The History of A1GP The World Cup of Motorsport

On 30 March 2004, A1 Grand Prix, a brand new concept in international motorsport was launched to the world’s press at the prestigious Jumeira Beach hotel in Dubai. Series’ founder Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum unveiled his vision for an exciting yet accessible sport where all countries would compete on a level playing field. From this spark, grew A1GP, a series with deliberately equalised technology and national teams, racing their country flag in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.

From March 2004 onwards, Sheikh Maktoum and his business partner, Tony Teixeira, set about building the team that would bring this exciting concept to reality. British firms Lola International and Zytek Engineering were appointed to develop the chassis and engine respectively, based on the initial drawings of Sheikh Maktoum himself while US company Cooper Tires was chosen as the official A1GP tyre supplier. By July of that year, the first generation of A1GP race cars was ready to be unveiled.

While Sheikh Maktoum focused on developing every strand of his initial vision, from the design of the cars, to the look and feel of the website, tickets, branding and overall consumer experience, Tony Teixeira set about attracting investors and potential team owners.

Over the following year, 25 national teams were developed representing countries as diverse in culture and economic prosperity as they were in their motorsport experience. Countries such as China and Lebanon would compete against the likes of the USA, Great Britain and France and with the launch of each team came the support of high profile sports stars and successful businessmen alongside world leaders and politicians.

After an intense testing programme, the final A1GP race car was built and August 2005 saw the newly formed A1 Teams take to the track for the first time. Throughout five days of testing at both the Silverstone Circuit in the UK and Paul Ricard HTTT in the South of France, the cars proved fast and reliable and an exciting spectacle was assured as the time had come for the first racing season to begin.

• Timeline •

30 Mar 2004	His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum unveiled the A1 Grand Prix concept in the glamorous Emirate of Dubai.
7 Jun 2004	A1 Grand Prix announced world renowned engine manufacturers Zytek Engineering were to produce the 3.4 litre V8 engine that would power the A1GP race car.
15 Jul 2004	Following extensive wind tunnel testing, the final design A1GP race car was shown in public for the first time at the Farnborough International Air Show in the UK.
25 Jul 2004	A1podium.com [now A1.GPgrid.com] was officially launched as the first independent dedicated website and forum for A1 Grand Prix [A1GP].
19 Aug 2004	Sky Sports, the UK’s leading broadcaster of motorsport, signed an exclusive deal to televise the Series, the first of 30 broadcast networks to back A1GP around the globe.
20 Aug 2004	One of the UK’s most experienced international racing drivers, former Formula One driver Ralph Firman signed up to test the A1GP race car. Firman went on to drive for A1 Team Ireland in the 2005/06 season.
27 Aug 2004	The A1GP race car completed 2,000 kilometres of successful hot and cold weather testing in both the UK and Spain.
27 Sep 2004	Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, from Findlay, Ohio, USA, through its Avon Tyres racing operation in Melksham, Wiltshire signed a three-year deal to supply A1GP with controlled slick and treaded wet tyres.
30 Sep 2004	China, Great Britain, Lebanon, Pakistan, Portugal and South Africa were named as the first six nations to sign up to the A1 Grand Prix series at the official launch of A1 Team Great Britain.
1 Nov 2004	Teams from Australia, Canada and Malaysia were announced as President Thabo Mbeki unveiled South Africa’s national car at the Team’s official launch. A subsequent meeting between the A1GP directors and Nelson Mandela confirmed the level of support the Series could aspire to.
25 Nov 2004	The A1GP race car ran at the Vallelunga track in Italy completing a three day test totalling 3,500 miles on the engine.
1 Dec 2004	President General Emile Lahoud was the second President to unveil his country’s A1 Grand Prix car at the A1 Team Lebanon launch in Beirut.
16 Dec 2004	A contract with Huntingdon based company Lola International initiated the production of 50 identical A1GP race cars, the largest single order in motor racing history.
28-29 Feb 2005	President General Pervez Musharraf attended the official launch of A1 Team Pakistan at the spectacular Lahore Fort as A1 Grand Prix made history, being the first to run a single seat race car in Pakistan.
14 Mar 2005	Footballer, Ronaldo, one of the world’s most famous international sporting stars, was named as seat holder for A1 Team Brazil at the official launch of A1 Team Mexico.
30 Mar 2005	Alan Jones, ex-F1 Champion and seat holder for A1 Team Australia unveiled their entry into the Series while close rival New Zealand was announced as the next country to sign up.
6 Apr 2005	1.3 billion people were added to A1 Grand Prix’s potential fan base with the launch of A1 Team China.
25 May 2005	A1 Grand Prix unveiled the provisional race calendar for its inaugural season, taking in a mix of established world-famous venues, exciting new state-of-the-art facilities and tight twisty street circuits.
30 May 2005	Co-seat holders for A1 Team Portugal, Real Madrid and Portugal International star Luis Figo and Manchester United Assistant Manager Carlos Queiroz became the first team in continental Europe to unveil their racing livery.
16 Jun 2005	International statesmen Nelson Mandela welcomed A1 Grand Prix representatives at his home in Cape Town, South Africa during a promotional tour of the country.
29 Jun 2005	Two-times F1 World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi joined three-times FIFA World Player of the Year, Ronaldo as co-seat holder for A1 Team Brazil at its official launch in São Paulo.
31 Jul 2005	Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh welcomed representatives of A1 Grand Prix at his New Delhi residence during the launch for A1 Team India. Teams from France, Switzerland and the USA were also announced.
3-4 Aug 2005	At 09.51 on 3 August 2005, Great Britain became the first A1 team to get their car on track as part of a 15 team test session at the historic Silverstone circuit.
15 Aug 2005	A1 Team Ireland joined the A1 Grand Prix series, taking the competitor list to 18 countries reaching every habitable continent on the planet.

