A1GP is on OLN !

A1GP races are now being broadcasted on OLN. I am watching the second round right now.

Couple of things:

1) The announcers (John Watson and someone else) keep referring to the cars as countries, instead of mentioning the drivers. It's weird hearing "...team New Zealand make a move on Team Germany.."

2) Either it's my screen or the cars looked squished.

3) The cars look like the don't have much aero grip as the are sliding around quite a bit.

4) The pit crews look like the local guys at Autozone. Of the last three pit stops I saw, all three screwed up the tire changes.

5) It's no longer just a rumor .......Ralph Firman really is fast (now that he's in something other than that old sh*tbox Jordan)


All in all, a lot to be desired but hey it's racing.

Regards,

Jon P. Kofod
www.flatoutacing.net

 

The cars do look really narrow on the OLN.

Good racing. Did you see the big flip ealier today? On board camera during the whole scene. Team Lebanon, I think.

 

They are pretty narrow. Ive been watching it online and thats one of the things I dont like about them. They look kind of like junior cars.

Mark

 

We watched Brands Hatch the other evening. It was great to see OLN carrying somthing like that other than their typical hunter shows in the "off" bicycle racing season. OLN carries the Giro de Italia and other great bicycle events too, adding to that is also the PBR.

The rules for A1 allow only one "tire person" per wheel. The great thing about A1 was that there was real racing rather than a "processional" for the duration of the race. The sprint race was good but got even better in the final race.

The "big flip" was quite spectacular and the on-board camera footage was something. Best was to see the Lebanese driver walk away from that one.

I'm not complaining at all about the series, in fact we sent an email to OLN thanking them for featuring the racing.

Carol

 

I watched it too. It wasnt the cars that were narrow but rather something to do with the OLN feed. I had to expand my Tv picture to a widescreen setting to make everything look normal. I really enjoyed the race but was kinda bummed that Scott Speed didn't do better.

 

Ralphie is fast, he spend his year driving a turd called a Jordan. I wish he'd get a second chance, they still allow the other Ralf to race and that Canadian guy named Jacques.

Is it just me or are these cars hideously ugly, I mean I understand its for close racing but a little more asthetics couldn't hurt. The one thing that concerns me is the number of on track incidents. Is it a result of the close racing or the lack of talent?

Will they show the rest of the races on OLN? SpeedTV just started their DTM, BTCC, ETCC, V8 Supercars coverage which is really nice of them.

 

I went to an A1 team launch just before the series started racing and kicked the tires of one of the cars. It is basically a re-bodied Japanese F 3000, a car Ralph Firman knows well, which is probably why he is really fast. The bodywork was drawn on the back of an envelope by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum (the more Macktoums in your name the more superior a person you are), and a cheque later, Lola built it.

And now you know more than I do.....

 

I think they look pretty good.
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I prefer the "real" wheel/tire set up on the Lebanon car to the Rubber band look on the Emirates car.
I can guess this is going to be the ultimate in pay-as-you drive series for some very fortunate sons of wealthy Shieks Etc.

 

I’m not so sure. The driver must be the nationality of the team. Ralph Firman has an Irish mother, which is why he can get into the green car. If someone with the same passport as you is already driving, well then, a wallet won't work.

 

To any of the Canadians out there, do we have OLN in Canada?

I want to watch these races on T.V.

 

Does anybody have the next OLN schedule?
Cars look great. Twitching or not....would love to drive one of those.

 

There are two races this weekend and also on the next weekend.

Thanks for the heads-up Jon!

I agree about the comment earlier that it is wierd that when the commentators say "Netherlands just crashed out" or "Great Britain beat US into the corner"

 

Tonight at 6:00 EST taped from Estoril.

 

The cars have little "aero" but the wings are a bit of a barn door. Tires are also hard, their top speed is "only" 168mph and they slide around a fair bit with only RF Traction Control (ie Right Foot).

In general the drivers are there on merit BUT some of the countries have very few (ie virtually no) drivers, so there is a large range of ability. This will hopefully develop over time.

Wait until you see the races from Malaysia!

 

Where did this series come from? Is it new or what? I've never heard of this thing before reading this thread but it certainly seems pretty cool - especially if they have drivers like Ralph Firman, it must be a pretty good series.

 

I don't think our OLN carries it-just rodeo, fishing and Survivorman

 

Watched it last night - again good racing. The German driver was a great defensive driver keeping Scott Speed behind him. When you can go into a first turn from a standing start 4 and sometimes 5 abreast that's good racing. Can't wait to watch the next one - may have to consider going to Mexico City or Laguna Seca to watch one of the North American races. This series and the GP2 racing we've seen in Europe as support races for the F1 race make F1 look like a track day lead and follow event.

