A1GP gets set for thrilling Zhuhai debut

After a sensational event at Sepang, which saw Switzerland secure a double victory and steal the championship lead from New Zealand, A1GP World Cup of Motorsport returns to Asia to make the first of two visits to China this season, as 22 nations prepare to take on the Zhuhai International Circuit for the first time this weekend (14-16 December).

The series is set for a thrilling debut at Zhuhai on a level playing field as none of the teams have ever driven the 4.3 km circuit in anger and all 22 A1GP drivers will be taking on the unknown, keen to learn the new track as fast as possible. The teams will have no previous data to rely on when setting up the car, putting a lot more emphasis on the rookie driver and developing nations’ practice session on Friday morning.

Zandvoort Feature race winner Oliver Jarvis is no longer eligible to represent A1 Team Great Britain in the rookie session, as he has competed in more than the limit of six races that participation in the session allows. For Zhuhai, GBR has recruited a new rookie in Danny Watts, 2002 Formula Renault UK champion and a race winner in British Formula Three and the Porsche Carrera Cup. Although this will be his maiden outing for the British squad, Watts has a wealth of racing experience and is not completely new to A1GP, having tested the biofuel-powered development car in the off-season.

Brazil’s Sergio Jimenez will take part in his final rookie session at Zhuhai as the team looks to build on the success it achieved last time out in Sepang, Malaysia where the 23-year-old from Sao Paulo scored Brazil’s first podium in 43 races. The team currently lies eighth in the championship, having notched up three top-ten finishes so far this season.

A1 Team Portugal has named the first three drivers set to benefit as part of its new FPAK A1GP Portugal Junior Team project. Gonçalo Araújo will travel to China next week and will take part in the rookie session at Zhuhai while Bruno Serra and Frederico Duarte will appear for the nation at later rounds. The team announced last month that it was to join forces with its national motorsport governing body in a pilot scheme to encourage its youngest and brightest talents into A1GP.

Michael Ammermuller will again represent A1 Team Germany at Zhuhai. The 21-year-old qualified in the top four when he made his debut in Sepang last month but his races did not go according to plan. The German received penalties in both the Sprint and Feature races for on-track incidents with other cars, and ultimately the team did not score any points. However, Germany is convinced of his potential and has opted to recall him over Christian Vietoris, who raced for his nation in the first two rounds at Zandvoort and Brno.

Home nation A1 Team China’s lead driver, CongFu Cheng, who last drove at Zhuhai in 2002 in a Chinese Formula Renault race, thinks it is a relatively easy circuit to learn and predicts lots of close racing and overtaking. China’s rookie driver, Marchy Lee, knows the circuit well having raced there in previous categories and became the first driver to lap Zhuhai in an A1GP car when he completed demonstration laps in front of thousands of fans at the official launch of A1GP Zhuhai, China in September. The 31-year-old from Hong Kong considers Zhuhai to be his ‘home’ circuit, as he learnt to drive single-seaters there over 10 years ago and won the inaugural China Formula Campus Championship there in 1997.