24-26 Aug 2005	A1 Teams from Germany, Russia and Indonesia were announced as the Series embarked on its second team test session at the Paul Ricard HTTT in the South of France.
5 Sep 2005	Another ex-F1 driver, Jos Verstappen confirmed his place in the 2005/06 season, driving the bright orange A1 Team Netherlands’ car at their national launch.
10 Sep 2005	A1 Team Czech Republic signed up to the Series announcing Tomas Enge, Jarek Janis and Jan Charouz as drivers.
11 Sep 2005	Austria, Italy and Japan, three nations with a momentous heritage in motorsport completed the A1GP line up as they joined the Series in the week of its first race.
25 Sep 2005	The A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Brands Hatch, Great Britain was held, the first full racing event in A1GP’s history. A1 Team Brazil’s Nelson Piquet Jr took the double, winning both the Sprint and the Feature races.

4 Nov 2005	A1 Grand Prix makes its first long haul trip as the series heads to Sydney, Australia. Two 747s are used to transport tonnes of equipment from Estoril to Eastern Creek.
6 Nov 2005	A1 Grand Prix proved safety to be one of the most important factors in the build of its 3.4 litre V8-engined race cars. A1 Team Japan suffered a crash that totally destroyed the car but left the driver Hayanari Shimoda unhurt.
29 Jan 2006	A1 Grand Prix attracted its biggest crowd to date as over 100,000 people lined the streets of Durban for the series’ and the city’s first ever street race. With an electric atmosphere and excitement on the track, the race was voted best event of the 2005/06 calendar at the end of season award’s ceremony.
11 Feb 2006	President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially welcomed A1 Grand Prix to Indonesia at a Gala dinner attended by around 300 dignitaries. Representatives including drivers and seat holders from the 23 A1 Teams joined members of the A1 Grand Prix organisation for the evening hosted at the Jakarta Convention Centre.
13 Mar 2006	Despite failing to finish the Laguna Seca, USA Feature race, A1 Team France’s weekend performance was enough to guarantee an unbeatable lead making them the first world champions at the penultimate race of the season.
31 Mar 2006	The loyalty of the Dutch fans throughout the 2005/06 season was rewarded as A1 Grand Prix announced that Circuit Park Zandvoort would host the first race of its second season. Grandstand tickets sold out in a matter of days and additional seating had to be arranged.
2 Apr 2006	A1 Grand Prix held its first Gala Awards night honouring the success and achievements of the 2005/06 teams and drivers. Champion A1 Team France became the first team to officially be presented with the World Cup trophy.
25 May 2006	Attracted by the success of A1 Grand Prix’s first racing season, major London investors committed to providing full funding for the series, assuring a strong future for the first ever World Cup of Motorsport.
14 Jun 2006	A1 Grand Prix announced plans to change the sporting and technical regulations for the second season increasing the length of the Feature race, reducing the Sprint race and changing the overall points system.
1 Jul 2006	A1 Grand Prix underwent an official branding change and the series officially became known as A1GP World Cup of Motorsport to better convey its nation versus nation concept.
5 Jul 2006	A1 Grand Prix revealed its provisional calendar for the second season adding new races to the line-up which included the Beijing street race and an event at the newly upgraded Taupo Park in New Zealand.
13 Aug 2006	Around 25,000 people lined the streets of Manchester in the UK as six A1GP race cars roared around the city centre, reaching speeds of up to 70mph. A1 Teams Australia, China, Great Britain, Ireland, Lebanon and Malaysia thrilled the crowds along a purpose built 1.5km course as part of it’s broadcast partner’s Sky Festival.
30 – 31 Aug 2006	In a taste of things to come A1 Team Germany set the fastest lap time in A1GP’s official test session with a then unknown Nico Hulkenberg at the wheel. A1 Team Great Britain took second spot on the time sheet with Darren Manning in the car. Johnny Reid for A1 Team New Zealand secured the third quickest time.
29 Sep 2006	Satisfied with his motorsport creation, A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Founder and Chairman Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum released his stake in a multi million dollar transaction to permit a broadening of the institutional shareholder base ahead of a planned initial public offering.
31 Sep 2006	The official start of A1GP’s second racing season saw A1 Team Singapore join the line-up for the much anticipated Zandvoort race. A1 Team South Africa had its first race win in the Sprint while A1 Team Germany set the scene for the season winning the Feature race.
