Possible nightrace in A1GP season 2

Published on 06 April 2006 by Thorsten Hendriks

It looks like A1GP will be innovative in their second season. Sheikh Maktoum has announced that in next season at one nightrace will take place. They are looking into the feasability of such an event. Last season there were runours that Malaysia could be a nightrace but that was a idea too ambitious for this starting championship. Introducing nightraces will make these series even more interesting, according to Sheikh Maktoum.

The location could possibly be a warm country like Indonesia, Dubai or Malaysia where the evening temperature is bearable. "We definately have a nightrace planned for next year" according to Maktoum "we don't need a lot of light. One of the three countries will be eligible for a nightrace. The temperatue is a lot nicer there and it will be great to see the brake disks glow."

Sheikh Maktoum won't say much about last years' discussions concerning nightraces. "With my first attempt I was told it would cost about 5 million dollars. Do I look like a dumbass? Then I was told it should have said half a million dollars. Oops one zero too many, how is that possible?"
The people involved have entered the negotiations with a different mindset that is for sure.

Nightraces are quite common in other motorsports. In the US they have the IRL and NASCAR with nightraces. The last 'single seater' nightrace which was not on an oval was a ChampCar race in 2003 in Cleveland

Thorsten Hendriks