Big names needed to bring in the fans
FIA President Max Mosley says Sheikh Maktoum`s A1 Grand Prix open wheeler concept will not succeed because it lacks true star drivers.
Mosley likened the so-called `world cup of motor sport` to the FIA`s Group C sports car championship of the 80s - an interesting racing concept that ultimately failed.
"Something like A1 only works if the biggest and most famous names are on board - and that is not the case."

Even the involvement of legendary F1 faces like John Surtees, and world champions like Alan Jones and Emerson Fittipaldi, is not helping A1 to truly compete with Formula One, according to Mosley.

Contrasting A1 with Group C, he said: "We had all the big marques - Mercedes, Jaguar, Toyota, Peugeot - but only a handful of spectators at the races. The fans were not really interested in the technology or the teams; they wanted to see (drivers Alain) Prost and (Ayrton) Senna."

"It is something the F1 teams forget even today."

Tags: grand-prix,