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A1 Team GBR’s Robbie Kerr forced into retirement in both sprint and feature races in Taupo, New Zealand.
A1 Team GBR suffered two heartbreaking results today in Taupo, New Zealand,
at round five of the 2007/08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. In the
sprint race Robbie Kerr was hit while trying to overtake A1 Team USA,
which forced him off the track and caused his engine to stall. His
feature race then came to a premature end when he pulled into the pits
with a technical problem which is currently being investigated.
After experiencing some technical problems in qualifying, Robbie began this morning’s 14-lap sprint race from 13th
on the grid. He made a very good start, avoided a multiple car
collision at the first corner, and moved up five places to eighth by
turn two. Following a brief safety car period, Robbie began to push
seventh-placed Jonathan Summerton in the USA
car. On lap five the two were side-by-side as Robbie dived down the
inside to make the pass. Summerton clipped his front left wheel against
Robbie’s rear right. The impact lifted the Team GBR car and sent Robbie
off the track, where the engine stalled. He managed to nurse his car to
the pits and run some laps towards the end of the race, but was unable
to score points.
The
team was hoping for better fortunes in the afternoon’s feature race, in
which Robbie began from the fifth row of the grid in ninth place.
However, prior to the start of the race, there was concern over an
apparent technical problem which could not be pinpointed in the limited
time. Robbie moved up to eighth after the standing start and then began
to push Team Canada for seventh position. He briefly took the position before Canada
snatched it back. On lap five however, the problems that had worried
the team prior to the start proved terminal as the oil temperature
increased, causing a loss of power to the car. Robbie pulled into the
pits where the team and Zytek, A1GP’s engine supplier, began
investigations into the problem, which are still ongoing.
Unfortunately, as GBR leaves Taupo having scored no points in the New Zealand
round, the team slips to eighth in the standings on 48 points. However,
with the team just one point adrift of seventh-placed Team Netherlands and two points behind Team Ireland, hopes are high for a return to points-scoring ways in two weeks time at Eastern Creek in Australia.
Robbie Kerr: Sprint Race: “We made a good, sensible start. I went alongside Switzerland
initially but backed down when I saw a couple of cars in front taking a
little bit too much speed into the first corner. I pulled the car tight
and managed to avoid the carnage in front, and it was obviously great
to get up to 8th, as I knew we could move forward from there
and score good points. It took a few laps to get everything warm, and
we were then quick again and caught USA. I got the car alongside, the acceleration was good and I managed to pass USA,
but then I got hit from behind and the next thing I knew, I was in the
air. The car wouldn’t re-start, but we got it back to the pits, checked
it was safe to go back out again, then put in some competitive laps
which showed we would have had the pace, so it’s a great shame that it
ended the way it did.”
Feature Race:
“We got a pretty good start, though didn’t capitalise on it completely
as the first corner was so tight. But I managed to get past Robbie
Wickens (Canada), though the car was sliding around a lot at the back which allowed Canada
to pass me, and from that point on we struggled. Something was wrong
with the engine and we had to come into the pits and retire.”
Katie Clements, Team Principal: “It’s
been an extremely disappointing day. Robbie did well to avoid the
collision at the start of the Sprint race, gained five places, and from
then on he was determined to move forward but unfortunately USA
shunted us, putting us out of contention. We’re still looking into the
engine problems that caused us to pull out of the Feature race, but
hopefully everything will be resolved and GBR will be back racing at
the front of the pack in Australia where we belong.”
Channel Five will broadcast all the highlights from Taupo, New Zealand at 1am on 28 January 2008
Round 6 of the 2007-08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport returns to Easter Creek Circuit, Sydney, Australia on Friday 1 February to Sunday 3 February 2008.
A1GP Round 5 Sprint Race
1. New Zealand - 15pts
2. Germany - 12pts
3. France - 10pts
A1GP Round 5 Feature Race
1. Germany - 15pts
2. Canada - 12pts
3. France - 10pts
DNF. Great Britain
A1GP Championship
1. New Zealand - 82pts
2. France - 80pts
3. Switzerland - 80pts
8. Great Britain - 48pts
A1 Team Great Britain is partnered by AquaSP, Playseats and Visit Britain.
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