A1GP

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A1GP
A1 GP logo.svg
Vehicle type Unified monoposti
Country or region International
Current name A1GP ™ World Cup of Motorsport ™ Powered by Ferrari
First season 2005/06
Last season 2008/09
Teams 17+
vehicles 17+
chassis own
Engines Ferrari
tires Michelin
Official website a1gp.com (down)
A1GP racing scene: Portugal ahead of India, Monaco and Ireland (Kyalami 2009)

The A1GP series ( A1 Grand Prix in the first season ) was a standard racing series founded by Sheikh Maktum Hascher Maktum Al Maktum in collaboration with Tony Teixeira , which adorned itself with the slogan “World Championship of Motorsport” and held its first races in 2005 . It took place in the winter half of the year, in which many other championships such as Formula 1 , IndyCar Series , Motorcycle World Championship , DTM , World Rally Championship and World Touring Car Championship do not hold any races. Visually, the vehicles were initially based on Formula 3000 and then on Formula 1 cars of the generation before 2009 , but technically they were kept simpler. In its fourth and final season , the series carried the addition Powered by Ferrari as a reference to an engine supplier contract that the series had concluded with Ferrari in autumn 2007 . On February 10, 2010, the A1GP series was announced due to bankruptcy.

Teams and drivers

Instead of racing teams, national teams competed against each other in the A1GP, hence the slogan "World Championship". Each national team used drivers from the respective country and the vehicle was also painted in national colors (or colors typical for the country at sporting events).

In the A1GP series, there were some young talents who were later able to attract attention in higher series, such as Nico Hülkenberg ( GER ), Adrian Sutil ( GER ), Sébastien Buemi ( SUI ), Nelson Piquet jr. ( BRA ), Scott Speed ( USA , all Formula 1 regular drivers), Álvaro Parente ( POR ), Fairuz Fauzy ( MAS , both Formula 1 test drivers), Alexandre Prémat ( FRA ), Oliver Jarvis ( GBR , both DTM ) or Ryan Briscoe ( AUS , IndyCar Series ). At the same time, experienced drivers took to the starting line, some of them in the "autumn of their careers", such as the former Formula 1 racing drivers Christian Fittipaldi ( BRA ), Narain Karthikeyan ( IND ), Alex Yoong ( MAS ), Ralph Firman ( IRL ) , Tomáš Enge ( CZE ), Hideki Noda ( JPN ), Jos Verstappen ( NED ), Robert Doornbos ( NED ), Franck Montagny ( FRA ) or Vitantonio Liuzzi ( ITA ). The self-imposed goal of giving drivers direct access to Formula 1 never came true; Not a single one switched to Formula 1 without a stopover. Only Vitantonio Liuzzi switched from the A1 series to Force India to Formula 1 during the 2009 season , but he had already been active in Formula 1 for years before joining A1.

A1 teams:

responsible

Chairman of the A1GP series was after the departure of Sheikh Maktum Hascher Maktum Al Maktum after the first season of the South African businessman and co-founder of the series Tony Teixeira . The Brazilian- born Pete da Silva acted as managing director of A1 Holding Ltd. until autumn 2009 .

Seasons

The series played four seasons before going bankrupt:

year vehicle World Champion driver Points
2005/06 Lola - Zytek FranceFrance France Nicolas Lapierre , Alexandre Prémat 172
2006/07 GermanyGermany Germany Nico Hulkenberg , Christian Vietoris 128
2007/08 SwitzerlandSwitzerland Switzerland Neel Jani 168
2008/09 A1- Ferrari IrelandIreland Ireland Adam Carroll 112

Racetracks

The A1GP races were held worldwide, with a focus on racetracks in Asia. The specific routes changed often and sometimes at very short notice. Only the Brands Hatch and Sepang tracks were used in each of the four seasons.

Overview of all countries in which an A1GP racing event took place

The race weekend at the Dubai Autodrome was the only one that took place without a local team. In the first season, the respective racing weekends were referred to as the A1 Grand Prix of Nations ™.

The test drives of the series took place mainly in Silverstone , but there were also test drives on the Circuit Paul Ricard (2005), Donington Park (2008) and Snetterton Circuit (2008).

Racetracks had to have at least FIA grade 2 in order to host an A1GP series race.

Regulations

This section largely describes the rulebook for the last season. For the earlier regulations, see the respective seasonal articles .

