Nitro, Olympic swimmers and Super GP...OOOOWAAAAHHHAAA

[richie17]

It's on the home page, it is Nikon. link.

[Pro Racer]

Nikon Indy 300.

[V8 Fireworks]

Now how much of the full price are they paying? 10%? 20%? 25%?

[richie17]

Official announcement here and here.

[retro]

[Mak]

Not sure how the organisers can justify or even promote the A1 side of this event when even the series principles and participants are unsure of its continuation. Are the event organisers offering refunds to advanced ticket purchasers if A1 fails.

[GTRMagic]

How much 2008 merchandise was laying around unsold?

[williamsf1]

I have it on good authority that the cars and equipment are being held (at ransom) at the top gear track in the UK... and have seen the photos to prove it!....

my source tells me that the cars will not be coming...

the other clutching at straws rumour is that A1 was going to test at QR!!!!! hmmmm no FIA approval???

[Just Do It!]

I too have heard a very similar story. There's is plenty of storage space at the Top Gear Test Track.

I might rattle a tree and see what falls out.

A lot has to happen to make it go. Who will open their heart/wallet this time?

[yap]

Even Alan Jones is starting to waver on his 100% sure the race would be on

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/...oast-news.html

[retro]

Alan Jones team is in the UK now practicing pitstop's and the A1 GP is definitely on...[10 News]

[retro]

linky...

Race cars in lock-up

Tanya Westthorp | September 19th, 2009

A LONDON freight company has locked up the A1GP cars due to race in next month's Nikon SuperGP but series bosses have promised 'we won't let the Gold Coast down'.

A1GP general manager Paul Cherry confirmed to the Weekend Bulletin yesterday its cars were being held under lock and key in London by the company DOT because of unpaid bills over last season's transport.

"There are some cars," he said, when asked if DOT had been holding the cars since May awaiting payment of unpaid bills said to be up to $1.9 million.

"We are working with DOT, obviously they have to protect their position and have taken some of the cars.

"They are working with us very well to ensure we are going to be there (on the Gold Coast) on October 16 even though we haven't ironed out all the commercial difficulties."

Mr Cherry said DOT planned to fly the cars to Australia for the Nikon SuperGP regardless.

"They are one of our major creditors but they are also one of our major supporters," he said.

"Whichever way it is, whether DOT is paid fully beforehand or whether we work out a payment plan, we are going to be there for the SuperGP.

"We are not going to let the Gold Coast down. We've got our hotels booked, freight booked, team uniforms ordered ... we are not doing all of this for a smokescreen."

Mr Cherry said DOT had already allowed them to take the cars in and out for launches and to prepare them for the Gold Coast season opener.

The A1GP has been dogged by claims it is about to go under since the collapse of its British arm in June.

But it is fast gaining a reputation for being a comeback kid with motoring sources saying it often looked gone but 'somehow pulls through at the last minute'.

Mr Cherry said the A1GP had been hit harder by the world financial woes than other motor sport because its calendar started in September-October -- at the exact time the global financial crisis hit.

"Yes we have been in the (expletive) and, yes, it has been tough times for everyone but our chairman, Tony Teixeira, is a man of extreme resilience ... he is a very honourable person and he stands by his commitments," he said. He promised the cars would arrive on the Gold Coast in time for the October 19 testing at Queensland Raceway in the lead-up to the SuperGP.

"We want to be there ... we worked very hard to get this race and we are not going to miss this opportunity," he said.

Mr Cherry also took a shot at the State Opposition who he said had been peddling rumours of the A1GP's demise and demanding in Parliament the State Government answer why they signed a financially-stricken series to replace the Indy cars.

"It's a lovely little bandwagon for the Opposition," said Mr Cherry, "but they will be the first ones down there at the SuperGP having a glass of champagne and wanting to shake some hands."

Only the first and last rounds of the A1GP's full 2009-10 calendar have been released, sparking rumours the series would not even get off the ground this year.

Mr Cherry said its full calendar was ready to go but was awaiting FIA approval, which had been delayed because a Formula One hearing into race fixing had been given priority.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Retro's article

But it is fast gaining a reputation for being a comeback kid with motoring sources saying it often looked gone but 'somehow pulls through at the last minute'.

