Stick a fork in A1GP, they’re done

UPDATE #3 A London court has cleared the way for the sale of the A1GP single-seater racing series. The High Court ruled last week that the administrators of A1GP Operations, the company which ran the one-make series, had "better title" to the assets than A1GP boss Tony Teixeira's holding company. Administrator Tim Bramston explained that he is now able to proceed with the sale, which will include the 25 Ferrari-powered A1GP cars used in the final year of the series in 2008-09.

Bramston said that he wants to sell A1GP as a whole to secure "the best price" for the creditors of the operations company.

"People have expressed interest in the past," he said, "but I would like there to be a proper marketing process and can't comment further."

Asked whether Teixeira will be able to bid for the assets, Bramston stated only that they will go to the highest bidder. Teixeira has repeatedly stated that he intends to relaunch the series, most likely with a one-off race early this year before a full season over the winter of 2010-11. AutoWeek

01/27/10 Tony Teixeira's self-styled "World Cup of Motorsport" has had to cancel the opening three races of the current season due to problems stemming from its British operating arm going into liquidation. The final Dutch A1 round scheduled for Assen in May has also been axed.

The A1 boss said last September that he had secured long-term funding after a financial restructuring. However, insiders expect the remaining five rounds to be cancelled before an attempt to re-launch the series later in the year.

01/06/10 The A1GP website is now out of service, another indication the series is done.

11/08/09 The A1 GP events scheduled for China and Malaysia have been formally canceled, following the cancellation of the Australia race that was supposed to open the season.

Moreover, all of A1 GP's hardware has been placed in storage because of the expiration of the lease on the organization's base at the Silverstone circuit in England. While A1 GP principal Tony Teixeira is still trying to restructure the holding company, an appointed administrator is attempting to find a buyer for the fleet of A1 GP single-seaters and the intellectual-property rights to the series. But its future is looking increasingly bleak. AutoWeek

[Editor's Note: It is also understood that that A1GP's administrator is hoping to sell the entire fleet of cars to an organizer perhaps keen to continue the series, but the machines will have to be modified to meet the FIA's latest head-restraint and side-impact regulations. A1GP's equipment has meanwhile been put into storage after the lease on its UK premises expired last week and several key A1GP personnel have left the organization. Stick a fork in A1GP, they're done]