Event Thread (Supergp)

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Get pumped for Nitro SuperGP!

This October, the Gold Coast will play host to Australia’s most exciting motorsport event when the Nitro SuperGP roars into town.

Combining the pure Aussie thunder of the V8 Supercars Championship Series with the lightning-fast action of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Powered by Ferrari, it’s the start of a new street-racing era.

Grab a front row seat and get as close as you can to the thrills and spills of the V8 Supercars Championship Series as Ford and Holden do battle once more through the tight twists of this concrete jungle.

Plus, catch the A1GP Powered by Ferrari cars as they make their Gold Coast debut in the world’s only nation vs. nation motorsport series. Make sure you’re there to cheer on the green and gold of our very own A1 Team Australia, as cars from over 20 countries hit the streets of Surfers Paradise.

Experience the unforgettable on-track action, unbelievable off-track entertainment and full-on fun in the Gold Coast sun at the Nitro SuperGP, October 22 – 25.

The V8 Supercar Challenge

The V8 Supercars are back on the Gold Coast in 2009 and these fire breathing machines are sure toprovide a thrilling spectacle as they battle it out for points in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The unique Surfers Paradise street circuit will see the V8 Supercars clock speeds of more than 260 km/h and with a new race format in 2009 the tussle between Holden and Ford will be more intense then ever! The new racing format introduces two 200km races each with a compulsory fuel stop and there own individual podium presentations.

A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Powered by Ferrari

This year the Gold Coast will see A1GP hit the streets of Surfers Paradise for the very first time! You’ll
see nation vs. nation battle it out, as these super fast A1GP Powered by Ferrari cars race between the high rises and compete in one of motor sport’s most dynamic racing series.

With over 20 nations competing in the series from Australia and New Zealand to Germany, China, America, India and South Africa the A1GP truly is the World Cup of Motorsport. Make sure you’re there to cheer on A1 Team Australia at the only A1GP race in the country.

Ontrack Entertainment

More than just motorsport! The Nitro SuperGP is action packed with entertainment both on and off the track! Ontrack you can expect to see burn out and drift displays, free style motocross and the drivers parade to keep you entertained between all the racing action!

Offtrack Events

Off the track is also packed full of excitement with the 2009 Official Offtrack Events Calendar made up of over 30 unmissable events staged on the Gold Coast throughout the month of October. Some fo the events include cocktail parties, Miss SuperGP events and car shows.

Aussie Racing Cars

The Aussie Racing Cars are the "pocket rockets" of Australian Racing. Aussie Racing Cars feature as mini replicas of four different body styles - the 1940 Ford Coupe and FJ Holden as well as the AU Falcon and VY Commodore. All cars are approximately half the size of a V8 Supercar and weight only 450kg, this provides an incredible power-to-weight ratio that allows the car to reach speeds in excess of 200kph! Be sure not to miss the Aussie Racing Cars zipping around the street of Surfers Paradise.

Strategic Airlines Formula Ford

Formula Ford is an open wheel motor racing series which has grown into one of the worlds best junior development categories. With a number of Formula Ford Championships around the world, the Australian Series consists of eight rounds. The Nitro SuperGP will see the 2009 Formula Ford Champion crowned in the final round for the season.

Tickets are now on sale go to www.supergp.com (http://www.supergp.com) and more info about the series go to www.a1gp.com (http://www.a1gp.com)

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FORMER world Formula 1 world champion and A1 Team Australia chief Alan Jones is confident the team has the man that will get them across the line at the inaugural Nitro SuperGP on the Gold Coast in October.

Marking 136 days until race day, Jones today joined reigning V8 Supercar champion and series leader Jamie Whincup on the track, with both confident of winning performances on the Surfers Paradise street track.

Jones was talking up A1 Team Australia's chances, with bright prospect John Martin, a man familiar with the Surfers circuit tipped to be driving for the Aussies.

``He knows this circuit, he was on poll position last year, he won two of the three races and he set a new lap record so he doesn't have to find his way around the circuit,'' said Jones of Martin, who raced at last year's Indy in the Formula 3s.

``He's actually maturing as he goes on and by the time he gets here I think he will be a good chance.''

The race will be the first time A1 teams roar through the streets and for Jones, he was talking up the new event he feels will offer the Gold Coast more global recognition.

``I'm not taking anything away from the Indy Cars, they were very parochial but the number of Americans that come over to watch them you could count on one hand,'' he told The Gold Coast Bulletin.

``A lot of people didn't realise that the Indy Cars were not even telecast live back to the US live, but when you take into account that we have 25 cars racing, that means we will be broadcasting live to all those countries.''

