Soccer and Motor Racing to Join Forces

Europe's top soccer clubs could be set for a boost in revenue after a surprising new motor racing series was announced this week.

The series, to be known as Premier 1, scheduled to begin in 2002, will involve 24 cars that are covered in the colours of the top European soccer sides, racing over a twelve race season, with eleven races in Europe and one in South America. The clubs involved do not have to invest in the project, but the extra publicity they receive should increase their revenue significantly.

Four clubs are to be selected from England, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Holland's leagues, and are expected to include English clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea as well as European clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. The clubs have been chosen due to their success in their local leagues over the past six years.

Graham Kelly, a director of Premier 1 and former chief executive of the Football Association, said on Wednesday: "Nobody has turned us down. There is quite a lot of interest and things are looking pretty positive.

"Motor racing can bring to football an extension of the club's brand images and there is also potential for fresh revenue streams, which are important with the transfer market going up and up."

The new series would hold its races such that they wouldn't clash with Formula One races.

The series would need to be sanctioned by the FIA for it to take place. The FIA said yesterday that they had not received any formal approach from Premier 1 Grand Prix. However, Premier 1 may have had informal discussions with FIA president Max Mosley or Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone about the series.

"We have not received any concrete proposals," said a FIA spokesman. "Any proposal would have to go before the World Council before it could be given the green light."