Epic Fail: the short-lived A1 Grand Prix

They call it “The World Cup of Cars”. Drivers competing on behalf of their home nations in identical – albeit patriotically liveried – machinery, the winning team at the end of the season officially crowned Fastest Nation State of All. In fairness, there have been worse motorsport ideas. For example, ‘Taki Inoue’.

And like any self respecting modern World Cup, A1GP was sloshing with Gulf state oil money. Conceived and initially bankrolled by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum of Dubai, things began promisingly: no fewer than 25 countries signed up for the opening 2005–06 series, with drivers including Nelson Piquet Jr, Adrian Sutil, Karun Chandhok and Will Power. A reported six million viewers tuned in to watch the season opener live.

But within a couple of years, things started to unravel. Some blamed the scheduling – unlike most motorsport series, A1GP’s season ran over the northern hemisphere winter, and hey, what madman would schedule a World Cup in December?

A1GP’s financial situation morphed from ‘wobbly’ to ‘entirely disintegrated’

Rather more blamed motorsport’s eternal nemesis: money. With its founding sheikh departed and the global financial crisis beginning to bite, A1GP’s financial situation morphed from ‘wobbly’ to ‘entirely disintegrated’, the series collapsing in 2009 with just four seasons complete.

Surely the real issue with A1GP, however, was that it was a global, open wheel, no contact(ish) motorsport. And the world already had one of those, in the robust shape of Formula One.

Because here’s what A1GP should have been: a budget banger racing series. World class drivers defending the pride of their nations in identical(ish) tintop bangers, full contact permitted, last driver standing claims global dominance? Don’t tell us you’re not tuning in for that.