2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa

The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa is an A1 Grand Prix race, held on 24 February 2008 at the Durban street circuit in Durban, South Africa. This is the seventh meeting in the 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix season.

2007-08 A1GP of South Africa
Race Details
Race 7 of 10 in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
Date24 February 2008
LocationDurban street circuit
Durban, South Africa
WeatherDry
Sprint race
Qualifying
Pole Canada (Robert Wickens)
Time1'18.150
Podium
1st Canada (Robert Wickens)
2nd Great Britain (Oliver Jarvis)
3rd Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Fastest Lap
FL New Zealand (Johnny Reid)
Time1'18.629, (Lap 3)
Feature race
Qualifying
Pole Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time1'17.688
Podium
1st Switzerland (Neel Jani)
2nd France (Loïc Duval)
3rd Portugal (F.Albuquerque)
Fastest Lap
FL China (Congfu Cheng)
Time1'18.744, (Lap 35)
Official Classifications
PDF Booklet

Pre-race

A1 Team New Zealand and France lead the championship by 96 points.

Portugal replace for the rest of the season, their lead driver João Urbano by the newcomer Filipe Albuquerque.[1] For Czech Republic, it was Josef Král that replaced Tomáš Enge[2] for the rest of the season.
Bruno Junqueira and rookie Alexandre Negrão will return for Brazil this weekend as race driver and rookie driver like it was in the 2006-07 season.[3]

Loïc Duval was the race driver despite his commitment in Super GT and Formula Nippon this season.[4] Nicolas Prost ran the Rookie sessions, Jonathan Cochet the Friday practice session and Loïc Duval the Saturday afternoon practice and the both Sunday races traveling from Japan during the Friday to Saturday night. Therefore, 3 different drivers from the same team, France, take part on the race weekend. A1 Team Greece engage also 3 different drivers on the 2006-07, Netherlands but only 2 actually ran.

Qualifications

On the Saturday morning free practice, Narain Karthikeyan was injured after hitting the tyre barriers at the exit of the second turn.[5] The Indian Rookie driver Parthiva Sureshwaren replaces its lead driver, Narain Karthikeyan, who have participate in one run in each Sprint and Feature qualifying sessions putting India in 9th and 17th positions on the starting grids. Parthiva Sureshwaren will muster start from the back of the grid because he did not take part of the qualifying sessions.[6]

During the Sprint Qualification 1, Jonny Reid (New Zealand) spin out and a red flag stop the session.[7] Only Six teams have done hot laps : Germany, India, Pakistan, Australia, Lebanon and Indonesia. In the Sprint Qualification 2, Adrian Zaugg (South Africa) spins out at the first chicane and have no time. South Africa starts from the back of the grid for the Sunday Sprint race. France is hampered by the yellow flag due to Adrian Zaugg and take only the 17th. Adam Carroll (Ireland) isn't able to make a hot lap due to fuel pump problem.

The home South African team realize only the 15th position for the Feature race grid because of electrical glitch and then traffic problems during its qualification laps.[8]

Sprint race qualifications
Pos Team Time Gap
1 Canada 1'18.150 -
2 Brazil 1'18.168 +0.018
3 New Zealand 1'18.229 +0.079
4 Great Britain 1'18.410 +0.260
5 Switzerland 1'18.470 +0.320
6 Germany 1'18.650 +0.500
7 Netherlands 1'18.717 +0.567
8 Malaysia 1'19.091 +0.941
9 India (1) 1'19.213 +1.063
10 Portugal 1'19.224 +1.074
11 China 1'19.261 +1.111
12 Australia 1'19.423 +1.273
13 Mexico 1'19.812 +1.662
14 USA 1'19.815 +1.665
15 Pakistan 1'20.204 +2.054
16 Italy 1'20.294 +2.144
17 France 1'21.310 +3.160
18 Czech Republic 1'21.919 +3.769
19 Lebanon 1'22.050 +3.900
20 Indonesia 1'23.808 +5.658
21 Ireland no time -
22 South Africa no time -
Main race qualifications
Pos Team Time Gap
1 Switzerland 1'17.688 -
2 Canada 1'17.810 +0.122
3 New Zealand 1'17.880 +0.192
4 Great Britain 1'17.916 +0.228
5 Brazil 1'17.951 +0.263
6 Netherlands 1'18.002 +0.314
7 Germany 1'18.044 +0.356
8 France 1'18.101 +0.413
9 Portugal 1'18.257 +0.569
10 Australia 1'18.716 +1.028
11 China 1'18.780 +1.092
12 Malaysia 1'18.813 +1.125
13 Ireland 1'18.824 +1.136
14 Pakistan 1'18.917 +1.229
15 South Africa 1'18.925 +1.237
16 USA 1'18.927 +1.239
17 India (1) 1'18.932 +1.244
18 Italy 1'19.858 +2.170
19 Mexico 1'20.170 +2.482
20 Czech Republic 1'20.369 +2.681
21 Lebanon 1'21.124 +3.436
22 Indonesia 1'21.408 +3.720
  • (1) = Narain Karthikeyan had qualified the car for India but was injured later, and replaced by Parthiva Sureshwaren for the balance of the race meet, incurring a penalty of being sent to the rear of the field for the driver change.