Carol

 

Looks like the Fench scored another victory this weekend (9 out of 12 races). Firman set fastest lap but didn't finish the race. Phil Giebler was in 5th when his car broke with only 3 lap to go. This would have been the USA's best finish to date.

I hope someone starts mounting a serious challenge. It's getting boring hearing how the French keep winning. With Renault winning the F1 title you know the motorsports fans in France are getting big ego's.

Regards,

Jon
www.flatoutrating.net

 

Sheik Maktoum (Dubai royal family) got investment from a South African finance house (and his own family money) to create a one make single seater series that would be marketed as "The World Cup of Motorsport" - comparing itself to the Soccer World Cup - which is the biggest sporting event on the planet (in terms of people who watch and nations that compete, you may not have heard of it in the US though ).

So each team (any nationality) owns a franchise for a given nation of which there are currently 24 competing I think. Each nation has to use drivers of its own nationality and can change drivers at anytime (except during a race). Hence the commentators talk about "France beating the UK" and not so much drivers names (France run 2 drivers at the moment and I think the UK is testing more) - US is Scott Speed and Brian Herta (I think, might be wrong on that one).

The series is also designed to be mainly Southern Hemisphere or warm climate so that it can run through the winter and grab the attention of the Formula One market in its closed season. Runs from September to April and goes to, UK, Germany, Portugal, Australia, Malaysia, Dubai, Indonesia, South Africa, US (Laguna), Brazil, Mexico an China.

Cars are all the same V8 Zytek engined, same tires (Cooper/Avon) and same chassis (Lola) - Aero setup means they max out at 160-170mph and slide around. Plus they can run close together without loosing aero (hence good racing).

They also have a "power button" (one press & hold gives +30bhp with throttle over 40% and stays there until throttle drops below 40% and button is held down). The drivers can use this (I think) 4 times in sprint race and 8 times in long race (dont quote me on the numbers though, about right). The TV coverage is connected to the power button system so you can see when drivers are using the feature and how many goes they have left. It does add to the entertainment quite well now that the drivers have started getting used to the system.

Drivers include Nelson Piquet Jnr, Joss Verstappen, Ralph Firman, Alex Yoong and various other drivers from leading F3/GP2/F3000 level. Plus for the more obscure nations new names with relatively little experience but they are learning quite fast.

I would say the best race to date is Malaysia so watch out for it, Dubai event (6th) is on this weekend, mid 12 round season Christmas break follows. Plus a HUGE shunt at Australia for the Japanese runner (he's OK but v.lucky).

The leading team is currently DAMS (Driot-Arnoux Motorsport) which runs the French and Swiss cars with the French guys VERY strong and leading the championship. Other front runners are Swiss, GB (Great Britain), Brazil and Portgual. US in there now and again as are Germany, Ireland and Holland.

The emphasis on nations creates an interesting spectator mindset as drivers can come and go whilst loyalties remain with teams/nations. Very much like Ferrari fans and F1, whereas many people just follow drivers from team to team. It creates a healthier, less character led, spectacle - unlike motogp which will no doubt take a dive once Valentino Rossi decides to retire from it etc.

ps. Its in its first year, started in September

 

Has anyone noticed how bad the track marshals are? I was watching the race in Malaysia yesterday and one of the cars shredded a tire or something and was in the middle of the track. About 5 or 6 marshals ran out to push the car out of the way. In the mean time another car is coming around a corner right at them. The marshals scatter in all directions mainly out of the way but one ran right in front of the oncoming car. The car was probably doing 120mph or so. Maybe slower, I dont know, but still right in front of the car. It reminded me of film I have seen of crashes that happened in the '50s and '60s before safety was a big concern. It just didnt look organized and professional like it should. BTW no one was run over or anything. Everybody was ok. Just wondering if anyone else noticed this.

 

Watching the Dubai race right now, and its great. I tried watching it over the internet before any station carried it here in the US, but it didnt seem very good. TV has really brought out its strengths and I cant wait to see more of them. Thank god too because the F1 withdrawls were getting pretty bad...lol.

Mark

 

Watched it yesterday on OLN. Yet another in the string of really great racing found in A1GP. Far better than most F1 races.

Carol

 

I concur - really close racing and lots of passing. Lapierre and Premat are the class apart