Teams and drivers

In the A1GP series, a maximum of 25 national teams competed against each other. The drivers come, at least in the third generation, from the country they started for (the only exception: Enrico Toccacelo in Durban 2006 ). Most of the vehicles bore local sponsor labels . However, the team leaders did not have to correspond to the nationality for which they were running. B. A1 Team China by the crew of the Belgian racing team team astromega care. The pit crews were limited to a maximum of ten people. A maximum of three different drivers were allowed to compete for a team per race weekend, and they were only allowed to participate in qualifying or the races if they had participated in at least one of the three training sessions. All drivers who competed at A1GP required an international FIA class B driver license.

Standard cars

A1GP racing scene: Mexico ahead of New Zealand and Malaysia (Brands Hatch 2005)

Standard cars were used at A1GP. This was supposed to guarantee that each team had the same material available and thus only the performance of the driver and the work of the crew decided between victory and defeat. Nevertheless, there were various options for the teams to optimally adapt their cars to the respective track conditions. Thus, among other things, a time advantage could be achieved by skillfully adjusting the rear wing . Larger modifications such as additional wings were not allowed.

In the period before and after a race weekend, the teams were not allowed to make changes to the vehicles in order to avoid the experience of the respective crews. Private test drives by the individual teams were also strictly forbidden in the first two seasons, but since then each team has had the option of a rookie test (i.e. a test for drivers who have not yet competed in the A1GP series) before the start of the season had gone). However, this had to be held on a route that was not used during the season.

During the race weekend, the teams had a total of seven sets of tires (five sets of slicks , two sets of rain tires ) available. If the race management considered it necessary due to the weather conditions, more sets of rain tires could be assigned to the individual teams. “Borrowing” parts during a race weekend (e.g. a new front wing) was not prohibited ( cf. Jos Verstappen in Durban 2006 ).

For the first three seasons, the series used a car designed and manufactured by Lola International with an engine from Zytek Engineering and tires from British manufacturer Cooper Tires . It had a maximum of 527 hp , with the PowerBoost button being able to unlock an additional 30 hp. The curb weight of the vehicle was around 600 kg, up to 290 km / h were possible.

Cooper Tires (2007)

The new chassis for the 2008/2009 season was led by John Travis , technical director of the series, and with the support of the ex-Ferrari designer Rory Byrne in Bognor Regis developed (UK) and built using as a model of the Ferrari F2004 served with which the Scuderia Ferrari in formula 1 2004 season, won the drivers' and constructors world championship. The V8 engine came from Ferrari and the French manufacturer Michelin served as the tire supplier . The car was mainly made of carbon fiber and aluminum and thus met the usual safety standards. The maximum speed of the vehicles was just under 300 km / h, the maximum output 600 PS with activated PowerBoost button (540 PS without). The car weighed 695 kg including the driver but excluding fuel.

Technical driving aids such as ABS or traction control were banned in the first three seasons. However, the new car had launch control , which meant that this requirement could be considered obsolete. Electric blankets were allowed and were used as standard.

See: A1GP cars

safety

In addition to the modern materials, a six-point belt and the HANS system, which is now mandatory in the motorsport scene, should guarantee the safety of the drivers.

Ecological approaches

THINK - Greener Racing campaign guidelines

From 2007 onwards, reducing greenhouse gas emissions played an important role in the self-image of the series . For example, the Lola-Zytek cars drove in the third season from the Taupo to the Brands Hatch race weekend with the more environmentally friendly fuel Hiperflo ™ E30 . This consists of 30 percent ethanol , which is obtained from sugar beet grown in Europe . This should reduce CO 2 emissions by 21 percent and minimize nitrogen oxide emissions . In addition, only electric scooters should be used for transport in and around the paddock .

The fuel was originally intended to be used at the start of the season in Zandvoort, but this project was postponed due to compatibility problems with the engine.

Before the season even a fuel with 85 percent ethanol had been tested, but this had proven to be completely unsuitable.

In the last season , a fuel with 10 percent ethanol content was used.

PowerBoost

Every A1GP car had a so-called PowerBoost button with which the driver could unlock additional power (last season this was around 60 hp). This device should make it easier to overtake a competitor in close duels and thus make the course of the race more exciting. In the sprint race could PowerBoost four are used in the main race more than eight times.

Flag sign

The usual flag signs applied in the A1GP series . However, there were small deviations compared to Formula 1 : For example, when the red flag was waved (= race interruption) during a qualifying session, the time was not stopped. In the worst case, this could have resulted in not a single team being able to complete a timed lap.

