Formula One news

A1 GP boss wanted A1 team in Formula One

A1 GP chairman Tony Teixeira has admitted he was close to buy a Formula 1 team last year. Teixeira said he planned an A1 team in Formula 1 where the winners from the A1 GP series would race in F1. But as customer teams were banned the plans were scrapped for Teixeira.

"We wanted an A1 team in F1 where our winners from the A1 GP series would go and race in F1," Teixeira explained to Reuters. "The reason for that has always been that every kid's aspiration ultimately is to end up in F1.

"We wanted to be running at the top, and that means top 10. The only way we were going to achieve that was with the customer cars. In other words, we were going to be the Ferrari B team and that's why I was willing to buy Toro Rosso.

"Initially it was Spyker, because I already had a deal with Ferrari and that was the biggest thing that attracted me. I then made way for Vijay to buy Spyker because (F1 supremo) Bernie (Ecclestone) needed India and I said 'Fine, I'll make way and look more favourably at Toro Rosso', which had a similar agreement (with Ferrari)," continued the South African businessman.

"I sat with Toro Rosso and when we were close to a deal, F1 changed the rules: No customer cars. When they changed the rules, I was through. As you know, Prodrive walked away. That was going to be the McLaren B team. It was going to be Red Bull running with Renault, Williams with Toyota and Aguri with Honda. That makes sense to us because there was no way we could go and develop our own chassis and be competitive.

"I don't profess to have that kind of money and even if I did I wouldn't put it into F1, it would be madness. All we were looking to do was promote A1 through F1, because we still believe F1 is the biggest promoting machine available."

From 2009 the A1 GP series will be racing with Ferrari cars and engines.

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