A1GP in Taupo on 20-21 Jan 07 (re: accommodation)

With the middle name of "Carman" I may be a little more excited about the A1 GP than the average person, but just in case there's someone else out there, here's a post for ya:

Accommodation is disappearing. I'm going, and had to search around for a place with rooms left.

I figured I may as well share my research ?:) .....so if you want to have a bed in Taupo to sleep in (rather than finding a place in the bush) call these guys:

Tiki Lodge
07 377 4545

And if you REALLY REALLY want to go but can't find a bed, I've got an extra one reserved, so PM me if you are in dire need. But Hawke's Bay, Rotorua, and Tauranga will also be the base for some fans.

Tickets go on sale later this week.




A little bit of history:

A1GP is the World Cup of Motorsport. Identical cars are raced against each other, but unlike F1 where it's manufacture based racing, in A1 it's all about competing for your country.

New Zealand pulled a rabbit out of the hat and managed to get on the schedule to host a race in 2007. The Taupo track wasn't expected to be finished until the 2008 season.

Team New Zealand drove Black Beauty to 4th place last season, and if early testing this season is any indication, they'll be on the podium this season.

Final standings from last season:

1 France
2 Switzerland
3 Great Britain
4 New Zealand
5 Malaysia
6 Brazil
7 the Netherlands
8 Ireland
9 Portugal
10 Mexico
11 Canada
12 ?Czech Republic
13 ?Australia (Haha!!)
14 ?Italy
15 ?Germany
16 ?USA (Doh.....not a surprise though)
17 ?South Africa
18 ?Indonesia
19 ?Austria
20 ?Pakistan
21 ?Japan
22 ?China
23 ?Lebanon
24 ?India
25 ?Russia

Competing nations (the black square indicates a race location....this was for the 2005-2006 season, so the NZ race isn't on there yet):