With the first race of the second season already a sell-out, in the nicest possible sense, A1 GP has announced its provisional schedule for 2006/2007.

There are some out there who believed, indeed hoped, A1 GP wouldn't make it onto the grid in the first place, and despite the packed grandstands at Brands Hatch, took every subsequent opportunity to declare the concept as doomed.

However, despite a few hiccoughs, A1 is not only looking ahead to year two, but year three and beyond.

Providing the right venues can be found in America and Mexico, and a few more Is get dotted and Ts crossed, the second season will consist of 13 races, including two in China, and one in New Zealand.

Having kicked off the first season, Brands Hatch will bring the second season to a close - and hopefully the championship will go all the way down to the wire. However, whereas the first season ended in early April, the second season almost stretches into May. How come?

"Talking to (Brands Hatch boss) Jonathan Palmer, we came to the decision that it would be good to put Brands Hatch at the end, because it had been such a good race at the start of the first season," A1 Chief Operating Officer David Clare told Pitpass. "Looking at the various calendars, we decided that it would be good to make it the first major motorsport event of the year in the UK.

"It meant we had to shift Shanghai back a couple of weeks, though we realise it could potentially be cold at that time of the year - we were lucky with the weather this year."

Everyone is trying to get into China these days, hoping to tap into the new prosperity of the 'tiger economy', A1 will host not one, but two races, in this rapidly developing country.

"China is a significant market," says Clare, "and the rivalry between Shanghai and Beijing is intense. They are 1,400 kms apart, so they're in a completely different market, with a different profile. The opportunity to hold races in the two most important cities in China was too good.

"Because we have a national team in China's colours we got support from the Federation and Ministry of Sport," he adds, "they're very keen to support A1.

The Beijing venue has yet to be announced, though Clare says this should be confirmed in "two or three weeks".

"We expect to firm up the whole calendar in the next six weeks," he says. "What we want to do is ensure that everything is 'cast in stone'.

"We're trying to build a calendar that will have a natural flow, not just from the perspective of logistics, but also weather and all the other factors that have to be taken into consideration. With a winter series, there are far more influences, such as lunar calendars and religious festivals. We have to think about Ramadan, Christmas and Easter, they are all major factors."

It's noticeable that France is not on the calendar, despite the fact that the French team won the inaugural series.