Pit stops

One compulsory pit stop was required in the sprint race, and two in the main race. The pit stops were usually carried out by a crew of seven. Four members were responsible for changing tires, two more operated the jacks and one held the stop / go sign. With the exception of the so-called “lollipop man”, all crew members were only allowed to enter the pit area when the vehicle had come to a standstill. Each of the four mechanics responsible for changing tires then carried the new tire to its place, removed the old one and fitted the new one. If problems arose when changing tires, the other crew members of the person concerned were not allowed to rush to help. Thus, every mechanic at A1GP had a responsibility for the overall performance of the team that should not be underestimated. Since the cars were filled with the final amount of fuel before the start, refueling at the pit stop was neither necessary nor allowed.

A good stop (without driving time through the pit lane) was around ten to twelve seconds in the end. In the course of the seasons it became increasingly clear that the mandatory pit stops were a decisive strategic factor. In the first season, there were more problems with the wheel nuts , as a result of which well-positioned teams lost a lot of places. However, this was later fixed.

The speed limit in the pit lane was usually 60 km / h .

Safety and Medical Car

A1GP safety car for the 2008/09 season
A1GP medical car for the 2008/09 season

As is customary in international motorsport, a safety car was also used in the A1GP series in particularly dangerous situations . In addition to the safety car, there was also a medical car on standby at all times during the race weekend , which was used in the event of serious accidents in which drivers could have been injured.

Vehicles used as safety car:

Vehicles used as medical car:

Awarding of prize money from 2007/2008
Item Amount of money
sprint head
1 $ 100,000 $ 200,000
2 $ 70,000 $ 130,000
3 $ 50,000 $ 100,000
4th $ 35,000 $ 75,000
5 $ 30,000 $ 50,000
6th $ 20,000 $ 40,000
7th $ 15,000 $ 25,000
8th $ 10,000 $ 20,000
9 $ 7,000 $ 13,000
10 $ 3,000 $ 7,000

Point system

Sprint race:

  • 1st place: 10 points
  • 2nd place: 8 points
  • 3rd place: 6 points
  • 4th place: 5 points
  • 5th place: 4 points
  • 6th place: 3 points
  • 7th place: 2 points
  • 8th place: 1 point

Main race:

  • 1st place: 15 points
  • 2nd place: 12 points
  • 3rd place: 10 points
  • 4th place: 8 points
  • 5th place: 6 points
  • 6th place: 5 points
  • 7th place: 4 points
  • 8th place: 3 points
  • 9th place: 2 points
  • 10th place: 1 point

An extra point was awarded for both the fastest lap in the sprint and the fastest lap in the main race.

Prize money

One million dollars was paid out as prize money per race weekend . In the first two seasons this was reserved for the ten best teams in the main race, but this was changed for the third season, so that a third of the prize money also went to the top ten of the sprint race.

Race weekend

The race weekend consisted of three practice sessions (2 × Friday, 1 × Saturday), a 40-minute qualifying (Saturday) as well as a sprint (Sunday) and a main race (Sunday). The break between the end of the sprint race and the start of the main race was around three and a half hours.

Trainings

A total of three training sessions per race weekend took place at A1GP, the first of which was reserved for the so-called “ rookies ”. In this case, the term “rookie” referred to a driver (no age limit) who had not contested more than six races in the A1GP series and not yet in one of the five strongest single-seaters ( Formula 1 , GP2 , Champ Car) , Formula Nippon and Indy Cars ) or a driver who competed for a "motorsport developing country" - China, Indonesia, Korea, Lebanon or Pakistan - and has not yet achieved more than three top ten results in the A1GP series. The "rookie training" was divided into two sections, each 30 minutes long, with a 20-minute break in between. The other two training sessions each lasted an hour and were "open" to all drivers. In all training sessions, the drivers could complete any number of laps. They only helped the teams to set up the cars and had no direct influence on the starting grid.

qualification

The qualification ( . English : Qualifying ) consisted of four sessions lasted ten minutes each - in between a five-minute break each took place. In each session, the driver was allowed to drive a maximum of one timed lap (so he completed a total of three laps: warm-up lap, timed lap, exit lap). The fastest (individual) time from session one and two determined the starting position in the sprint race, the fastest (individual) time from session three and four that of the main race.

Each driver was allowed to use the PowerBoost in one of the four timed laps. This then remained activated for the entire lap, which provided a significant performance advantage. This rule was first applied at the Sepang race weekend in 2008, and has been used continuously since Kyalami 2009.

