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High Definition Broadcasting Coming to A1GP for 2008/09

Forty-Five Broadcast Licensees WorldWide Have High Def Option from September

From A1GP Media Reports:

A1GP World Cup of Motorsport enters a new era as the 2008/09 season approaches, moving to the forefront of technology by becoming one of the first international racing series to offer its World Feed TV Broadcast in High Definition (HD).

A1GP is carried by more than 45 broadcast licensees worldwide, reaching nearly 180 countries and territories around the globe. They will all now be given the option to receive A1GPs host broadcast in HD, while broadcasters without HD channels will still be able to receive the Standard Definition feed.

The World Feed is generated in a state of the art HD Outside Broadcast facility that is transported around the globe to each race event to ensure the series continues to provide top quality television, regardless of its location. From there, pictures from 60 cameras situated around the track, in the pits and on the A1GP cars can be selected for broadcast.

OnBoard Camera Placement on Ferrari Being Optimized by A1GP Technicians

The highly experienced crew consists of 130 production staff and engineers, who are all specialists in their fields. The international broadcast team is dedicated to capturing the essence of A1GP's racing action, along with all the vibrant characters in the paddock and the colour of each competing nation.

As well as offering pictures in HD, there are a number of exciting new developments set to enhance A1GP's TV broadcast next season. A1GP Productions have been working closely with the designers of the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car since its inception to integrate new and exciting On Board Camera positions. There will also be further telemetry available from the car, alongside more advanced TV graphics to give viewers a greater insight into the efforts of the driver inside the cockpit.

Richard Dorfman, Director of Broadcasting: "It's an extremely exciting time for A1GP as we head into the 2008/09 season with plenty of interesting developments in the pipeline. We are always looking at ways to enhance the television viewers' experience, and we are proud to be at the cutting edge when it comes to quality TV production as A1GP continues to lead the way in motorsport broadcasting."

"Powered by Ferrari" A1GP Car On-Track and Testing

Second Round of ShakeDown Commences at Imola

From A1GP Media Reports:

A1GP ‘Powered by Ferrari’ at Imola. Photo: A1GP

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport car for the 2008/09 season continued its intensive testing program this week with two days at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola.

Following on from successful tests at Fiorano, the Ferrari test track in Italy, Andrea Bertolini has been back behind the wheel of the Powered by Ferrari car, putting it through its paces at Imola.

This is the first time the car has run outside the confines of Fiorano but feedback continues to be positive with the car running on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Car Transits to Spain Next Week for Rigorous Workout

Testing will continue next week with five-days running scheduled at Guadix Circuit, a recently constructed facility in Spain. The three-kilometer (approximately 1.9 miles) track near Granada has a good mix of fast and slow corners with varying cambers and a 750-metre main straight set against the stunning back drop of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

A1GP General Manager, Technical and Operations, John Wickham said, "We've completed about 900-kilometers (approximately 550 miles) of testing so far and everything is going relatively smoothly."

"The car is performing very well and the driver is happy with it," he continued. "The balance is good and the tires are working well. We haven't done as much testing as we hoped but that's partly because we were waiting on the weather at Fiorano."

"The car looked very quick in the wet!" says Tech Manager John Wickham

"We ended up just running in the rain in the end but the car looked very quick in the wet!"

"In general the car has been very reliable," he finished. "We look forward to five consecutive days running next week with the tight Guadix Circuit ideal for further testing of the handling of the car. "

The official pre-season testing for all the teams will take place at Silverstone August 18th-20th, 2008 and Mugello on September 17th and 18th, 2008.

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Images from Imola A1GP 'Powered by Ferrari' Test Sessions Click to enlarge images

A1Team USA Head Predicts 2009/10 Series Return to America

Rick Weidinger Pledges 'Everything Possible' to Effort

by Tim E Tuttle
timetuttle@aol.com

A1GP Ferrari undergoes shakedown at Mugello. Photo: A1GP

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport schedule for the 2008-09 season does not include a round in the United States, a situation A1 Team USA will make a diligent effort to rectify for 2009-10.

"We are expecting an A1GP round in the United States (if not two per season) and we're going to do everything possible to bring the World Cup of Motorsport to home ground," A1 Team USA Holdings owner Rick Weidinger said. "We ran out of time to do it properly for the upcoming season."

A1GP Prospects Continue to Improve

Weidinger is enthusiastic about the international scope of A1GP in 2008-09.

"We're a World Championship and that's evident by where we race," Weidinger said. "We have four rounds in Europe, we're in North America with Mexico City, South Africa, China and the Pacific Rim nations of Indonesia, Malaysia and New Zealand. We reach large markets in the countries we race and vast audiences
through our rising television viewership, which is up to 10 million per race.

"We have great racing between nations with world-class drivers and the addition of our cars being Powered by Ferrari and a new car design highly influenced by Ferrari will take our technology up a notch and bring more awareness to A1GP. We think the entire package will be very exciting and attractive to commercial partners."

The 2008-09 schedule: Sept. 21--Mugello, Italy; Oct. 5--Zandvoort, The Netherlands; Nov. 9--Jakarta, Indonesia; Nov. 23--Sepang, Malaysia; Dec. 14--China, TBA; Jan. 25--Taupo, New Zealand; Feb. 22--South Africa, TBA; March 15--Mexico City; March 29--TBA; April 12--Algarve, Portugal; May 3--Great Britain.

For more information on A1 Team USA, visit www.A1TEAMUSATV.com. For more information on A1GP, visit www.A1GP.com.

A1GP Announces Twenty-Two Event Schedule for 2008/09

Far Eastern Date Yet to be Determined

by Allan Brewer
allan@a1teamracer.com

A1GP Field at Brands Hatch, UK. Photo: A1GP

The 2008/09 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport schedule holds plenty of racing action with twenty-two races at eleven venues announced by the organizers today (Monday, June 9th).

As previously indicated the season kicks off at Mugello, Italy on September 21st, a circuit that makes its A1GP debut with the 2008/09 season.

The racing continues with the annual visit to the dunes of Zandvoort, before moving to the Far East and South Pacific for a sun-loving run across the globe.

There's even an open date on March 29th, while the A1GP teams are on the North American continent, spurring speculation that a race in the United States might materialize. A1GP will visit Mexico City only two weeks before at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit.

Another new track, this time in Algarve, Portugal offers up the penultimate round of racing prior to the series' annual close in the UK. The 18-turn Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, currently being built in Portimao, Portugal will play host.

This season will be the first for the next generation of A1GP cars, powered by Ferrari.

A1GP Drops Hints of United States Return

A1GP officials hinted at an American date for the series early in 2008 with an appearance in Indianapolis for the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association banquet on January 12th. Keynote speaker Emerson Fittipaldi, principal of A1 Team Brazil, made no secret of the organization's desire to return to American shores.

A1GP is currently in negotiations with a number of venues in China as well, including Shanghai and Zhuhai.

The 2008/09 calendar, as always, is subject to FIA approval.

The next racing season looms just around the corner, with A1GP all-team testing scheduled for Silverstone on August 18th through 20th, 2008 and at Mugello on September 17th and 18th, 2008. The multi-day preps are intended to allow teams to gain familiarity with the new chassis and engine package.

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2008/09 A1GP World Cup of Motorsports Schedule

Date
Event

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
China - TBA

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
TBA

10) 12 April 2009
A1GP Algarve, Portugal

11) 03 May 2009
Great Britain - TBA