14/08/2007
NEWS STORY
A1 Team Great Britain is preparing for a renewed assault on the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport as the team enters its third season battling for the prestigious title in an 11-race calendar spanning the globe. Having finished third overall in its two previous campaigns A1 Team Great Britain has retained the services of drivers Robbie Kerr and Oliver Jarvis, and has made some changes to its operational and commercial management ahead of the new season.
After 2 years, John Surtees MBE steps down as Team Principal to concentrate on other businesses and interests, including his son Henry's progressing racing career. (Henry currently sits fourth in the Formula BMW UK Championship). Former Formula 1 World Champion Surtees is still the only man to ever have won World Championships on both 2 and 4 wheels, and his enthusiasm for the sport continues, particularly with regards to the development of young British drivers. John provided A1 Team GBR with the all-important motorsport knowledge and expertise to put in place the infrastructure which helped A1 Team Great Britain take third in the first two A1GP seasons and develop into a Championship-contending race team.
Twelve months ago A1 Team GBR opted to build a race team in-house rather than contract an existing motorsport operation. Team Manager, Paul Bellringer will once again head up the race-winning line-up while specific details of the engineering team are yet to be announced.
On the commercial side of the team, sports marketing agency Eden Rock Sports has been appointed as A1 Team Great Britain's Marketing and Public Relations consultancy. The Oxfordshire based company will concentrate on raising the team's profile and generating commercial sponsorship for the national entry in The World Cup of Motorsport.
British Seatholder Tony Clements stated: "We are extremely thankful to John for providing not only his expertise in the early years of A1GP, but also for his passion for the series and recognizing the opportunities available for British racing talents. We wish him well with his future ventures and look forward to welcoming John and his family to an A1GP event in the near future".
"I would also like to welcome Eden Rock Sports to the A1 Team GBR family in the capacity of Marketing and Public Relations consultants. We look forward to developing relationships with new sponsors and continuing to promote A1 Team GBR globally. A1 Team GBR offers one of the best international sports marketing opportunities for British businesses, and one that has already been proven a winner."
With Robbie Kerr and Oliver Jarvis already announced prior to the 2006-07 A1GP season finale at Brands Hatch, where A1 Team GBR made history by becoming the first and only nation to win a race on home soil, the team will soon reveal the identity of a new rookie driver to participate in the Friday Sessions.