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No A1 GP Entry for Coloni

Coloni Motorsport will concentrate in 2006 on their GP2 team and homegrown series, Italian Formula 3000, after deciding against joining the nascent A1 Grand Prix series

Team principal Paolo Coloni says he has pulled out of negotiations with A1 GP organisers over the weekend, after realising that running in three different series would stretch his team too far, particularly with so little time before the start of the season.

"Really it was too much," Coloni exclusively revealed to Autosport-Atlas. "We have a huge programme next year, with GP2 and the Italian Formula 3000 series, and I think we must concentrate on them."

Coloni Motorsport were one of the first teams to join the inaugural GP2 season at the end of last year, and also organise the low cost Formula 3000 series, which is run on circuits across southern Europe.

"GP2 is a very difficult series, and we are in the process of committing a lot more resources to make sure that we can fight for the title next year - we are a racing team, and we are doing everything we need to do to be at the front in 2006.

"With respect to Formula 3000, the series is going to be given a big boost next year - I cannot reveal what is happening at the moment but we are in negotiations now, and I believe it will become one of the major series in Europe.

"I have always said that I want to be able to give the best drivers a chance to move up with the series and our team - you can see that already with Toni Vilander. The changes we are making will make that even easier, for GP2 and beyond."

It is believed that Coloni will formalize plans to give the Formula 3000 winner the chance to compete with the team in GP2 for the following season, allowing the driver to race and promote himself in front of the entire Formula One grid.

As a result of Coloni pulling out of negotiations with A1 GP, Team Ghinzani are likely to run Team Italia in the series, which debuts next weekend at the Brands Hatch circuit.

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