2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, New Zealand explained

The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, New Zealand is an A1 Grand Prix race, which was held on 20 January 2008 at the Taupo Motorsport Park, New Zealand. This will be the fifth meeting in the 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix season.

Pre-race

The Taupo circuit changes one of the circuit's corners.[1] The turn 12 at the end of the longest straight will be much slower with a 90-degree left-hander. A1GP will inaugurate the new changes.

It was announced that the Taupo round switch to a 30 per cent biofuel mix.[2] This environmental initiative is the first initiative to help reduce its environmental footprint in motorsport series. The new fuel is an ethanol based-product Hiperflo E30 sourced from sugar beet in Europe and produced by Petrochem Carless. The prediction are a CO2 emissions reduction by 21% per car.

A1 Team Indonesia and Performance Racing announce their new partnership.[3] The racing team managed by Bobby Issazadhe provide now the technical and race services like it does with A1 Team Pakistan since 2006–07. Dave Luff is the new race engineer and Bagoes Hermanto became the new Team Principal.

To avoid what happen in the last race when safety car was out during feature race, a new light close to the entry of pit lane is introduced this weekend.[4] When the lights are on, drivers can pit but it is not counted as one of the two mandatory stops. Pits are allowed for mechanical work or to be carried out.

Qualifications

A1 Team France dominate the two practice sessions Friday afternoon[5] and Saturday morning.[6]

Sprint race qualifications
PosTeamTimeGap
1 New Zealand1'15.241-
2 South Africa1'15.522+0.281
3 France1'15.628+0.387
4 Germany1'15.724+0.483
5 Netherlands1'16.036+0.795
6 USA1'16.101+0.860
7 Ireland1'16.182+0.941
8 Canada1'16.201+0.960
9 Malaysia1'16.386+1.145
10 Brazil1'16.408+1.167
11 Switzerland1'16.423+1.182
12 Italy1'16.472+1.231
13 Great Britain1'16.731+1.490
14 Portugal1'17.147+1.906
15 Australia1'17.309+2.068
16 China1'17.340+2.099
17 Lebanon1'17.682+2.441
18 Mexico1'17.809+2.568
19 Czech Republic1'17.811+2.570
20 India1'17.961+2.720
21 Indonesia1'18.421+3.180
22 Pakistan1'18.635+3.394
Main race qualifications
PosTeamTimeGap
1 France1'15.296-
2 Germany1'15.331+0.035
3 Switzerland1'15.476+0.180
4 Canada1'15.588+0.292
5 New Zealand1'15.618+0.322
6 Portugal1'15.620+0.324
7 South Africa1'15.651+0.355
8 Netherlands1'15.795+0.499
9 Great Britain1'15.895+0.599
10 USA1'15.898+0.602
11 Brazil1'16.024+0.728
12 Australia1'16.106+0.810
13 Ireland1'16.115+0.819
14 Malaysia1'16.198+0.902
15 Mexico1'16.313+1.017
16 Italy1'16.524+1.228
17 Lebanon1'16.556+1.260
18 China1'16.761+1.465
19 India1'16.791+1.495
20 Czech Republic1'17.526+2.230
21 Pakistan1'17.556+2.260
22 Indonesia1'18.106+2.810

Sprint race

For this sprint race, the time is sunny with a 19 °C but wind made the track dusty.[7] At first turn, a big collision between Malaysia, Switzerland involve also Canadian and Brazilian drivers. Alex Yoong (Malaysia) and Neel Jani (Switzerland) are out of their own cars and renounce the race. Safety car is out until lap 4. Brazil and Canada have reach the tail of the field.
New Zealand lead the race ahead of Germany, South Africa and France. Pakistan passed Indonesia for 14th. In lap 6, turn 11, Robbie Kerr (Great Britain) attempt to passes Jonathan Summerton (USA) for seventh but the two cars collide. Great Britain has suspension damage and retires.
France passes South Africa for third at turn 12, lap 10. Next lap, Tomáš Enge (Czech Republic) crash into Chris Alajajian (Lebanon) who ran tenth and was able to score the first ever point for the Lebanese team. Robert Wickens is off in lap 13, turn 1. Jonny Reid (New Zealand) won the sprint race as home victory ahead of Germany, France, South Africa, Netherlands, Ireland, USA, Portugal, Australia and India. The extra point for fastest lap is scored by Christian Vietoris for Germany.

PosTeamDriverLapsTimeGridPoints
1 New ZealandJonny Reid1419'25.408115
2 GermanyChristian Vietoris14+3.192412+1
3 FranceLoïc Duval14+4.899310
4 South AfricaAdrian Zaugg14+7.82328
5 NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen14+9.58156
6 IrelandAdam Carroll14+10.91275
7 USAJonathan Summerton14+11.41764
8 PortugalJoão Urbano14+13.315143
9 AustraliaJohn Martin14+15.580152
10 IndiaNarain Karthikeyan14+22.968201
11 PakistanAdam Langley-Khan14+25.77322
12 ItalyEdoardo Piscopo14+26.04812
13 BrazilSérgio Jimenez14+26.54110
14 ChinaCong Fu Cheng14+26.77316
15 LebanonChris Alajajian14+29.48317
16 IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto14+31.10721
17 MexicoDavid Garza Perez14+31.34918
Ret CanadaRobert Wickens11Spun off8
Ret Czech RepublicTomáš Enge10Collision19
Ret Great BritainRobbie Kerr9Damage13
Ret MalaysiaAlex Yoong0Collision9
Ret SwitzerlandNeel Jani0Collision11

