<I>GPlive</I> latest stop for F1x2.

Minardi's F1x2 team swapped one classic British circuit for another on Tuesday [18 July], as its busy summer schedule cranked up another gear at the launch of GPlive.

Only last Thursday, a pair of cars from Paul Stoddart's unique fleet of eight Formula One two-seaters were on track at Silverstone, with sometime F1 drivers Zsolt Baumgartner and Bas Leinders providing 22 paying passengers with the ride of a lifetime around the high-speed Northamptonshire circuit. Days later and the team has moved on to Donington Park, scene of the 1993 Grand Prix of Europe, to help launch the GPlive initiative, which aims to bring the world of grand prix motor racing back to Donington and closer to fans of the sport.

The team, which retains its base at Ledbury, took two cars to Donington, an F1x2 chassis driven once again by Belgian Leinders and a Minardi-Cosworth PS04B race car, which last raced in the 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix.

"We are very pleased to support the launch of GPlive," admitted Stoddart, "One of the key objectives for the F1x2 Team from its inception, and for the Minardi F1 Team while I was the owner, was to try to make Formula One more accessible to the fans. As that is also a stated aim of GPlive, there is very much a unity of purpose about what we are trying to achieve, and we feel it makes good sense to combine our efforts."

GPlive, which is slated to run from 18-20 May 2007, promises to bring the sound of grand prix racing cars back to Donington Park, as it showcases the pinnacle of racing achievement by delivering the largest display of GP cars at any one circuit. In addition to both static and on-track displays, the event will also feature a range of exhibitions, attractions and hospitality, plus a chance for fans to meet their heroes.

"The fact that individuals of the stature of Sir Stirling Moss, Jochen Mass and Richard Morgan are lending their weight to an initiative to bring grand prix cars back to Donington, which was the scene of the F1x2 team's highly successful 'Thunder in the Park' events of 2001 and 2002, means this is a highly credible undertaking," Stoddart continued, "I genuinely believe GPlive is an inspired concept and, like many great ideas, you are left wondering why someone hasn't thought of it already."

Donington Park isn't the last stop on F1x2's summer schedule, however, with the two-seaters due to appear at the Hungaroring over 23-24 August, an event which precedes further outings over the final four months of the year.