Is this Mr John's new career path?

[Just Do It!]

Hope of the A1GP cars running on the Gold Coast is fair at very best.

Receivership seems eminent for A1GP, if it hasn't already happened. Strong speculation from the land of Devonshire Tea suggests the sum owed starts with a 3 and has 8 zeros after it

[mspence]

And now Autosport are reprting that Ferrari have withdrawn the engines.
Perhaps they can get Red Bull support and run a Billy Cart derby?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by mspence

And now Autosport are reprting that Ferrari have withdrawn the engines.
Perhaps they can get Red Bull support and run a Billy Cart derby?

HEre

[yap]

Link

Just rehashes most of the things we already suspected

THE Dutch team will be missing from the grid at next month's Nikon SuperGP, with their racing car advertised for sale on the internet.

An online auction of the Dutch A1GP team on www.troostwijk-auctions.com has reached 21,000 euros and has received 10 bids after a starting price of 15,000 Euros for the A1GP Lola racing car.

The sale is by order of the Dutch tax authorities and has listed all racing team equipment, office furniture, team clothing and even trophies collected for race wins and podium finishes

and

V8 Supercars boss Tony Cochrane was yesterday remaining coy about strong and persistent rumours suggesting there would be more racing allocated for the V8s.

While he did not want to completely put the mockers on the A1GP he did say the Supercars were ready for more Gold Coast racing action if needed.

[Armco Bender]

I think you can safely say A1GP has gone tits up.So it looks like it will be a V8 show.

[alfacors]

I think I will cash in my plane tickets and cancel my accommodation then.... I don't really see the value in going for a V8only event unless they get some mega interesting support categories into the mix as well.

[cptkablamo]

Originally Posted by alfacors

I think I will cash in my plane tickets and cancel my accommodation then.... I don't really see the value in going for a V8only event unless they get some mega interesting support categories into the mix as well.

yeah me too...I am waiting until I hear what is happening until I confirm my plans...All my official stuff is in place but for me and my publications, without A1, there is no point...plus I would prefer to invest in something a little more interesting than V8s...

THE Dutch team will be missing from the grid at next month's Nikon SuperGP, with their racing car advertised for sale on the internet.

Not necessarily true. Another team could run a car in Dutch colours, which is very likely given that the Dutch round continues to be on the recently released calendar and people like Alan Docking Racing run/assist multiple teams as it is...

It is also worth noting that IMG has agreed to be the promotions arm of the Series...and in the release, which came out AFTER the Autosport article, it still mentioned Ferrari. May not mean anything but Autosport could have it wrong...

[Robert Ryan]

I think you can safely say A1GP has gone tits up.So it looks like it will be a V8 show

If they A1GP do front it will be for the first and last time.

[Armco Bender]

If they A1GP do front it will be for the first and last time.

Their cars are impounded,the engine supplier has withdrawn,they are deeply in debt,they staggered through the last few rounds last season because the NZ Team owner bailed out the cars several times.
4 weeks to go no teams announced,it would appear if miracously they do appear some drivers and teams will be cobbled together out of thin air.

[retro]

linky...

Top A1GP driver confirms

Tanya Westthorp | September 24th, 2009

snip...

A1GP general manager Paul Cherry again promised the series would make it to Australia and said fresh rumours Ferrari had pulled its support were untrue.

"We had Ferrari people going through our inventory in a container set for Australia the other day ... they wouldn't be checking all the equipment if they were pulling their support," he said.

"The bottom line is we have gone through a very difficult period and we are very lucky to have been trusted with such an iconic race as the SuperGP, and we will be there."

He said Team Netherlands would also be racing.

[GTRMagic]

Nitro... Goooooooooone.........

Interesting that the article references Mr Stoner in there. What they fail to mention is the management group (sans Mr Brooks) offering the Nitro 'business' to the Stoner family in order to have a distribution network for their merchandise. Purely allegedly of course.

The onion can be skinned many ways it seems.. and so can creditors

[alfacors]

LOL @ the gall of Linda Brooks to be whingeing about living off their savings..... their savings are propped up by the millions they scammed off previous business partners and investors.... what scum.