Sprint race

It is a sunny 28 °C weather for the Sprint race.[6] India start from the back of the grid because they have replaced their lead driver between qualifying and race sessions. John Martin (Australia) was in hospital overnight suffering from dehydration but he takes part of both races.
Canada take the lead on start and during the first lap, New Zealand damage its nose on Robert Wickens's (Canada) car and was forced to pit for repairs. Brazil try to passes Switzerland in lap 2, but fail and damage its nose too. The order is Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, Brazil, China, Netherlands, Germany and Australia for 8th. France starting from 17th is already 13th. In lap 5, Brazil fight China, which is now behind, for 4th. But Bruno Junqueira's front wing is too much damaged and he slows targeting pits to change the car's nose.
In lap 7, Neel Jani (Switzerland) is just behind the second, Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain). Adrian Zaugg (South Africa) is now 14th in lap 8, starting second from last. Bruno Junqueira (Brazil) crashes out in Turn 5/6 chicane hitting the wall and the car is stuck out on track. The Safety car is out until lap 11.

Michael Ammermüller (Germany) hit Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands) on final corner and both cars retire but the incident brought out the red flag. For causing this avoidable collision, Germany was excluded from its 6th.[9]

The final order is Canada behind Great Britain, Switzerland, China, Netherlands, Australia, Portugal, Mexico, Malaysia and USA. New Zealand with Jonny Reid score the bonus point for the fastest lap.

Pos Team Driver Laps Time Points
1 Canada Robert Wickens 11 15'28.156 15
2 Great Britain Oliver Jarvis 11 +0.990 12
3 Switzerland Neel Jani 11 +1.742 10
4 China Cong Fu Cheng 11 +2.248 8
5 Netherlands Jeroen Bleekemolen 11 +3.477 6
6 Australia John Martin 11 +5.337 5
7 Portugal Filipe Albuquerque 11 +6.449 4
8 Mexico David Garza Perez 11 +8.343 3
9 Malaysia Fairuz Fauzy 11 +8.931 2
10 USA Jonathan Summerton 11 +10.270 1
11 France Loïc Duval 11 +11.067
12 Pakistan Adam Langley-Khan 11 +11.625
13 South Africa Adrian Zaugg 11 +12.074
14 Italy Edoardo Piscopo 11 +12.715
15 Ireland Adam Carroll 11 +13.143
16 Indonesia Satrio Hermanto 14 +14.579
17 India Parthiva Sureshwaren 11 +15.375
18 Czech Republic Josef Král 11 +24.147
19 Lebanon Khalil Beschir 11 +30.280
20 New Zealand Jonny Reid 11 +46.100 +1
21 Brazil Bruno Junqueira 8 +3 laps
EX Germany Michael Ammermüller 11 +4.602

