BRATT POISED FOR FIRST CROWN

ASPIRING F1 rising star Will Bratt heads into the final of the Euroseries 3000 Championship at Monza today within touching distance of winning the title and the coveted prize of a funded drive in the upcoming Asia GP2 Series.

The 21-year-old Oxford University graduate, who lives in Banbury, has already tested GP2 machinery on three occasions, impressing team managers throughout the paddock. The former Formula 3 and Formula Renault driver now aims to break into the F1 support category by claiming his first international car racing crown this weekend.

Winning three races and achieving four other podium finishes against some of the quickest drivers in Europe, Bratt has had an impressive season with motorsport insiders tipping the young Brit as one to watch.

"Everything is up for grabs this weekend", said Will speaking exclusively to Vroom, "It all boils down to the final two races and although I've never been to Monza before, I've been in that position at most of the tracks we've visited this season and yet we've managed to be on the podium seven times from 11 starts.

"Formula One is obviously the goal and if I can win the championship this weekend then I'll be in the GP2 Asia Series at the end of the month. Whatever happens here at Monza though, we're working hard to secure the budget to allow me to step-up to the main GP2 championship in 2010 to show the F1 teams what I'm capable of."

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A1GP should be renamed AWOL - With less than a week before its first race and despite protests from bosses that it WILL go-ahead the dogged series looks unlikely to start its fifth season.

The 24-cars were due to be flown to Australia on Thursday, but at the time of going to press they remained locked up in a London warehouse and teams and employees were refusing to fly until the machines had landed.

Insiders are adamant that the cars will not arrive in Australia in time for next weekend's event and time is slipping away after organizers failed to provide assurances to the Australian government by Friday's deadline.

The much criticized series is believed to have hit further cash flow problems this week despite financial guarantees from A1GP boss Tony Teixeira. The Australian government has branded the series a 'disgrace' and a 'shambles' and have threaten legal action after A1GP officials refused to guarantee if the cars would arrive in time.

A former employee who worked alongside the beleaguered series said it would be a miracle if the cars competed on track next week: "It has become a joke. Forget all the race fans for one minute, what about people's livelihoods that are dependent on this series going ahead. Everybody is just in limbo. Teams, drivers, employees, sponsors - there are thousands of people who are sitting and waiting to see if these cars will make it.

"It is very sad to see. If I was a betting person I would say that this race isn't going to happen. Can you imagine staging an F1 event or WRC rally and everybody involved, including the organisers unsure about whether it will happen, what sort of message is that sending out?" they added.

"From a sponsorship point of view it just comes across as very unprofessional and I wouldn't expect any business to want to go near the series. Sponsorship is important, because if we didn't have sponsorship then none of these series, or any major sporting event would go ahead. I want it to happen for them but I think there is more chance of seeing Flavio Britatore walking hand-in-hand with Nelson Piquet than A1GP competing in Oz next weekend."

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FABRIZIO GIOVANARDI has rubbished rumours he has signed a contract with WTCC Chevrolet team BUT said it could be an option.

It is believed that the squad could run as many as five cars in the World Touring Car Championship next season and if that is the case the Italian is keeping his fingers crossed for a drive.

BTCC Champ Giovanardi, who has been left without a race-seat next season after Vauxhall pulled the plug, spoke exclusively to Vroom from his home in Italy: "Rumours, rumours there are always rumours! I have had talks with Chevrolet but nothing is confirmed or even about to be confirmed. I don't think they have decided yet what they are doing.

"For sure if they enter five teams next season then it would be great to get a drive and I am sure I will be in the frame, but nothing is in writing. I have been speaking with them, but like every driver at this time of the season I am speaking to all the teams and seeing what my options are," he added.

"I still sadly have no confirmed drive but I am confident that I will find something that is right. It has been a very strange year for motorsport in general this year, with teams, sponsors and manufacturers all pulling out, so the options are fewer than in previous years.

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LITTERBUGS at today's penultimate Brazilian GP will inadvertently be contributing to the podium prizes - which will be made entirely of RUBBISH collected over the race weekend!

Continuing with last year's theme, the trophies awarded to the top three finishers will be made entirely from recycled materials from 60 tons of trash collected at the Interlagos circuit.

The trophies, which will only be completed just three hours before they are presented, were designed by renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and will be blue and mounted on a wooden base.

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