A1 Team Germany has revealed its plans for this season, including its new drivers and management.

The team, which will return to the grid from Taupo will have Andre Lotterer and Michael Ammermuller as its two main drivers. Rolf Beisswanger will head up the team as its team principal.

Ammermuller needs no introduction, having won for Germany in Zhuhai last season, and Lotterer is a former F1 tester who has recently been racing successfully in Japan in Formula Nippon and Super GT Series.

Beisswanger has worked in sports management for more than a decade and has experience in F1, IndyCar, DTM and A1GP. The 40-year-old ex-Siemens manager from Munich will take up the post with immediate effect getting Germany ready for its return in January.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us,” said Beisswanger. “A1 Team Germany has already won the World Cup of Motorsport once, however the competition keeps getting stronger so we do not underestimate the challenges ahead.

“We are going to use the remainder of the season to learn about the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car, get prepared with new partners and sponsors, and look forward to next season and beyond. We will use the time before Taupo to work towards being competitive and prepared right from the start.”

Commenting on Beisswanger taking over the running of the A1 Team Germany, A1GP CEO Pete da Silva said: “We thank Willi [Weber] for his support over A1GP’s first three seasons as the team's seat holder, during which his roster of young German drivers has made a huge impression and obviously helped the team become the 2006/07 champion.

“We now look forward to the new era of A1 Team Germany building on this success and going from strength to strength.”

google maps images are sometimes 3 years old, so I wouldn't write much into that at all.

Not sure if it's been said yet but Autosport magazine says that China will host 2 races per season for the next 5 seasons.

google maps images are sometimes 3 years old, so I wouldn't write much into that at all.

Germany to rejoin series at Taupo

By Steven English, Wednesday, November 19th 2008, 11:58 GMT

Former champions Team Germany have confirmed that they will return to the A1GP series from the New Zealand event in the new year.

Previous seat holder Willi Weber has left the operation to be replaced by Rolf Beisswanger, and Michael Ammermuller will return to the team this season, alongside former Jaguar Formula One test driver and more recently Japanese Formula Nippon racer Andre Lotterer.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for us," said Beisswanger, who has worked in sports management in F1, IndyCar, DTM and A1GP. "Team Germany has already won the world cup of motorsport once, however the competition keeps getting stronger so we do not underestimate the challenges ahead.

"We're going to use the remainder of the season to learn about the new Powered-by-Ferrari car, to get prepared with new partners and sponsors, and to look forward to next season and beyond.

"We will use the time before Taupo to work towards being competitive and prepared right from the start."

A1GP's CEO Pete da Silva added: "We thank Willi (Weber) for his support over the first three seasons, during which his roster of young German drivers has made a huge impression and obviously helped the team become champions.

"We now look forward to the new era of Team Germany building on this success and going from strength to strength."

The revamped German team's first appearance will be at the Taupo races on January 25.