Racing for a solution

The new A1 Grand Prix series, launched at the Autosport International show, borrows from other series to address motorsports' financial and safety concerns.

Top-level motorsports in all types of categories all over the world are struggling with the very same issues: containment of escalating costs and speed. The problem is that going slower is anathema to racers and teams, even though going faster is bankrupting participants, and higher speeds endanger both competitors and spectators.

Jaguar's withdrawal from Formula One (F1) and General Motors' retreat from the Indy Racing League are recent examples of how racing can be too expensive even for multinational corporations. The problem is that the whole paradigm of racing contributes to these issues.