Main race

Its a 32 °C when Switzerland take the lead of the race after starting from pole position.[10] China and Portugal collide in first lap and Cong Fu Cheng (China) is stuck in the wall meanwhile Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal) is launched into the air. The Safety car is out. China, Lebanon, USA, Mexico and South Africa goes in pit for minor repairs. On lap 4, the safety car is on and the order is Switzerland, New Zealand, Brazil, Great Britain, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, France, Australia and Ireland. In the first corner again, on lap 4, Australia hits Germany, who spin, and then Ireland. John Martin (Australia) and Adam Carroll (Ireland) are stuck on the track. France is involved but passes without damages. Indonesia piles into Germany and Pakistan into Indonesia, the three teams retire. Safety car is out again. Before the Safety car is on, on lap 9, many drivers get into pits for minors repairs. In lap 10, the first mandatory pit stop is possible.
Jonny Reid (New Zealand) make a long stop changing his front wing because of a collision into pits with David Garza Perez (Mexico). South Africa have a slow pit stop due to sticking wheel and France gain some places staying out more time than its rivals. In lap 13, New Zealand receive a drive-through penalty for his collision with Mexico. Lebanon also gets a drive-through penalty in lap 15. After the first mandatory stop, Switzerland lead Canada, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Malaysia, Brazil, Italy and China. Ireland receive a drive-through penalty in lap 18. Loïc Duval (France) and Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) fight for 3rd while Cong Fu Cheng (China) get by Edoardo Piscopo (Italy) in lap 23 for ninth. In the next lap, Czech Republic run slowly and reach the pits. USA retire in pits. China passes Brazil for eighth and South Africa, started from 15th enter into the points getting by Italy. India retire from the race because of a black flag in lap 29 for pit stop violation and exceed the pit lane speed limit. The second pit stop window start in lap 30.
South Africa does a faster pit stop and passes Brazil in the pits like Canada taking the lead behind Switzerland. France pits after its adversaries, into lap 32, and passes Great Britain. Jonny Reid (New Zealand) take the fastest lap in lap 34 but Cong Fu Cheng make a better lap time next lap.
In lap 39, Robert Wickens (Canada) spins and Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) hits him and damage his car's nose. The Safety car is out until lap 41. On first corner, South Africa hits Netherlands, 3rd and involving three other drivers. The safety car is out again, the order its Switzerland, France, Portugal, China, Malaysia but the commissioners red flag the race. The official classification is, at the end of lap 41, Switzerland front of France, Portugal, Netherlands, Malaysia, China, South Africa, Italy, Brazil and New Zealand. The fastest lap is for China.

Pos Team Driver Laps Time Points
1 Switzerland Neel Jani 41 1:01'55.330 15
2 France Loïc Duval 41 +1.051 12
3 Portugal Filipe Albuquerque 41 +1.934 10
4 Netherlands Jeroen Bleekemolen 41 +3.378 8
5 Malaysia Fairuz Fauzy 41 +4.549 6
6 China Cong Fu Cheng 41 +4.984 5+1
7 South Africa Adrian Zaugg 41 +5.640 4
8 Italy Edoardo Piscopo 41 +6.562 3
9 Brazil Bruno Junqueira 41 +19.524 2
10 New Zealand Jonny Reid 41 +20.220 1
11 Great Britain Oliver Jarvis 40 +1 lap
12 Canada Robert Wickens 39 +2 laps
13 Lebanon Khalil Beschir 39 +2 laps
14 Australia John Martin 39 +2 laps
Ret Ireland Adam Carroll 35 +6 laps
Ret Czech Republic Josef Král 33 +8 laps
Ret India Parthiva Sureshwaren 29 +12 laps
Ret USA Jonathan Summerton 25 +16 laps
Ret Mexico David Garza Perez 18 +23 laps
Ret Germany Michael Ammermüller 3 +38 laps
Ret Indonesia Satrio Hermanto 3 +38 laps
Ret Pakistan Adam Langley-Khan 3 +38 laps

Notes

References
  1. Portugal changes lead driver a1gp.com (16 February 2008)
  2. Youngster in for Czech Republic a1gp.com (19 February 2008)
  3. Brazil recalls two former drivers a1gp.com (19 February 2008)
  4. The Three Musketeers a1gp.com (21 February 2008)
  5. Sureshwaren on standby for India a1gp.com (23 February 2008)
  6. Sprint race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (24 February 2008)
  7. Qualifying: as it happened a1gp.com (23 February 2008)
  8. Zaugg urges South African support a1gp.com (23 February 2008)
  9. Germany excluded from Sprint race a1gp.com (24 February 2008)
  10. Feature race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (24 February 2008)
  11. Morad supports Wickens at Canada a1gp.com (20 February 2008)
  12. Wickens is youngest polesitter a1gp.com (23 February 2008)
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