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A1 Team India will race at Indonesia: A1 GP chief

Source:PTI
February 09, 2006 01:27 IST

A1 Grand Prix on Wednesday confirmed that Team India would be participating in the Indonesian race coming weekend.

"A1 Team India will be competing in Indonesia," A1 GP General Manager Stephen Watson told PTI from Johannesburg.

Recent media reports had speculated that all was not well with Team India and its further participation in the season was in doubt.

Meanwhile, echelons of Team India today said they were looking at the possibility of fielding a "fresh team" at the Indonesia.

"The team will definitely be there. There is a possibility that there might be a fresh team but the team will be there," Anil Kapoor, Executive Director of A1 Team India told PTI over phone.

"We are looking at options for drivers, the terms and conditions and certain other issues with the parent A1 team. We want Karun (Chandhok)," the Bollywood actor added.

It is learnt that the promoters approached Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan to come on board but the Indian ace rejected the offer.

A1 Grand Prix is in its inaugural year where nations, instead of car manufacturing teams as in Formula One, compete against each other.

Asked if the A1 GP was happy with the performance of Team India on and off the circuit, Watson said, "The Indian team's results are there for everyone to see. We have no reason to be disillusioned with the team."

Meanwhile, A1 India team manager Akbar Ebrahim lashed out at suggestions that he had made it a "father-son show" with his ward Armaan Ebrahim occupying the driver's seat in most of the races.

"The decision as to who should race is made by the promoters, they are paying both the drivers. Atul Gupta (based in South Africa) decided in Germany that Armaan should race in the following race at Portugal," Ebrahim told PTI.

"And seeing his performance at Portugal where he finished 13th, he was asked to continue. And then he did well in Australia and then Malaysia also, where he was 11th.

"No corporate is a fool to let a father have fun with his son when it comes to business.
Source: PTI
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