http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74113

Ahh.. Nice.. Open Wheel racing returns to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

hm, kinda wish they'd waited a week. it's the same weekend as Monaco and the Indy 500, so no one will be paying attention...

Timing is bad for Team USA. Three former/current possibilities (Summerton, Kimball, Hildebrand) are driving in Indy Lights on Friday, and Marco in the 500 on Sunday.

Well.. there's always DVR , ha, ha.

Good Point -- I didn't notice that they happened to be competing with one of the biggest racing weekends in the world.

But still it's better A1GP racing there that weekend; rather then not racing there at all.

Mexican Audiences will still go to the live race.. as no Mexican drivers in F1, Indycar or Nascar at the moment. But there is a Team Mexico in A1GP & they're super-patriotic like that.

Charlie Kimball will probably get the call-up for Team USA.

Wouldn't mind seeing Alexander Rossi get a shot at a one-off-- but that is a huge jump up from FBMW .. better they start him off in F3 cars first. (jhmo)

And whatever the results are.. My guess, Rossi would likely end up near the back, based on inexperience; those results end up on his permanent racing record -- ready for some eager little internet forum poster to throw it up in his face, ha, ha.

stubaru - 31 March 2009 01:14 PM

hm, kinda wish they'd waited a week. it's the same weekend as Monaco and the Indy 500, so no one will be paying attention...

I concur. The date selected reflects poor decision making by A1GP leadership.

NASCAR is holding the Coca-Cola 600, F1 and GP2 are racing at Monte Carlo, IndyCar and Indy Lights are running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway...

There was no other weekend open? This is the worst weekend possible to run a race! Team USA will likely not even make the grid given AGR's commitment to Indy.

Er... not entirely A1's fault.. The FIA can be very restrictive as to which series can run where at which date. A1 may not have had a choice if they still wanted to call it the 2008-2009 season.

Snowhand - 01 April 2009 04:34 PM

Er... not entirely A1's fault.. The FIA can be very restrictive as to which series can run where at which date. A1 may not have had a choice if they still wanted to call it the 2008-2009 season.

I understand what you are saying and we agree to a point... especially if it were just a mid-season race... but the A1GP season finale going up against F1/GP2 at Monaco, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 with a unified grid is poor decision making by A1GP leadership. It is better to end the A1GP season in the UK on May 3rd when F1, GP2 and IndyCar are all on off-weeks (not racing) and the finale can be a showcase.

Team USA may not even make the grid and the finale in Mexico City will be virtually ignored (aside from avid fans like ourselves). Honestly and with the utmost of sincerity, it is better to end the A1GP season in the UK when there is no other racing that weekend (F1/GP2/IndyCar/etc)... than hold a season ending race with nobody watching.

thebatsignal - 02 April 2009 12:02 AM

Snowhand - 01 April 2009 04:34 PM

Er... not entirely A1's fault.. The FIA can be very restrictive as to which series can run where at which date. A1 may not have had a choice if they still wanted to call it the 2008-2009 season.

I understand what you are saying and we agree to a point... especially if it were just a mid-season race... but the A1GP season finale going up against F1/GP2 at Monaco, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 with a unified grid is poor decision making by A1GP leadership..

Better to race than to not race. They go with the available dates.

It won't interfer with either GP2 or F1, given the time difference. It'll likely see it cut into the build up hoo har of the Indy, rather than the race, saying that if I'm to believe what I read on these boards, barely anyone knows or cares about A1 in N/A anyway, so it wouldn't make any noticable difference if the race was run on a 'dead' race weekend stateside.


It's fine for Europe's open wheel fans, it runs perfectly, live GP2, live F1, A1, 500 & if so inclined a late night session for 600.

Pretty cushty couch Sunday actually

The A1GP Sprint race is 11:00am local Mexico City time(1:00pm Indy time)

The Feature race is 3:00pm local Mexico City time (5:00pm Indy time).

http://www.a1gp.com/Circuit/CircuitInfo.aspx?circuitId=16&seasonId=5

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/custom.html?continent=namerica

jes_ - 02 April 2009 07:58 AM

thebatsignal - 02 April 2009 12:02 AM

Snowhand - 01 April 2009 04:34 PM

Er... not entirely A1's fault.. The FIA can be very restrictive as to which series can run where at which date. A1 may not have had a choice if they still wanted to call it the 2008-2009 season.

I understand what you are saying and we agree to a point... especially if it were just a mid-season race... but the A1GP season finale going up against F1/GP2 at Monaco, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 with a unified grid is poor decision making by A1GP leadership..

Better to race than to not race. They go with the available dates.

It won't interfer with either GP2 or F1, given the time difference. It'll likely see it cut into the build up hoo har of the Indy, rather than the race, saying that if I'm to believe what I read on these boards, barely anyone knows or cares about A1 in N/A anyway, so it wouldn't make any noticable difference if the race was run on a 'dead' race weekend stateside.


It's fine for Europe's open wheel fans, it runs perfectly, live GP2, live F1, Live A1, Live 500 & if so inclined a late night session for live 600.

Pretty cushty couch Sunday actually

The best every year.

Well the date & time will mean that nobody will be watching it or be able to watch it.

In the UK for instance Sky Sports will be showing the Indy 500 & then Coke 600 Live so won't be able to show A1GP untill the next day.

A1GP doesn't have the best TV figures to begin with & running on this date pretty much ensures a non existant TV viewing figures.