2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Shanghai, China

The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Shanghai, China was an A1 Grand Prix race, held on April 13, 2008, at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China. It was the ninth meeting in the 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix season.

2007-08 A1GP of Shanghai, China
Race Details
Race 9 of 10 in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
DateApril 13, 2008
LocationShanghai International Circuit
Shanghai, China
WeatherOvercast
Sprint race
Qualifying
Pole Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time1'34.163
Podium
1st Switzerland (Neel Jani)
2nd Canada (Robert Wickens)
3rd Portugal (F.Albuquerque)
Fastest Lap
FL Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time1'35.400, (Lap 4)
Feature race
Qualifying
Pole Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time1'34.172
Podium
1st USA (Jonathan Summerton)
2nd Portugal (F.Albuquerque)
3rd Ireland (Adam Carroll)
Fastest Lap
FL Canada (Robert Wickens)
Time1'35.177, (Lap 33)
Official Classifications
PDF Booklet

Pre-race

edit

A1 Grand Prix make official the creation of an off-track entertainment, the A1GP Global Village, to complete, with the support series A2 Grand Prix, the race weekends next season.[1] The Global Village deliver extra entertainments and interactive activities, merchandise shops, food and drinks for fans and spectators. An official website is launched A1GPGlobalVillage.com. The first edition will be in the last event of this 2007-08 season, on May 2–4, 2007-08, Great Britain.

Like the past season, A1GP organize a vote for the fan's favorite 2007-08 A1 team.[2] All A1GP fan, and other, can vote in the official A1GP site. The winning team, revealed at the A1GP's Gala Awards, on May 5, 2008, receive a special award.

Qualifications

edit

Neel Jani (Switzerland) score the pole position for each Sunday races.[3] For the second consecutive venue, Mexico start from the back of the grid in each race because of bad performances.

Sprint race qualifications
Pos Team Time Gap
1   Switzerland 1'34.163 -
2   Portugal 1'34.613 +0.450
3   Canada 1'34.682 +0.519
4   India 1'34.688 +0.525
5   New Zealand 1'34.742 +0.579
6   USA 1'34.791 +0.628
7   Malaysia 1'34.850 +0.687
8   Ireland 1'34.928 +0.765
9   Germany 1'35.012 +0.849
10   Great Britain 1'35.015 +0.852
11   South Africa 1'35.198 +1.035
12   Italy 1'35.224 +1.061
13   Australia 1'35.336 +1.173
14   Brazil 1'35.492 +1.329
15   China 1'35.508 +1.345
16   Czech Republic 1'35.590 +1.427
17   Netherlands 1'35.670 +1.507
18   France 1'35.789 +1.626
19   Pakistan 1'35.923 +1.760
20   Lebanon 1'35.931 +1.768
21   Indonesia 1'36.612 +2.449
22   Mexico 1'38.312 +4.149
Main race qualifications
Pos Team Time Gap
1   Switzerland 1'34.172 -
2   USA 1'34.626 +0.454
3   Portugal 1'35.022 +0.850
4   Ireland 1'35.035 +0.863
5   India 1'35.195 +1.023
6   Malaysia 1'35.207 +1.035
7   New Zealand 1'35.283 +1.111
8   Great Britain 1'35.357 +1.185
9   South Africa 1'35.392 +1.220
10   France 1'35.496 +1.324
11   Italy 1'35.520 +1.348
12   Canada 1'35.554 +1.382
13   Germany 1'35.558 +1.386
14   Czech Republic 1'35.611 +1.439
15   Australia 1'35.653 +1.481
16   Pakistan 1'35.865 +1.693
17   Brazil 1'35.887 +1.715
18   Netherlands 1'35.921 +1.749
19   Lebanon 1'36.066 +1.894
20   China 1'36.136 +1.964
21   Indonesia 1'36.326 +2.154
22   Mexico 1'37.440 +3.268

Sprint race

edit

For the Sprint race, Switzerland take the lead behind Canada, Portugal, Malaysia, India, Germany, South Africa, Italy, Great Britain and Ireland.[4] New Zealand crash out at start after a collision with USA.

Cong Fu Cheng (China) passes Adam Carroll (Ireland) for 10th in Lap 4 when Neel Jani (Switzerland) score the Fastest lap. Despite efforts from Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal) on Robert Wickens (Canada) and from Michael Ammermüller (Germany) on Narain Karthikeyan (India), the order remained the same until the finish line.

Switzerland win the race with the Fastest lap. Canada take the second position behind Portugal, Malaysia, India, Germany, South Africa, Italy, Great Britain and China. Both Switzerland opponent for the title, France (12th) and New Zealand, doesn't score any points.

