SEPTEMBER 20, 2006

A1 expands with Greece and Singapore

The A1 Grand Prix Series kicks off at Zandvoort in Holland on October 1, with a second race planned a week later at Brno in the Czech Republic. The series has had some changes over the winter with the withdrawal of the Austrian, Japanese, Portuguese and Russian teams but has signed by Greece, Turkey and Singapore as replacements. The Greeks have yet to name its drivers but are expected to use locals Stelios Nousias, Takis Kaitatzis, Vasilis Papafilippou and Nikos Zahos.

The Singapore effort was launched by the country's Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and will run Denis Lian and Hafiz Koh. Balakrishnan said that the entry would put Singapore on the motor racing map and confirmed that the government was looking at running a street racee for Formula 1 cars but that this is still in the early stages of planning.

There are now 24 countries signed up for the A1 Series this winter.