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A1 Team Korea gear up for racing debut |
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Thursday, 02 October 2008 |
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A1 Team Korea head to the Netherlands this week, for the first round of the 2008/09 A1 GP
World Cup of Motorsport. The A1GP Zandvoort, Netherlands will be the first race for A1 Team
Korea, with 25 year-old Jin-Woo Hwang becoming the first Korean to represent his nation in the
global motor racing series.
Following a glittering launch in Seoul, attended by 500 guests from the world of business,
fashion, music and film in August, the team have been busy preparing for the first round of the
A1GP season. Before arriving in Zandvoort, the team will complete a shakedown at the
Snetterton circuit in England, giving Hwang a full day to learn more about the new A1GP
Powered by Ferrari car.
The Zandvoort circuit, which lies just 30km from Amsterdam, will host its third A1GP race this
weekend. The 2.8 mile long track has the reputation for being a true ‘drivers’ track, with the
Tarzan corner at the end of the main straight considered to be one of the most challenging in
the world. One of the most popular races on the A1GP calendar, A1 Team Korea will be racing
in front of a large enthusiastic crowd on its A1GP debut.
The A1GP Zandvoort, Netherlands will host fewer teams than expected, with a number of teams
missing the first round. The A1GP series has made no secret of its car build delay, and this has
impacted on the number that will be on the grid at the Dutch seaside resort track. The series
plans to have all its nations on the grid for the second event of Season Four, A1GP Chengdu,
China on 7-9 November.
A1 Team Korea driver, Jin-Woo Hwang said, “It’s a great honour to be representing my country
in A1GP. I feel both proud and excited to be the first person to represent Korea in motorsport
and drive the A1GP Powered by Ferrari car. We have a lot to learn this week, in terms of
getting used to the new car and learning the Zandvoort circuit, which many of the A1GP drivers’
already have experience of. Nevertheless I will be working hard to get the best result for my
team and country this weekend.”
A1 Team Korea seat holder, Jung-Yong Joshua Kim added, “This is a very exciting time for the
team. It seems as though we have waited a long time to see the Korean car on track and a lot
of hard work has gone into getting the car and team ready for this first race. This weekend will
be the start of a new era in motorsport in Korea, and I am very proud to be able to take Korea
into A1GP and onto such an exciting international sporting stage. We will be racing against
countries such as China, India, Malaysia and the USA, and it will be a proud moment to see the
national colours of Korea racing around Zandvoort this weekend.”
A1 Team Korea will take to the track at Zandvoort for the first time at 09.00 local time on
Saturday 4 October, for the first free practice session.
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