2008-09 A1 Grand Prix season

current sport


event = motorsports season

Rule Changes

A number of rules were changed for the 2008-09 season.cite web|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41852|title=Rule changes for new season|accessdate=2008-08-11|author=a1gp.com]
*The four qualifying sessions were reduced in length from fifteen minutes to ten minutes each.
*The Sprint Race has been increased from 19 minutes plus one lap, to 24 minutes plus one lap, as well as a mandatory pit-stop being added between laps four and eight.
*The Sprint Race now only scores the top eight positions: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
*Only the best 9 race weekends will count towards the championship. Both the Sprint and Feature race points from one event will be dropped by teams that race all 10 events. This is to ensure that teams that will miss Zandvoort due to the lack of cars, will still have a fair chance at the title. [cite news|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41949|title=New points system for 2008/09|publisher=a1gp.com|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]

An update to the sporting regulations means that technical details of the fastest lap in any session (practice or qualifying) will be made available to all teams after the session ends.cite web|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41879|title=The truth will out|accessdate=2008-08-20|author=a1gp.com] This is to allow slower or weaker teams to learn how they can improve their own lap times, making the "field spread" that much smaller.

Several detailed changes to the Friday "rookie sessions" were released on September 1 2008: [cite news|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41942|title=Fortune Rookies|publisher=a1gp.com|date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-01]
*The age limit for rookie drivers (driver had to be younger than 25), has been abolished.
*Drivers who have competed in Formula 1, GP2, DTM, Champ Car, IRL, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series or Formula Nippon cannot participate in the rookie session.
*Total track time is increased from 50 minutes to an hour.
*The gap between the two half sessions is increased from 10 to 20 minutes.

Season calendar

The season will start at the Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands on October 5, 2008.

Further timetable details were announced on June 9, 2008. [cite news |url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=39734 |title=2008/09 schedule announced |accessdate=2008-06-09 |date=2008-06-08 |publisher=a1gp.com]

On 21 August 2008, the Italy race at Mugello was moved back following a delay in the build schedule of the new chassis, and Zandvoort was named as the first race of the season. [cite news|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41882|title=A1GP delays start of Season Four |accessdate=2008-08-21|date=2008-08-21|publisher=a1gp.com] A replacement date has yet to be announced. [http://www.a1gp.com/Circuit/circuitInfo.aspx]

Further timetable changes were announced on August 26 2008. The Chinese round was confirmed to be held at Chengdu Goldenport Circuit, and swapped places in the calendar with the Indonesian round at Jakarta.cite news|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41897|title=Chengdu race announced |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=2008-08-26|publisher=a1gp.com] Subsequent to that, the Indonesian race has been moved back further, to 8 February. [cite news|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41897|title=Chengdu race announced |accessdate=2008-09-09|date=2008-08-26|publisher=a1gp.com]

On September 9 2008, Brands Hatch was confirmed as hosting the race in Great Britain at the end of the season. It was also announced that as a replacement date for the Mugello race could not be found, the race was removed from the season's schedule.cite news|url=http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41979|title=The battle of the Brands|accessdate=2008-09-09|date=2008-09-08|publisher=a1gp.com]

References

External links

* [http://www.a1gp.com/ A1GP official web-site]