8 Oct 2006	A1 Team Malaysia took the first double win of the season at the A1GP Brno, Czech Republic.
12 Nov 2006	In a challenging weekend for all involved, A1GP overcame all the obstacles to become the first ever racing series to compete in the streets of China’s capital city, Beijing.
12 Nov 2006	A1GP announced the appointment of its new CEO, Pete da Silva. Da Silva joined A1GP from Siemens, South Africa.
6 Dec 2006	A1GP World Cup of Motorsport significantly expanded its global television reach, signing an exclusive broadcast deal with America’s SPEED channel and a terrestrial highlights package with Channel Five in the UK.
21 Jan 2007	A1 Team New Zealand made the best ever finish of any home team at the series’ first visit to Taupo. The event was a huge success and the enthusiastic crowd made it clear that drivers Jonny Reid and Matt Halliday were well supported.
4 Feb 2007	A1 Team China made its first ever step on the podium finishing third in the A1GP Sydney, Australia. Germany continued to show its dominance of the season taking its sixth consecutive victory.
25 Feb 2007	In an action-packed Durban street race, A1 Team Pakistan managed to stay on course, scoring their first point of the series despite being the last team to cross the finish line. Germany’s win made driver Nico Hulkenberg the most successful individual driver in A1GP history.
26 Mar 2007	Rookie Oliver Jarvis broke A1 Team Great Britain’s duck giving the team its maiden victory in the Mexico City Feature race. Despite finish third overall in the first season and sitting in third place again in the 2006/07, Great Britain had made it 39 races without a single win.
15 Apr 2007	A1 Team Germany’s third place finish in the Shanghai Feature race was enough to put them clear of New Zealand in the championship standings, making them the 2006/7 world champions.
29 Apr 2007	A1 Team Great Britain broke the home race curse, winning the Brands Hatch Sprint race at the 2006/07 season finale. Forty-two races into the series, Great Britain became the first team to win on home soil.
30 Apr 2007	Seven-times Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher honoured the success of his county in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, presenting A1 Team Germany with the World Cup trophy at the series’ end of season awards ceremony.
1 August 2007	A1GP revealed its calendar for the third season adding a new race in Zhuhai, China.
28 August 2007	A1GP revealed its THINK Greener Racing environmental policy at the Official Pre-Season Silverstone Test.
11 October 2007	A1GP announced a truly historic and ground breaking partnership between Ferrari and the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport to manufacture and supply all A1GP engines and will consult on the design and manufacture of A1GP car chassis for use in Season 4.
20 January 2008	The first truly International Racing Series to go ‘Green’ happened at the Taupo Round of A1GP in New Zealand and all 22 cars completed the weekend and two races without any problems or reduction in the racing spectacle.
14 April 2008	A1Team Korea announced joining A1GP in Season 4 in an official signing ceremony at the A1GP Shanghai, China.
4 May 2008	A1Team Switzerland clinched the 2007/08 Championship by finishing fourth in the Sprint race in final round at Brands Hatch.
8 June 2008	Season 4 schedule announced with three completely new events, Portugal and Indonesia joining season-opener in Italy, and will take place over 11 events.
7 July 2008	Testing of the new A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Powered by Ferrari car reached 3,500 kilometres, the equivalent of over half a season’s mileage, and Scuderia Ferrari test driver, Marc Gene, had his first taste of the car commenting “It’s an interesting car and I had a lot of fun”.
21 July 2008	Michelin become Official Tyre Supplier to A1GP for next 3 years.
22 July 2008	Mugello, Italy, saw the first public running of the new A1GP ‘powered by Ferrari’ car and launch of their new season four opening round at Ferrari’s track. This is the first time Ferrari has partnered with another series.
25 September 2008	A1Team Monaco announced their arrival for A1GP Season 4 with an unvailing ceremony in Monaco and closing some streets around Casino Square for a demonstration run.
5 October 2008	Following problems in constructing new chassis for all 23 teams the opening round at Mugello, Italy, was cancelled and Zandvoort, The Netherlands, promoted to open the new season on 5th October. Working against the clock only 17 teams could take part in the opener with all teams planning to be at round two Chengdu, China.

