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Durban, South Africa
- For the first time in the history of the series, the top two
nations in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport are level on points, as the
incredible championship battle heads to the streets of Durban, South Africa for
round seven on 22-24 February.
As the championship reaches its climax with four rounds on the 10-event
calendar remaining, New Zealand leads the series due to number of race wins but
is level with France on 96 points. Switzerland lies just three points behind
while host nation South Africa is now fourth on 79 points, after Adrian Zaugg
secured his nation's second win of the season last time out after an incredible
drive in treacherous conditions at Eastern Creek in Sydney.
The Durban event is the only street circuit on the calendar and, unlike some
of the permanent race tracks which host A1GP events, none of the drivers are
able to test or race there at other times of the year. The tight, twisty street
circuit punishes mistakes more than any other track and is considered to be one
of the most difficult circuits on the calendar.
The crowds have flocked to South Africa's maiden A1GP races - the biggest
international motor racing meeting the country holds. A1 Team Netherlands' Jos
Vertappen was the hero of the inaugural event in 2006, demonstrating the dangers
and the glory of racing on such a narrow circuit.
The Dutchman crashed on the last lap of the Sprint race but won the Feature
with an impressive overtaking manoeuvre at the end of the race. The second
meeting in February 2007 was dominated by A1 Team Germany's Nico Hülkenberg. He
took his seventh and eighth victories of the season, breaking the record for the
most number of wins by any one driver in A1GP.
Who will race for
France?
The French team is yet to
announce its driver line-up for Durban and is at a crucial point in the
championship battle. Loic Duval, who secured France's first win in 37 races last
time out in Sydney, said in Australia that it was unlikely he would be able to
take part in any further A1GP events this season due to prior commitments.
Jarvis returns for GBR: A1 Team Great Britain has confirmed
that Oliver Jarvis, Zandvoort Feature race winner, will return to the cockpit to
race for his nation in Durban, a circuit he experienced last season in the
rookie session. Robbie Kerr, who finished on the Feature race podium last time
out in Australia, and has secured two second place finishes in his four races at
the Durban street circuit for GBR, will also be on hand to lend support to the
team and pass on his technical expertise.
Mount Moriah Ministries Care and Support Centre
visit: A1GP drivers will be visiting the Mount Moriah
Ministries Care and Support Centre on Wednesday afternoon to see the work of the
project and to interact with the children. The Centre is run by Food4Africa and
cares for disadvantaged and malnourished children in the surrounding community.
The project began as a soup kitchen and now provides care for over 200 children
and offers skills training as well as physical and emotional support to adults
in the community. A group of children and volunteers from the Centre will be
visiting the A1GP paddock on Friday afternoon to watch free practice and meet
the teams and drivers.
Pre-event PR activity: The pre-event PR activity for the
Durban race weekend will take place on Thursday (21 February) morning on the
strip of beach in front of the Suncoast Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club. The
drivers will take part in two traditional beach lifesaving activities: the
Taplin Relay and the Flags Relay. The drivers will be put into teams with
members of the Pirates Lifesaving Club and the Natal Sharks Rugby Union team.
The activity will be followed by a BBQ lunch on the beach for media and all
drivers, seat holders and team managers.
Drivers from the following nations will be taking part in the event: Czech
Republic, France, India, Ireland, Indonesia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Pakistan, South Africa, Switzerland, USA
About Durban street circuit:
The picturesque street circuit in Durban was specifically designed for
A1GP and held its first race in January 2006. The tight, twisty circuit leaves
little room for error and is considered to be one of the most difficult circuits
on the calendar.
The 11 turn 3.28 km (2.04 miles) layout has its start/finish line opposite
Natal Command in Snell Parade, lying between Natal Command and the beach.
Running in a clockwise direction, cars blast down to a very tight right-hand
hairpin out of which they accelerate back up Snell Parade and then snap left
into Argyle Road with a left/right chicane.
A faster right-hand corner feeds the cars onto what is normally NMR Avenue
for the longest straight of the circuit. This kinks to the right just before its
conclusion, at which point the track turns sharp right and east onto Battery
Beach Road, ducking under the M4 freeway.
Another right-hander follows, with the track then entering a long, arcing
left past the Suncoast Casino, complete with a chicane just before it starts to
arc. The lap is completed with a long right onto the start/finish straight on
Snell Parade. Temporary grandstands are erected around the circuit, seating
22,000 spectators.
Track length: 3.28 km (2.04 miles)
Lap record: 1m18.178s, recorded by Nelson Piquet Jr, A1 Team
Brazil, January 2006
The A1GP Durban, South Africa event runs from 22-24 February, kicking off
with the rookie driver and developing nations' sessions on Friday morning from
11.00 to 11.25 and again from 11.35 to 12.00. All 22 teams can take part in the
later practice session from 14.00 to 15.00. Final practice and qualifying for
the Sprint and Feature race will take place on Saturday with the two races
scheduled to run on Sunday at 11.00 and 15.00 respectively.
In addition to the thrilling A1GP action, spectators will be treated to
practice, qualifying and two races each (one on Saturday and one on Sunday) for
the Shelby CanAm sports car series and a GT Challenge. There will also be
parades of Supercars and Ferraris on Saturday and Sunday and a 30-minute A1GP
pit walkabout on each of the three days.
2007/08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport points
standings
|
POS
|
NATION
|
POINTS
|
|
1
|
New Zealand
|
96
|
|
2
|
France
|
96
|
|
3
|
Switzerland
|
93
|
|
4
|
South Africa
|
79
|
|
5
|
Germany
|
77
|
|
6
|
Great Britain
|
58
|
|
7
|
Netherlands
|
55
|
|
8
|
Ireland
|
50
|
|
9
|
Brazil
|
38
|
|
10
|
Canada
|
37
|
|
11
|
China
|
29
|
|
12
|
India
|
28
|
|
13
|
Mexico
|
19
|
|
14
|
Australia
|
15
|
|
15
|
USA
|
12
|
|
16
|
Czech Republic
|
10
|
|
17
|
Portugal
|
5
|
|
18
|
Italy
|
4
|
|
19
|
Malaysia
|
2
|
|
20
|
Pakistan
|
1
|
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