This weekend the 2008-09 A1GP Championship kicks off on the Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands. A1GP is an innovative concept on the international motorsport scene as it is the only championship in the world that pits national teams against one another. The World Cup of Motorsport was launched in 2005 with teams represent strong and well-known nations as well as countries, which, until then, never had the opportunity of competing in top-level motorsport. Two new teams, Monaco and South Korea, will join the field this year and their entry highlights the growing success of A1GP throughout the world.

The World Cup of Motorsport is a single-make formula. All countries have the same car, a high technology single-seater designed specifically for A1GP. Its technical characteristics, like the sporting regulations that structure the race weekends, favour plenty of overtaking and non-stop on-track action. This season A1GP is underscoring its technological credibility with a completely new car. It will be powered by a V8 Ferrari engine produced and assembled specially for A1GP by the Italian manufacturer, while its new chassis has been penned by Maranello engineers. These include Rory Brown, the chief designer of the Ferraris that won multiple F1 world championships in the hands of Michael Schumacher. For the first time A1GP cars will use Michelin tyres.

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport will take place on the most beautiful natural and city circuits over 10 weekends according to an ever more attractive format, which was modified during the winter to intensify the action. Supporters, commercial partners and media have already given this unique championship their full support, and it is now followed by more than 300 million TV viewers throughout the world on a yearly basis.

National pride, fairplay, adrenaline and sporting challenge are the key words of the fourth A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. On your marks!

Since the creation of the World Cup of Motorsport A1 Team France has always been among the front-runners in the chase for the title. The “Bleus” were the first to win the inaugural A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Championship in 2005-2006. Today, A1 Team France is back for revenge and motivated by a single aim - reconquering the no.1 spot on the world scene. This year, Loic Duval, Nicolas Prost and Guillaume Moreau will defend the team’s colours.