Here’s an intriguing story from the Formula One site OneStopStrategy.com. It reports that David Coulthard and Giancarlo Fisichella could be among four “members of the F1 fraternity” contemplating getting involved with A1GP.
Here’s a short excerpt:
Coulthard, Fisi, eyeing A1 team ownership?
Although refusing to confirm whether David Coulthard and Giancarlo Fisichella are contemplating getting behind Scottish and Italian outfits respectively, the South African [A1 GP promoter Tony Teixeira] said he would “welcome” their involvement.
The Daily Express newspaper reports that both veteran grand prix drivers are “examining the business profile” of A1’s forthcoming season, which from next year will boast Ferrari-made and powered cars. Read full story here…
Now, this is far from improbable given that Fisi’s already a successful team owner, backing the Fisichella Motor Sport International GP2 and Formula BMW team. Coincidentally, this team has just parted company with a prominent Spanish driver and called in Adam Carroll of A1 Team Ireland fame to fill in for a couple of races.
And it’s not hard to imagine that Coulthard may be planning his post-F1 future. But there are problems with this idea too.
For a start there is a reasonably successful outfit racing as A1 Team GB, sporting a lovely Union Flag design on the car (see masthead, above), which would require quite a drastic paint job if rebranding to Team England is required.
And, er, there’s already a Team Italy, albeit not the most successful racers ever to put rubber to tarmac (they came away 18th, with 12 points, after this season).
It’s run by former racing driver and F3 team owner Piercarlo Ghinzani, and has been going since 2005. Edoardo Piscopo, a frighteningly young-looking former Red Bull Racing junior, has recently driven for them.
To us it sounds like Tony Teixeira’s considerable talent for generating publicity is what’s actually at work here. But this is definitely going to be a fascinating one to watch…