Main race

Weather is still sunny for the main race and the mandatory pit is announced between laps 34 to 42 (the first pit stop is always included between laps 8 and 16).[8]
New Zealand make a bad start and loses several places meanwhile Switzerland take the lead but have jumped the start. In the first lap, Safety car is out because of an accident involving India at turn 7. Safety car is back in on lap 3 and Canada passes South Africa for sixth. Next lap, Chris Alajajian (Lebanon) and Edoardo Piscopo (Italy) collide and retire, Safety car is again in track. USA and Ireland take advantage to enter in pit to repair some aerodynamics damages. Switzerland receive a drive-through penalty for Neel Jani jump-start. Robbie Kerr (Great Britain) retire in garage for mechanical problems. Safety car is in on lap 7.
The first mandatory pit stops are now available and Germany passes France in pits. In lap 16, Switzerland break its front wing moving around the outside of Pakistan, and running into the grass. Next lap, USA makes its pit stop but the mandatory window is already closed. The current order is now Germany, France, Netherlands, Canada, Portugal, South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, China and USA. Some laps later, in lap 22, oil is in the track in turn 7 and Indonesia, Australia and Netherlands spin off resulting Safety car back out for the third time on this race. Indonesia retire and Netherlands loses two places and is now fifth. Safety car is on lap 27. Jonny Reid (New Zealand) passes Adrian Zaugg (South Africa) on turn 11, lap 28 and press now Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands). For overtaking behind the Safety car, Switzerland receive a second drive-through penalty. Adam Carroll (Ireland) take the tenth after Jonathan Summerton (USA) runs wide in lap 34. Same lap, the second window for mandatory stops is open.
Portugal is given a drive-through penalty for crossing the white line on entering the pit lane. On lap 39, Brazil passes South Africa for seventh. After mandatory pit stop, Germany lead Canada, France, New Zealand, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, China, USA and Netherlands. Malaysia and Pakistan collide in lap 41, turn 12. Alex Yoong (Malaysia) retire in pits. In lap 43, Cong Fu Cheng (China) spin off and stop its race.
In lap 49, Switzerland take the fastest lap of the race and the bonus point. Germany win front of Canada, only 1.180 seconds behind, followed by France, New Zealand, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, USA, Netherlands, Mexico and Pakistan in eleventh.

USA has been penalised 70 seconds for making its mandatory pit stop outside of the proper window.[9] The team loses is 8th final positions and was classified 14th. Therefore, Pakistan score its first point of the season.

PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints
1 GermanyChristian Vietoris501:10'40.16815
2 CanadaRobert Wickens50+1.18012
3 FranceLoïc Duval50+2.02510
4 New ZealandJonny Reid50+3.0318
5 IrelandAdam Carroll50+4.0886
6 BrazilSérgio Jimenez50+5.1175
7 South AfricaAdrian Zaugg50+10.1074
8 NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen50+11.1753
9 MexicoDavid Garza Perez50+19.4782
10 PakistanAdam Langley-Khan50+25.5591
11 Czech RepublicTomáš Enge50+26.506
12 PortugalJoão Urbano50+29.848
13 SwitzerlandNeel Jani50+34.451+1
14 USAJonathan Summerton49+1 lap
Ret ChinaCong Fu Cheng43Spun off
Ret MalaysiaAlex Yoong38Colision
Ret AustraliaJohn Martin37+13 laps
Ret IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto21Spun off
Ret Great BritainRobbie Kerr4Mechanical
Ret ItalyEdoardo Piscopo3Collision
Ret LebanonChris Alajajian3Collision
Ret IndiaNarain Karthikeyan1Accident

After race

Neel Jani announce he's available for the rest of the season for Switzerland.[10] Its priority is won the A1GP championship and don't want to return in Champ Car World Series this year.

Tony Teixeira, A1GP chairman, congratulate Alex Yoong with a cake to mark his 50th race in the series.[11]

Notes

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=39756 Taupo changes to 'improve passing'
  2. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=39922 Biofuel confirmed for Taupo
  3. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40093 Indonesia's new engineering squad
  4. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40045 Safety car pit light introduced
  5. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40047 Spins a plenty in Friday practice
  6. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40057 France continues practice pace
  7. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40086 Taupo Sprint: lap-by-lap
  8. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40094 Taupo Feature: lap-by-lap
  9. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40109 USA penalised for Feature pit stop
  10. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40126 Jani: 'A1GP is my priority'
  11. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40133 Alex Yoong's half-century
  12. http://results.a1gp.com/gp.php?l=0&d=201&r=20072109&c=131 Sprint Race, Qualifying 1
  13. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=39955 Swiss call up rookie Dillmann
  14. http://results.a1gp.com/gp.php?l=0&d=201&r=20072109&c=25 Rookies combined
  15. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=39981 New Zealand picks rookie Hartley
  16. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64688 Winslow to join Great Britain at Taupo
  17. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40166 Fauzy replaces Yoong at Malaysia
  18. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=40120 Record breakers!