A1GP to use Ferraris
We reported last month that sporting director Stefano Domenicali was spotted at an A1 test at Silverstone, sparking rumors that the Italian marque might want to get involved in the series.
The contracts of current chassis and engine suppliers Lola and Zytek are up for renewal at the end of the current season.
It is also rumored that Ferrari's talks with A1 organizer Tony Teixeira, a South African businessman, could involve an arrangement to buy into Faenza based Toro Rosso to create a Ferrari satellite team in F1.
Asked about the Ferrari-A1 reports, Reuters quoted a Ferrari spokesman as saying: "We are in talks with them."
10/01/07 Here is a photo of the Ferrari pace car A1GP is using. The A1GP may have made a smart move tacking the popular Ferrari name onto their series by using their race cars and made by Ferrari. That name carries worldwide recognition as compared to Panoz (chassis) and Cosworth (engine) that Champ Car uses. Champ Car is struggling for worldwide name recognition and one reason is because it has no big car manufacturer associated with its series in any way, shape, or form. With Champ Car's goals to go more global, the battle for F1's crumbs between Champ Car and A1GP will be interesting. It's too bad really that the two series were not one. Then they might be able to make an impact.
09/30/07 This rumor, first broke by AutoRacing1.com, is upgraded to 'strong' today. In an interview with Tony Teixeira this morning on Dutch RTL TV, he said they (A1GP) are talking to 4 -5 different racing car manufacturers, but also after just having said that, he emphasized it's very likely Ferrari is going to brand around 50 single seater 'customer' cars (each race team representing a country has two cars) for the A1GP organization in a 9 year deal. The Maranello (Italy) based Formula 1 racing team will 'supply' the A1GP organization with both chassis and engines in this sensational multiyear deal!
Yesterday at Zandvoort, venue of the first A1GP race this year, there were also rumors Ferrari will outsource the manufacturing of the chassis to either Dallara or Tatuus, both Italian racecar manufacturers.
It looks like we will have to take A1GP, and the people behind it, a little bit more serious then anticipated at first three years ago …. At Zandvoort this weekend A1GP is already using a Ferrari 430 Scuderia safety car.
09/28/07 According to AutoRacing1.com sources the A1GP series will switch to chassis manufactured by the Ferrari F1 team starting in 2008. We await the official announcement.