9 November 2008	Following problems in getting all teams to the grid at Zandvoort there were a total of 20 at Chengdu, China, with the announcement that A1Teams Pakistan and Germany would be joining the others at Taupo, New Zealand, the first race of 2009.
18 January 2009	A1GP was forced to accept round five, which was due to take place on 6-8 February 2009 at Lippo Village, Indonesia, can no longer go ahead. Following notification from the FIA that certain aspects of the track construction project had failed to meet the requisite completion deadlines. As a result, the FIA was not able to issue the necessary circuit licence.
25 January 2009	The anticipated arrival of A1Teams Germany and Pakistan at Taupo, NZL, was postponed until the next round at South Africa. Also A1Team Korea missed the Taupo round.
20 February 2009	A1Team Germany finally returns for Round 5 at Kyalami, South Africa.
1 May 2009	A1Team Pakistan have missed the whole of Season 4. Also A1Team Korea have not returned. The planned final Round 8 in Mexico City, Mexico, was cancelled due to the outbreak of ‘Swine’ flu in the area and public events being cancelled.
3 May 2009	A1Team Ireland win the A1GP Season 4 Championship, with Ireland winning both the Sprint and Feature races at Brands Hatch, UK. Second in the Championship was Switzerland with Portugal third.

A1GP History Part 2