04/04/2008
NEWS STORY
As the third season of A1GP draws to a close, the title battle is wide open and the competition is tighter than ever, with eight teams still mathematically in contention for the honours, as the World Cup of Motorsport returns to China for the penultimate round in Shanghai this weekend (11-13 April).
With 64 points still up for grabs at the final two rounds, eight of the 22 competing nations, including A1 Team Ireland, who secured its first ever A1GP victory when Adam Carroll won the Mexico City Feature race last month, are still mathematically in with a chance of winning the prestigious championship.
New Zealand's Jonny Reid took his third Sprint race victory of the season in Mexico, moving the Kiwis up to second place in the championship, 15 points behind Switzerland. Reid, who holds the lap record around the 4.6 km circuit, has previously performed well at Shanghai, storming to a commanding victory in the Feature race last year. Current title leader Switzerland arrives in China on 128 points ahead of New Zealand on 113 and season one champion France, who failed to pick up any points in Mexico, on 108.
Switzerland's Neel Jani has never raced at the Shanghai Circuit before but in theory his nation could leave China as series champion, if it increases its title lead to at least 33 points.
Great Britain's Robbie Kerr returns to the scene of his maiden A1GP victory, having won the Shanghai Sprint race last year, and will be aiming for a repeat performance ahead of his nation's home event, the A1GP season finale at Brands Hatch in four weeks time. Duncan Tappy, who joined the team in Mexico, returns to perform GBR rookie duties and support Kerr throughout the weekend. GBR made great strides towards third position in the championship standings, its final classification at the end of both season one and two, after achieving an impressive double-podium finish in Mexico last month with Oliver Jarvis at the wheel.
Ferrari Festival: This weekend's Shanghai event offers a glimpse into the future of the series, with a special partnership that could prove to be the first of many. As work continues behind the scenes to design and manufacture the new A1GP car for the 2008/09 season in consultation with Ferrari, A1GP is proud to welcome the Ferrari Festival to Shanghai.
A1GP has visited the ultra-modern Shanghai International Circuit for the past two seasons and it has provided four different winners. Malaysia, Czech Republic, Great Britain and New Zealand have all tasted victory at the facility, which continues to receive plaudits as one of the most well-built and modern race tracks in the world.
An alternative, 4.6 km version will be used, as in 2006/07, which misses out three corners and adds a chicane, bunching the field up for a longer period of time throughout the circuit and creating even more exciting, closer racing.
The 1 km straight at the end of the lap also provides an opportunity for frequent overtaking manoeuvres, but it is the first corner that has provided the most spectacular passes. Czech Republic's Tomas Enge and New Zealand's Jonny Reid both took their victories thanks to superb manoeuvres at this constantly tightening corner.