``It's a very new concept, a level playing field and the whole idea behind this race is to showcase Queensland and the Gold coast so we think it's an ideal opportunity to do that.''

Taking on the `concrete jungle' will challenge not only the A1 drivers, but also the big boys of the V8 Supercar series.

Whincup, who sped to success on his home track last year will be looking for a repeat in October.

The Gold Coast race could be Whincup's first after he gets a crack at breaking the record for consecutive Bathurst victories, when he chases his fourth straight win on the famed circuit alongside Ford team mate Craig Lowndes.

``Last year's win here (at Surfers) was one of the highlights of my career and with the success we have had to start this season, I hope by October I'm still racing that well,'' he said.

``The Gold Coast is such a great event. The crowds get right behind it.

``It's a tough track but everyone loves racing here.''

The SuperGP replaces the former Indy motor race on the Gold Coast.

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A1GP has become the most popular race series viewed on Autosport.com’s AUTOSPORT TV. Launched in 2007, AUTOSPORT TV features news and highlights of all major international motorsport series.

A1GP’s race action – uploaded immediately after every race weekend with expert commentary from A1GP’s own Ben Edwards – has made the championship consistently the most-watched series on the platform so far in 2009.

“Having edited highlights of every A1GP World Cup of Motorsport event, complete with Ben Edwards’s authoritative commentary, is a welcome addition to the AUTOSPORT TV listings,” said Henry Hope-Frost, AUTOSPORT TV Editor.

“We’re delighted that this unique race series supports what is an exciting extension to the AUTOSPORT brand and look forward to working with the team during Season Five.”

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London, Great Britain.With two events now confirmed for Season Five of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, the teams and drivers are still keeping busy both on-and-off the track during the summer break.

A1 Team Malaysia has linked with the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) to launch a new breakdown assistance programme for young drivers.

The AAM A1 Team Malaysia Unicard is a new initiative by the AAM which offers young drivers a host of benefits and capitalizes on the popularity of the A1GP team to encourage uptake of the new card.

A1 Team Malaysia has been supported by the AAM over the last 2 seasons of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport and the team is proud that the organization has harnessed the value of the team’s popularity and used this association for the new card.

The new membership programme, for 18 – 23 year old drivers, is free of charge and members pay subsidized charges only when they require service. AAM’s 24-hour road assistance and breakdown service includes everything from a motorcycle patrol or van unit being dispatched to assist vehicles that run out of petrol, or requires a jump start or a new car battery, to providing car carriers and tow trucks in the event the vehicle is immobilized.

While membership is free of charge, cardholders are required to make a pledge that they will abide by a set of eight golden rules of road safety, and in doing so, becoming a responsible, caring, law abiding and safe driver.

AAM Chairman Yang Mulia Tunku Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha, said of the new Unicard, “The launch of the AAM A1 Team Malaysia Unicard allows AAM to fulfil three very important objectives - inculcating the importance of road safety to young drivers, providing them with around the clock breakdown assistance, and growing AAM’s membership base for the future.”

The AAM A1 Team Malaysia Unicard membership programme is also an extension of the existing AAM A1 Team Malaysia card that was introduced in 2008 in collaboration with A1 Team Malaysia.

Owen Leed, Commercial Director, A1 Team Malaysia, said of the launch of the new card, “AAM is the number one breakdown service and road assistance provider in Malaysia and as the leading international motorsport team of Malaysia, we are delighted to be able to work with AAM to introduce new initiatives such as this Unicard. We welcome AAM’s focus on road safety and fully endorse their commitment to this important consideration in car driving and ownership. A1 Team Malaysia has a very loyal fan base of young drivers who are car enthusiasts and passionate about our team, so this is a perfect fit for the new card.”

A1GP stars Clivio Piccione and Filipe Albuquerque have been selected to represent their nations as the first regional heat gets underway this weekend ahead of the Race of Champions World Final which will take place inside the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing this November.

Race of Champions South Europe will see teams from Portugal, Spain, Monaco and Italy compete this weekend (6-7 June) for a coveted spot in this year’s final.

With an increasing number of teams wanting to enter the event, Race of Champions organisers have introduced a qualifying round for the first time this season which will take place at the Estádio do Dragão, Portugal.

