18/11/2008
NEWS STORY
Gavin Cronje, who won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen Challenge at Killarney in Cape Town last Saturday, has been chosen to represent South Africa in the rookie session of this weekend's A1GP Sepang, Malaysia.
The 29-year-old from Johannesburg, who is a former national kart champion and won the Rotax Max kart world championship in 2001, last drove South Africa's car, Vulindlela, in the rookie session of the final round of the second season of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, at Brands Hatch in England in May 2007. He was fourth quickest.
Mike Carroll, general manager of A1 Team South Africa: "We are very pleased to reward Gavin for his Formula Volkswagen title with the rookie session at Sepang on Friday. We probably cannot send a clearer message to young aspirant South African race drivers who have as their goal to represent their country in the World Cup of Motorsport – win in Formula Volkswagen and A1 Team South Africa is almost certain to provide you with some sort of opportunity to demonstrate your ability.
"For some time now we have been communicating that we would be watching Formula Volkswagen to assist us in our rookie driver selection process. This season there have been four stand-out performers in the category, namely Gavin Cronje, Cristiano Morgado, Michael Stephen and Wesleigh Orr. It has been great to be able to assess the performance of these drivers over the course of a full season rather than just over the three-day shoot-outs we have run in the past.
"Ideally we would have liked to have supplemented the local results in the country's top single seater category with some direct testing in the A1GP Powered by Ferrari race car, but the very tight build schedule immediately prior to this season did not afford us such an opportunity," explained Carroll. "Thus, with time very tight between Cape Town and Sepang, Gavin, as the champion, gets the nod for rookie at Sepang and thereafter we will assess whether we give any of the other three an opportunity."
Cronje was understandably delighted with the invitation to drive in Malaysia. "It's a great opportunity for me. The age limit that applied to rookie drivers up to last season prevented me from being considered after my only previous drive at Brands Hatch. I will certainly be looking to make the most of this chance and I hope to reward the team as much as they have rewarded me."