Pos Team Driver Laps Time Points
1   Switzerland Neel Jani 10 15'59.612 15+1
2   Canada Robert Wickens 10 +4.643 12
3   Portugal Filipe Albuquerque 10 +5.335 10
4   Malaysia Alex Yoong 10 +12.169 8
5   India Narain Karthikeyan 10 +13.068 6
6   Germany Michael Ammermüller 10 +13.810 5
7   South Africa Adrian Zaugg 10 +14.999 4
8   Italy Edoardo Piscopo 10 +15.835 3
9   Great Britain Robbie Kerr 10 +17.120 2
10   China Cong Fu Cheng 10 +17.692 1
11   Ireland Adam Carroll 10 +18.581
12   France Franck Montagny 10 +19.114
13   Czech Republic Filip Salaquarda 10 +21.165
14   Brazil Alexandre Negrão 10 +22.111
15   Australia John Martin 10 +24.363
16   Pakistan Adam Langley-Khan 10 +26.298
17   Netherlands Jeroen Bleekemolen 10 +28.053
18   Lebanon Jimmy Auby 10 +29.029
19   Indonesia Satrio Hermanto 10 +30.196
20   Mexico Jorge Goeters 10 +38.267
Ret   USA Jonathan Summerton 1 Collision
Ret   New Zealand Jonny Reid 0 Collision

Main race

edit

After the start, USA led, ahead of Switzerland, India, Portugal, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Great Britain, France and Italy.[5] USA and Switzerland escaped from the rest of the field until the first mandatory pit stops. In Lap 6, Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal) passed for 3rd Narain Karthikeyan (India) in the final hairpin. Adam Carroll (Ireland) try to pass Narain Karthikeyan in the same turn, one lap later, but finally passes him in Lap 8. In Lap 9, the pits are open.
USA, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Canada pits early, in Lap 10 and Jonny Reid (New Zealand) with a fast stop, exits ahead Alex Yoong (Malaysia) and Narain Karthikeyan (India). USA lead still Switzerland after the stops but the Swiss driver, Neel Jani, lost the second gear of his car. In Lap 15, Jonathan Summerton (USA) is 4.3 seconds ahead of Switzerland. In the next lap, for speeding in the pit lane, Lebanon received a drive-through penalty, five laps then his driver received a 10-second Stop and Go penalty. Portugal was then pushing Switzerland for 2nd position. Ireland close to both drivers and New Zealand it is also faster than Switzerland and comes near in the few next laps. The second pit stop window opens in Lap 24.

Ireland and New Zealand got ahead of Switzerland at the pit stops. In Lap 27, Portugal had the fastest lap. After the pits, USA still led Portugal, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Malaysia, India, France, Great Britain and Germany. In Lap 33, Robert Wickens (Canada) had the fastest lap.

The victory went to Summerton, who gave his country the honours for the first time. The Yanks' victory made them the 16th nation to win an A1GP race.

Pos Team Driver Laps Time Points
1   USA Jonathan Summerton 38 1:02'25.206 15
2   Portugal Filipe Albuquerque 38 +9.729 12
3   Ireland Adam Carroll 38 +15.303 10
4   New Zealand Jonny Reid 38 +19.533 8
5   Switzerland Neel Jani 38 +26.193 6
6   Malaysia Alex Yoong 38 +34.410 5
7   India Narain Karthikeyan 38 +35.967 4
8   France Franck Montagny 38 +38.213 3
9   Great Britain Robbie Kerr 38 +39.280 2
10   Germany Michael Ammermüller 38 +39.890 1
11   Czech Republic Filip Salaquarda 38 +47.568
12   Italy Edoardo Piscopo 38 +50.348
13   Brazil Alexandre Negrão 38 +50.968
14   Australia John Martin 38 +52.624
15   China Cong Fu Cheng 38 +53.240
16   South Africa Adrian Zaugg 38 +55.629
17   Pakistan Adam Langley-Khan 38 +1'05.352
18   Netherlands Jeroen Bleekemolen 38 +1'14.390
19   Indonesia Satrio Hermanto 38 +1'20.252
20   Canada Robert Wickens 38 +1'21.003 +1
21   Mexico Jorge Goeters 37 +1 lap
22   Lebanon Jimmy Auby 37 +1 lap

After race

edit

Switzerland and New Zealand are the only team that can win the championship. Switzerland lead with 29 points the season before the last venue in Great Britain.

A1 Team Korea was announced to be part of the next season of the competition.[6] The seat holder will be Joshua Kim of Omnibus Investment and Good EMG support the project. In Shanghai this weekend, a ceremony officialise the participation of South Korea in the 2008-09 season.

Notes

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ A1GP launches Global Village a1gp.com (April 02, 2008)
  2. ^ Vote for your favourite A1 Team a1gp.com (April 09, 2008)
  3. ^ Double Swiss pole a1gp.com (April 12, 2008)
  4. ^ Shanghai Sprint: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (April 13, 2008)
  5. ^ Feature race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (April 13, 2008)
  6. ^ Korea joins A1GP Archived April 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine a1gp.com (April 14, 2008)
  7. ^ Mexico switches driver a1gp.com (April 09, 2008)
  8. ^ Franck Montagny in for France a1gp.com (April 05, 2008)
  9. ^ Negrao earns Brazil promotion a1gp.com (April 08, 2008)
  10. ^ Australia recruits new rookie a1gp.com (March 09, 2008)
edit
Previous race
2007-08, Mexico
A1 Grand Prix
2007-08 season
Next race
2007-08, Great Britain