A1GP still doesn't seem to have found itself properly, in my view. John Surtees stated that it was an opportunity for younger or underfunded drivers to shine, but the GBR team certainly haven't taken that attitude in other than words ... some countries seem to have taken the view that A1GP is a chance for the younger or underfunded drivers, others have (allegedly) chosen pay drivers (Itlay is being cited) and yet others are picking experienced drivers to try and win for their country (GBR, Malaysia, Nederlands - (until now! - good for them), Australia - etc...)
It's so difficult with the fact that the teams/engineers are so important, and they need have nothing to do with the countries. Who's good - the young drivers, the good teams, the ex-F1/IRL drivers?
It still confuses me. Great fun, loads of absurd incidents, great idea in the abstract, but as an overall concept, it;s still confusing to me.
Talking GBR, I hope they give Oliver Jarvis a crack at it. John Surtees talked the right talk about young drivers last year, but didn't follow through. In the kindest possible way, they did Alex Lloyd no favours at all last year, giving Robbie Kerr all the time in the seat, except for one paltry test drive at Paul Ricard. Now they're talking about alternating between Robbie Kerr (who they are funding in Renault World Series) and the experienced Darren Manning, really good driver (and who will need a car set up very differently to Robbie, I prophesy) but take on Oliver - a proven good driver - as the "Friday tester".
I just hope Oliver doesn't get the same
treatment as Alex did, and he can genuinely get a few chances to show his abilities. Otherwise it will just turn into yet another championship where money (in this case the backers' money) talks louder than opportunity or ability for the younger drivers.
You look at GP2 or whatever ... sure it;s only the well-heeled that can race in these championships, but at least it;s the well-heeled up-and-coming drivers, not the has-beens. A1GP seems to fall in no one category, and as such may fail. The "country" tag is diluted by having teams without country affliliations, and drivers who are the young hopefuls or the experienced pros, or the once-were.
Whatever, it's amusing to watch, and I enjoyed it hugely!