and attracting more foreign visitors each year.

The most likely venue for the event next February is Kyalami which has made no secret about wanting the race, but we've also heard fanciful rumours of it taking place on a street circuit in Cape Town.

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by RichardRenes

that is because 3 years ago, a grade 2 homologation was enough, while now they are looking at 1T homolated circuits to cope with the increased power and speed of the car.

That is the main reason why Brno, Durban, Brands Hatch, Sentul and Zhuhai are gone.

Note that Mexico City is basically a grade 2 homologated circuit, but because it's at 2000 + metres, power and speed are greatly reduced.

That's interesting, as it is totally contrary to what came out of Tony Teixeira's mouth in the press conference at Shanghai, where he said that the car will be more powerful but would still enable them to run at the same circuits!

Surely if Brno, Brands and Zhuhai were ruled out for that reason then so would Taupo?

[rychard]

Kyalami would probably be ruled out as well ......

[cos]

Article about Taupo's future post-season 4: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominio...374a23955.html

[Thundersports]

Originally Posted by Speedworx

Rockingham has hosted F1 2 seaters before, so its a possiblity. I hope A1GP moves closer to me, so I can go see it.

No Eastern Creek!!!!!!!!!!

Rockingham has held a Euroboss race before but I hope A1 doesn't end up there as the circuit is very boring........

The reason Brands is absent is purely down to safety on the GP loop with the more powerful cars.

[kfsracer]

Hmmm, I don't know why one would say that Zhuhai is out... There is China round on 14th of december and from what I heard it is in Zhuhai. Would make sense considering the weather in Shanghai at that time of the year!

As for Sentul it was out for political reasons... As Mikola familly controls the circuit and Ananda Mikola is not driving Indonesian car they refuse A1 in Sentul. But anyways considering the track condition it might not be a bad thing.

We don't know whether Durban will remained or not either (a south african round has been confirmed...)

[Kiwi3]

Durban is definitely gone. There have been statements from the provincial government there and media reports to that effect.

I'd be surprised if Zhuhai was gone though. It has good run-off so should be absolutely no problem with the more powerful new cars. Zhuhai is a nice city and it's not far from Hong Kong and just across the border from Macau so hope it stays there.

[superjohn]

simple solution, just move China to March 2009, and use Shanghai,

and find another circuit to take Dec 2008 slot

[Lam Pak]

if zhuhai lost their race circuit owner and gov needs to take actions. zhuhai has no international racing apart from a1 gp.

[Kiwi3]

There is no public interest in A1GP in Shanghai despite three events there already. No point in holding a fourth.

I suspect that December will be Zhuhai (unless they are planning a street race in that part of China instead) and that the March TBA date is also in China. If it's Beijing it makes sense that they won't announce it until after the Olympics.

[kerrmanningjarv]

TBA is also rumoured to be in the Americas - probably Brazil

[Kiwi3]

Re: Eastern Creek, a local newspaper is reporting that a deal was not done because the NSW Govt. don't see the need to pay for events (oh dear), but that David Clare will be travelling to Australia to see if the decision is final and to sound out other states (I presume with a view to 2009-2010).

According to an Eastern Creek spokesperson there was pressure from Korea, India and Spain to host events. It wasn't covered in the news of the team but I believe the deal to host a race in Korea might already be done, India has long been talked about, but Spain...

[superjohn]

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

There is no public interest in A1GP in Shanghai despite three events there already. No point in holding a fourth.

there is equally no public interest for A1GP in Zhuhai too. HK people are not interested.

however, for Ferrari, there is much commercial interest in running Ferrari support events in Shanghai, selling more Ferrari cars

[Kiwi3]

Agree about Hong Kong but at the Zhuhai event last season the grandstand was almost full and it had a great atmosphere. Unlike the very flat atmosphere in Shanghai. A1GP were very pleased with the Zhuhai round.

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by kerrmanningjarv

TBA is also rumoured to be in the Americas - probably Brazil

http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41648

From this story it seems there are no definite plans for a Brazil round yet, and they are only at the stage of sounding out the idea. I hope the TBA is something more definite than this.

[Asa]

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

Agree about Hong Kong but at the Zhuhai event last season the grandstand was almost full and it had a great atmosphere. Unlike the very flat atmosphere in Shanghai. A1GP were very pleased with the Zhuhai round.

I do hope A1GP returns to Zhuhai. There is potential for this race to grow bigger still.

But in Asia, there aren't that many grade 2 circuits available to run A1GP races. So if Sentul is gone they will have difficulty finding an alternative venue. Maybe Japan?

[Lam Pak]

i hear the track of zhuhai doesnt fit the new ferrari a1gp car.

[superjohn]

in the past, ZIC mgmt told me that they paid to bring spectators to the circuit. not sure if this is still the case now.

[Adri_tifosi]

According SportMotores , Spain is candidate to host a race.

[Purist]

I'm sorry, but the Brands Hatch GP loop hosted 800+hp turbo Renault and the lot. The new A1GP car won't be as fast as 1980s F1 cars or the 2003 ChampCars, so the "safety" issue is a load of bull as far as I'm concerned. They run F1 at Monaco and cars with a few hundred horsepower at Macua, so Durban is just fine. If Brands and some of these others are really gone, I want to give a swift kick in the ass to whoever is responsible (and keep kicking until the right venues are re-instated). They should realize this won't survive if they try to just make it into another F1.

[Kiwi3]

Looks like the South Africa round will be Kyalami...

http://www.supersport.co.za/motorspo...et%20A1%20race

A shame to lose the iconic Durban but I think in this case the more powerful car reason makes sense. The fact that F1 races at Monaco and F3 at Macau are irrelevant, they are events that started decades before and are steeped in history.

Absolutely no way that the new cars could not race at Zhuhai, which is wide and has plenty of run off (much more than Taupo).