An asphalt course will be built inside the FC Porto soccer team’s stadium with the weekend kicking off tomorrow with ROC Portugal. Seven Portuguese racers, including Filipe Albuquerque, rally ace Bruno Magalhaes and off-road champion Carlos Sousa, will take part in a knock out competition that will decide which three drivers will compete alongside production World Rally Championship leader Armindo Araújo, when Portugal takes on Spain in Sunday’s ROC Iberia. The Spanish squad will be made up of double World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz, Citroën WRC star Dani Sordo, 2008 British Formula Three champion Jaime Alguersuari and Spanish rally star Sergio Vallejo - in Sunday’s ROC Iberia.

The fastest unseeded driver from both Portugal and Spain will then compete alongside predesignated team captains Sainz and Araújo, as the Iberian teams battle Italy and Monaco in the Race of Champions South Europe on Sunday.

“I am looking forward to racing in this,” said Albuquerque. “It will be nice for the spectators but it will be great for us too, especially as its taking place in my home country. It would be good to go win and go through to the final but the most important thing is for us to have some fun.”

Clivio Piccione has been invited to represent the Principality of Monaco alongside five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro and will battle it out against the Iberian teams and Italy, represented by double WRC champion Miki Biasion and WRC star Gigi Galli, for a chance to compete in China at the end of the year.

Last year, five times World Rally (WRC) champion Sebastien Loeb won the event with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel joining forces to retain The Race of Champions Nations Cup for Team Germany.

A1GP drivers are also continuing to make their mark in other Formulae over the summer months with former A1 Team Canada race-winner Robert Wickens dominating the opening round of the FIA Formula Two Championship in Valenica, Spain last weekend. The 20-year-old Canadian had a perfect weekend claiming two pole positions and putting in two faultless drives to convert both poles into victories.

“It's pretty much the perfect weekend,” said Wickens. “From start to finish it has been good; we struggled a little in free practice but we didn't lose our cool and everything fell into place nicely - it's basically been a fairytale weekend. I can't believe the weekend and the year have started so well."

On the other side of the Atlantic, A1 Team USA rookie J.R Hildebrand was continuing his good fortune in theFirestone Indy Lights series. The 21-year-old finished second to Mario Romancini in the Husar's House of Fine Diamonds 100 race at Milwaukee Mile to retain his championship lead.

"(Romancini) had a really good car and he was doing a really good job with it,” said Hildebrand. “Having to run behind him the whole race, I started picking up understeer and wearing out the front tires and I just didn't have anything for him at the end. With the lapped car on that restart, I didn't really have a chance to try to jump him. But it was a great finish for the team. I have to thank the AFS/Andretti Green Racing boys, they've done a great job all weekend. I'm looking forward to the race in Iowa (20 June)."

A1GP’s world feed pit lane reporter and former A1 Team Canada racer James Hinchcliffe, came home in seventh while A1 Team USA rookie Charlie Kimball finished in tenth.

Continuing to set standards, A1GP has become the most popular race series viewed on Autosport.com’s AUTOSPORT TV. Launched in 2007, AUTOSPORT TV features news and highlights of all major international motorsport series. A1GP’s race action – uploaded immediately after every race weekend with expert commentary from A1GP’s own Ben Edwards – has made the championship consistently the most-watched series on the platform so far in 2009.

“Having edited highlights of every A1GP World Cup of Motorsport event, complete with Ben Edwards’s authoritative commentary, is a welcome addition to the AUTOSPORT TV listings,” said Henry Hope-Frost, AUTOSPORT TV Editor. “We’re delighted that this unique race series supports what is an exciting extension to the AUTOSPORT brand and look forward to working with the team during Season Five.”

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Several A1GP drivers are competing in the famous Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race this weekend – with two pairs of rival drivers from different nations teaming up in the endurance classic.

Neel Jani, part of the 2007/08 championship-winning Switzerland team, has partnered with French rival Nicolas Prost for a challenge on the event in a Lola-Aston Martin LMP1 car. The pairs’ prototype is qualified highest of all the cars containing current A1GP drivers, starting this weekend’s event from 10th. The pair is being joined by Le Mans Series racer Andrea Belicchi in the Speedy Sebah-run car.

Jani and Prost are not the only A1GP drivers from rival nations teaming up at this year’s race, with India’s Narain Karthikeyan and Germany’s Andre Lotterer both part of a Team Kolles Audi R10 entry. They will start in 14th.

A1 Team France’s sporting director Olivier Panis is joined by one the squad’s most capped drivers, Nicolas Lapierre, in their Oreca from 16th on the grid.

There are other A1GP nations also represented. Great Britain racer Danny Watts is part of the team lining up 11th on the grid in a Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek, while Netherlands’ Jeroen Bleekemolen will start 11th on the GT2 grid in a Snoras Spyker.

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