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The New Zealand A1GP team is well down the pecking order for tomorrow's opening Sprint Race in Round 4 of the World Cup of Motorsport in Zhuhai, China.
European nations dominated this evening's qualifying, snatching seven of the first eight places on the grid, as only 0.938 of a second separated Germany from clinching pole and New Zealand languishing in 13 th spot.
Jonny Reid improved slightly to qualify 10th fastest for tomorrow's Feature Race, just 0.649 behind series leader Switzerland, as less than a second separated the first 18 nations in the field of 22.
A1 Team.NZL spokesman Bob McMurray said the extremely close times proved the thinnest of lines existed between success and failure on the 4.3km circuit.
"But it's still disappointing to be in the middle of the pack for both races and we're simply hopeful Jonny can keep out of trouble early and then pick up places on what is reputed to be an overtaking circuit," McMurray said.
New Zealand is currently 3rd place on the overall points ladder, 15 points behind the Swiss and seven points adrift of the second-placed French.
The 20-minute Sprint Race starts tomorrow afternoon at 4pm with the 70 minute Feature Race taking place from 8pm tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, A1GP commentator John Watson believes there could be high drama on the opening laps of this weekend's races in Zhuhai, because of the extremely tight and narrow first corner.
Watson, a five-time winner in Formula 1, was the first person to lap the circuit in an A1GP car and he highlighted the potential for incidents at the first corner due to its tightness and funnelling nature, and believes it will be entertaining to watch on Sunday afternoon.
'The first corner on the first lap will be a problem,' Watson said. 'It's about 400 to 500m after the start line and cars will already be going to up to 220 – 230 km/h at that corner.
'There could be action especially on the rolling start in the Sprint race when the field will be more compact. Everybody will do the natural thing and funnel to the inside, to try and dive down the inside and get the inside line for the turn.
'There is an option for the driver to go the long way around on the outside but the only proviso is that if you want to do that, you need to be aware the car below you is going to slam up to the top and sideswipe you.
'Drivers will have to be on their toes, be aware and watch for the guys around them. The guy on the inside isn't going to know about the guy on the outside. He's looking in his mirror and thinking, 'who is coming inside me?' All of a sudden he moves up to the outside and he could hit him.
'It's an open opportunity for first corner noses to be knocked off and collisions and stuff like that.'
However, Watson stressed, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
'That's what we are here to see – we want to be entertained! I don't want to see cars being knocked out, but it will be a busy corner on the first lap, particularly in the Sprint race.
'There will be opportunities to pass and the circuit should provide some great races.'
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