Ron Walker threatens legal action

[fpv_gtho]

http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/index.html

16/09/05 - 12:01]

A1GP facing legal action over name
Australian GP trying to stop ‘Grand Prix’



Photo F1-Live.com
Walker (right) claims A1 GP cannot
use the term 'Grand Prix'....
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation said Friday it would launch legal action against the A1 GP championship, just days ahead of the breakaway competition's first race.

Corporation chairman Ron Walker said he had authorised legal proceedings following a breakdown in talks in London with A1 GP's lawyers over the use of the term 'grand prix.' The Australian Grand Prix Corporation believes that the use of the phrase "A1 Grand Prix" infringes on its intellectual property rights.

"It is unfortunate that the matter has come to this, however, the corporation must protect its valuable intellectual property in relation to the Grand Prix," Walker said in a statement.

The A1 Grand Prix, the brainchild of Sheikh Maktoum of Dubai, has been billed as the ‘World Cup of motorsport’ because drivers compete for their countries as opposed to Formula One where they represent car manufacturers. The inaugural A1 GP series is due to begin in Britain on September 25. The London race will be followed by races every second Sunday in various countries until the 12th race in Beijing in March 2006 decides the overall winner.

The term ‘Grand Prix’ it must be noted is used in athletics, snooker, ballet, chess, tennis, dressage, volleyball, motorcycling, Champ Car and a whole host of other sports and disciplines and is not just a Formula One motor racing term. In fact the term was first used for the Grand Prix de Paris horse race dating back to 1863….

Well Ron, no wonder there was a "breakdown in talks", your a bloody idiot arguing over something so trivial.

[pimento]

Way to make Australians look like dicks, Ron...