The Auto GP Series this week cancelled its championship opener at Marrakech, citing a “difficult political situation” in Northern African region.
Despite this the FIA World Touring Car Championship races, which headline the Marrakech weekend, are still going ahead, as are the WTCC’s other support categories.
The new Auto GP opening round is set to take place at the Hungaroring, just outside Budapest over the opening weekend in May.
Auto GP has been struggling for entrants in recent seasons, and swallowed up the failed Formula Acceleration 1 category at the end of last year, but with the Morocco round less than the two weeks away, the series had only signed up ten competitors {note 1}.
Meanwhile series boss Enzo Coloni was keen to press home his reasons for the cancellation. “We were forced to opt out of the round scheduled for the 19th of April in Morocco,” said Coloni. “We did everything we possibly could to line-up at Marrakech but, in an effort to protect our teams and drivers, we decided to postpone the beginning of the season to Budapest.”
Coloni added, “In the years spent in Morocco we always felt at home and we will definitely miss the warmth of the crowds there. We hope to be back next year”.
While all that was developing, Coloni’s son Paolo announced the debut of Paolo Coloni Racing, which the team hope will eventually field three cars.
{note 1}
Last year’s Auto GP Series ended with only ten drivers at the final round at Estoril, while the Formula Acceleration 1 championship only managed five of its originally planned nine.