Sprint race

The sprint races ( Engl. : Sprint Race ) usually began with a " flying start " and a maximum lasted 24 minutes plus one lap. There was a mandatory pit stop that had to be completed between laps four and eight.

Main race

The main race ( English : Feature Race ) was traditionally opened with the words "Gentlemen, for the pride of your nations, start your engines!" After Sheikh Maktum left , a prominent team leader, e. B. Emerson Fittipaldi as "Seatholder" of the Brazilian team, this part. The start was carried out "standing". The main race was limited to 69 minutes plus one lap, and two compulsory pit stops were mandatory. The first had to be completed between laps eight and 16, the second in a lap window that was individually determined from racetrack to racetrack.

TV

A1GP was broadcast in over 120 countries, with around eight million people watching each race worldwide (as of November 25, 2005). The largest buyers were China (three million viewers) and Indonesia (approx. One million viewers), in Europe the Netherlands was the leader with 800,000 viewers. By the end of the 05/06 season, those responsible expected to reach or even surpass the ten million mark. From October 2008, A1GP was the first international motorsport series to broadcast the race weekends in HD , two and a half years earlier than Formula 1, for example. Commentators on the World Feed were British Ben Edwards and John Watson in all four seasons .

In Germany and Austria, the A1GP series was until 2008 exclusively on Pay TV transmitter premiere broadcast. Most recently, the broadcasts included a summary of the sprint and a live broadcast of the main race . Commentators were Sascha Roos , an expert from the former Euro Formula 3000 driver Sven Heidfeld . Formula 1 commentator Jacques Schulz represented Roos in his absence. Since the race in Shanghai in 2007, the station has broadcast the series' races in 16: 9 format. In Switzerland, however, the main races have also been broadcast on Swiss sports television (SSF), which is currently broadcasting on Star TV , since the third race weekend of the 07/08 season . In addition to its presence on the channels mentioned, the A1GP series received little attention in the German-speaking mass media , which probably contributed to the low level of awareness of this racing series.

The A1GP series was also broadcast live on the Internet by several English providers, including on the official homepage.

Sub-series

The A1GP series was to receive a regional sub-series in 2009: the A2GP series (A2 Grand Prix); The engine supplier should also be Ferrari. However, the project fell victim to financial problems. As early as 2005/2006 there was an attempt to establish a corresponding series with the A3 Racing Series . However, she did not get beyond an appearance in the supporting program of the racing weekend in Durban 2006. The Formula Volkswagen cars have been used in the South African Formula VW championship since 2008.

Trivia

  • The Briton Katherine Legge was the first woman to an A1GP car was allowed to drive. On December 9, 2005, during the racing weekend in Dubai, she had the opportunity to test the British team's Lola vehicle in two extra sessions. She was followed by the South African Jennifer Murray (Brno 2006), the Brazilian Bia Figueiredo (Shanghai 2007, Portimão 2009) and the Swiss Natacha Gachnang (Brno 2007) and Rahel Frey (Sepang 2007, Mexico City ) in “rookie training” 2008). The series waited in vain for a woman to race.
  • During the racing weekend in Dubai in 2005, the so-called A1 Recovery System was used for the first and so far only time in motorsport history . This involved a towing procedure in which racing cars that had had an accident or had broken down were transported away by Air Zermatt helicopter using a 50-meter-long steel cable .
  • The A1GP series had a close relationship with the Nelson Mandela Foundation . All cars therefore bore the number 46664 ( Mandela's prisoner number) throughout all seasons .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The future of the A1GP series remains unclear. motorsport-total.com, October 26, 2009, accessed on February 22, 2012 .
  2. ^ Strong sprint, flat feature from Black Beauty. a1nzl.com, archived from the original on May 25, 2010 ; Retrieved February 22, 2012 .
  3. A1GP in future in high definition. motorsport-total.com, June 23, 2008, accessed January 4, 2012 .
  4. Formula 1 races from 2011 in HD. speed-magazin.de, January 13, 2011, accessed on January 4, 2012 .
  5. ^ Edwards and Watson to comment on A1 GP. pitpass.com, September 6, 2005, accessed January 4, 2012 .
  6. ^ A1GP: New talent for series' TV world feed. motorsport.com, October 28, 2008, accessed February 22, 2012 .
  7. A3 is born! pitpass.com, May 21, 2005, accessed February 22, 2012 .

Web links

Commons : A1GP  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files