A1GP SET TO RACE THROUGH UK STREETS ON AUGUST 13, 2006

Courtesy Nikki Rooke

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport will bring speed and excitement to the streets of Manchester, UK this summer as part of Sky Festival. In a UK-first, six elite A1GP cars and drivers will complete a 1.5km course, through the centre of Manchester from 2-3pm on Sunday 13 August – the third and final day of the three day free festival.

Members of the public will be able to take part in the A1GP action from special viewing areas as the cars roar through the city streets, reaching speeds of up to 70mph along sections of the course, which runs from Corporation Street, up to Albert Square, around Manchester’s Town Hall, along Deansgate, through St Mary’s Gate and back to the starting point in Corporation Street.

A dedicated interactive A1GP paddock, located in Exchange Square, will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday from 10am-8pm and on Sunday from 10am-12pm and 3.30pm-7pm, offering people the chance to get up close to the cars and drivers with a nine car display simulating a real-life race paddock. With interactive opportunities such as ‘wear the race suit’ and the tyre change challenge – members of the public will get a first hand experience of life as an A1GP driver and mechanic.

A1 Teams Australia, China, Great Britain, Ireland, Lebanon, and Malaysia will all run the specially designed road course on Sunday 13 August.