Grapevine: A1GP could be resurrected

A leading figure from the series, which collapsed ahead of its fifth season in 2009, claims to have put together a package with a group of investors that will get the series back on track in 2011.

Currently, the Ferrari-engined cars used for its fourth and final season, along with the Intellectual Property and around a dozen of the Lolas used in seasons one to three, are in the hands of a pair of administrators acting on behalf of the creditors, who between them are owed around $200million.

The main creditor is former series boss Tony Teixeira, but the South African is not involved in the rescue package.

Should the rescue package go ahead, AUTOSPORT understands around 10 of the previous countries would make up the grid of 18 cars, but none of the old franchise holders would be involved.

Also, rather than the series propping up the teams financially, which ultimately brought about its collapse, it would be run to a GP2-style model, where the teams are responsible for finding their own funding and A1GP operates as a spare-parts business.

A 2011/12 calendar of 10 races (four pre-Christmas) would visit many of the previous venues.