Team-BHP - A1 - Grand Prix!!!

Just downloaded the latest 5th gear vid (4-4-2005 episode) where in, they've reviewed the next generation of GP racing called A1-GP, which will be starting in Sept, this year.

So what makes it special? The line up comprises of 24 500+ bhp racecars (slightly slower than the F1 cars ofcourse) but, what really sets it apart is the fact that all cars would be one and the same. There won't be any electronic assistance provided and each car will have a driver form a diff country. And yes, there will be drivers from India and Pakistan!!!

This is a dream, for those who always wanted racing to be pure, raw and unbiased. The drivers won't have any advantage of any sort, the only thing that can get you a victory, will be your driving skill.

Ofcourse, each country is giving the freedom to make minor tweaks to the suspenssion but, that's about it.

I wonder who, from India would be racing!! NK ofcourse won't leave F1 now. So that leaves just 2 names, Arman Ibrahim and Karun Chandok.

I can't wait to see how this catches on and the fact that it has been scheduled not to clash with any F1 race weekends, makes it a real pleasure.

Finally, we'll have drivers controlling cars.

A1GP website.

Shan2nu

Yup, this will start a totally new trend in racing. 24 cars 24 countires, which means that there won't be any team mates and thus, no team orders.

Teams can now concentrate on one car and this gives the drivers the chance to win irrespective of which car they are in.

It all comes down to team strategy and driver skills.

BTW, the cars would be having a 3.4ltr V8, producing 520bhp and 442nm. And yet, the car weighs just 600 kilos, amazing stuff.

They won't be too much off the F1's pace since these cars would be running on racing slicks.

Shan2nu

I believe it's going to be Karun Chandok, there was an article concerning the same a while back in the papers. Sahara India Computers has picked up the franchise for the A1 GP.
Pakistan has already debuted their car.

I have a feeling this is going to be good fun, racing like it used to be. I just wished they would do away with sequential gearshifts too.

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Pakistan has already debuted their car.

What do you mean debuted their car? I think the cars are gonna be provided to them. All the cars have already been bought. Maybe they debuted the car given to them.

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I just wished they would do away with sequential gearshifts too.

Nah, i don't mind those. They're already gonna have a hard time without ABS and TCS. And using those boxes aren't easy. The last time Kurosawa (Gan San) of best motoring drove the 360 Modena with the F1 box, he had a hard time controlling it.

He was power sliding through each and every corner, i've never seen him be so shabby in a normal M/T car. So, it ain't gonna be easy for them.

Shan2nu

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Originally Posted by Shan2nu

What do you mean debuted their car? I think the cars are gonna be provided to them. All the cars have already been bought. Maybe they debuted the car given to them.
Shan2nu

That is what I meant, as in, the car was formally launched in front of the Pakistani people in the colours and sponsor logos et al. The cars are going to be provided to all the so called 'franchises' and will be the same specifications. The Pakistani driver I think is somebody called Nurr Ali, ever heard of him?

With less than 3 months to go before the inauguration of the first World Cup season ..25th Sept 2005 Great Britain..

12 teams -representing ;
Australia
Brazil
Great Britain
India
Lebanon
Mexico
the Netherlands
New Zealand
Pakistan
Portugal
South Africa
and an important yet- to-be-announced European-based country

each team have been allocated chassis and engine for one of their two race cars ..this will enable them to start testing and fine tune their race cars ..

Team drivers selection -

Great Britain - so far the only team to have announced its drivers

Robbie Kerr -
(2002 British F-3000 champion)

Alex Loyd -
(McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award, at the age of 20 has already tested a F-1 car and raced in the European F-3000 and Formula Renault Championships)

Team Brazil unveied their A1 race car at a Lavish Party in Sao Paulo in the Presence of Ronaldo and 2 times F1- champ Emerson Fittpaldi..

do fill in your comments and further updates on team launches /Indian drivers etc ...

(source of info www.f1-live.com , www.a1gp.com)

Hmm, so the list has come down from 20 odd countries to just 12. None-the-less it'l still make for an interesting race. Remember, there are no Minardi-Jordan kinda cars here. They're all the same so, nobody will have a comanding advantage. It's all down to driver skill and pit strategy (if they have pit stops).

I hope the races last as long as a F1 race (60-75 laps) or have 2 races of 35 laps each.

Shan2nu

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so the list has come down from 20 odd countries to just 12

i think its 15 teams ..but only 12 teams have been allocated with the test cars ..so its down from 20 to 15 this season ..

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there are no Minardi-Jordan kinda cars here. They're all the same so.

yeap ! ..teams can tune their car as per track requirements ...which will be limited to gear ratios , aerodynamics, tyre compound , suspension etc ...engine will be sealed ..
liek u said ..no mechanical /techinical advantage ..teams sttrategy and driver skills the key ...

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I hope the races last as long as a F1 race (60-75 laps) or have 2 races of 35 laps each.

race lenght is the one thing i didnt like ..its too short ..the official site stated 50 -70 minutes on race time following a 15 -20 minute sprint earlier on the race day to determine the starting grid ..

karun Chandhok is a certain choice in A-1 india team ..whose the 2nd driver going to be ?

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isnt Arman currently tied up with Formula BMW ?

I think even Chandok was in Nissan Series (along with NK last season). I can't think of anyone else taking the 2nd seat at A1.

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raymond

Raymond Banaji started off with karting and did pretty well. i think he's in the Formula category now (I think it's called the LGB or something like that).

I bet Jigarmuni knows him pretty well.

Shan2nu

Karun Chandok is racing full time in F Nissan and Ebrahim is racing in F BMW. But the concept behind A1 is that the season starts after the usual racing season ends and runs thro the winter, so both are a possibility.

Even though the cars are equal, I expect drivers from UK, Brazil and Australia to dominate the series with Pakistan bringing up the rear (LOL)

but what happens to practice sessions and stuff?
they cant switch from completely different race cars and start racing in A1 ...
they have to undergo testing procedures ..as the driver inputs on the race car is very important in setting up a race car all this cant happen overnight ...