The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Australia is an A1 Grand Prix race held on 3 February 2008 at the Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney, Australia. This was the sixth race in the 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix season.
Pre-race Fairuz Fauzy who drove in the inaugural 2005–06 season replace this weekend Alex Yoong in the A1 Team Malaysia car.Fauzy replaces Yoong at Malaysia a1gp.com (30 January 2008) Yoong had the longest run of consecutive starts with 45 successive starts.
For his home race, A1 Team Australia renamed its cars as Jackaroo.Australia names its race car a1gp.com (30 January 2008) The name was chosen between the Australian symbol propositions done by fan in the official team site.
Since Taupo round, A1GP cars used a 30 per cent biofuel mix. A1 Grand Prix continued its environmental campaign in Australia using electric generators for all the paddock's temporary and ancillary structures provided by Active Power Management and initiated by THINK Greener Racing.Paddock generators go green a1gp.com (2 February 2008)
Qualifications Once again, the practice sessions were dominated by France in Friday wet and Saturday humid weather conditions.France edges Friday practice a1gp.com (1 February 2008)France on top before qualifying a1gp.com (2 February 2008)
On Friday night, Portugal practice their pit stops and a tyre gun hose that became disconnected hit accidentally the leg of James Goodfield, the race engeener of the next door garage, Great Britain.GBR suffers race engineer set back a1gp.com (2 February 2008) James Goodfield sustain a broken leg and was carry up to the hospital.
Chris Alajajian, driver of the Lebanon, made a mistake on his first out lap for Sprint race qualifying spinning and hitting the tyre barriers at Turn 5.Alajajian 'gutted' after error a1gp.com (2 February 2008) The car was too much damaged to complete a flying lap during qualifying sessions. Lebanon after hard work to repair the car during the night, started both the Sunday races from the last grid position.
Canada was penalised because its driver, Robert Wickens, did not respect blue flags during the feature race qualifying, hampering Sérgio Jimenez (Brazil).Canada loses Feature grid slot a1gp.com (2 February 2008) Robert Wickens lost his 8th qualifying position to 21st.
Sprint race qualificationsPosTeamTimeGap1 France1'18.149 -2 Switzerland1'18.218 +0.0693 South Africa1'18.243 +0.0944 New Zealand1'18.368 +0.2195 China1'18.370 +0.2216 USA1'18.464 +0.3157 Germany1'18.632 +0.4838 Great Britain1'18.649 +0.5009 Australia1'18.690 +0.54110 Netherlands1'18.804 +0.65511 Brazil1'18.811 +0.66212 Ireland1'18.929 +0.78013 India1'19.004 +0.85514 Czech Republic1'19.099 +0.95015 Canada1'19.197 +1.04816 Malaysia1'19.384 +1.23517 Portugal1'19.492 +1.34318 Pakistan1'19.623 +1.47419 Mexico1'19.785 +1.63620 Italy1'19.975 +1.82621 Indonesia1'20.154 +2.00522 Lebanon (1)no time -Main race qualificationsPosTeamTimeGap1 New Zealand1'18.578 -2 Switzerland1'18.590 +0.0123 Great Britain1'18.720 +0.1424 China1'18.825 +0.2475 France1'18.829 +0.2516 South Africa1'18.922 +0.3447 USA1'18.976 +0.3988 Czech Republic1'19.232 +0.6549 Brazil1'19.235 +0.65710 Malaysia1'19.252 +0.67411 Netherlands1'19.487 +0.90912 Germany1'19.516 +0.93813 Mexico1'19.529 +0.95114 Australia1'19.611 +1.03315 Ireland1'19.706 +1.12816 Portugal1'19.733 +1.15517 Pakistan1'19.852 +1.27418 India1'19.878 +1.30019 Italy1'20.051 +1.47320 Indonesia1'20.133 +1.55521 Canada (2)1'19.199 +0.62122 Lebanon (1)no time -
(1) = No time for A1 Team Lebanon due to crash during Sprint qualifying. (2) = A1 Team Canada was penalised for blue flag disrecpet, losing its 8th position.
Sprint race This race is known as 'the race of two-halves' due to the track being dry in the first half with 27 °C, then become extremely difficult and wet.Sprint race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (2 February 2008) In first lap, the order is France, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Great Britain with a great start from the 8th, China, Germany and USA. Pakistan crash out in the first lap. Loïc Duval (France) made the fastest lap in Lap 2 and is pulling away. In lap 7, the rain start and Adrian Zaugg (South Africa) is slipping down at Turn 1. Narain Karthikeyan (India) is going off too. Great Britain and Indonesia enter into the pits for wet tyres in lap 9. Cong Fu Cheng (China) spins off in Lap 10, Adam Carroll (Ireland) the next lap. Robert Wickens (Canada) made an amazing race. He passes Ireland and Netherlands in Lap 11 takink 7th. At Turn 1, next lap, it grabs the 4th position passing four cars including Germany. One lap before the end of the Sprint race, France is leading followed by New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, USA, Australia and South Africa. Neel Jani (Switzerland) spin in the final lap. Loïc Duval (France) in his final round of racing for this A1GP season due to commitments in Japan, converted his pole position with a very comfortable win and breaking the 37-race win-drought, when France was a dominant team in A1GP's debut season. The final standing is France, New Zealand, Canada taking advantage of the rain and took a chance on not switching for wet tyre to climb from 15th, Germany, USA, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Netherlands and Switzerland in 10th.
PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints1 FranceLoïc Duval1420'18.53615+12 New ZealandJonny Reid14 +9.198123 CanadaRobert Wickens14 +11.016104 GermanyMichael Ammermüller14 +11.92985 USAJonathan Summerton14 +12.60466 AustraliaJohn Martin14 +14.21057 South AfricaAdrian Zaugg14 +14.52348 BrazilSérgio Jimenez14 +30.26039 NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen14 +33.471210 SwitzerlandNeel Jani14 +33.806111 IndiaNarain Karthikeyan14 +44.74212 PortugalJoão Urbano14 +46.13113 ItalyEdoardo Piscopo14 +46.19614 ChinaCong Fu Cheng14 +49.42315 IrelandAdam Carroll14 +50.30016 Great BritainRobbie Kerr14 +56.71517 MexicoDavid Garza Perez14 +1'02.84618 Czech RepublicTomáš Enge14 +1'03.03319 LebanonChris Alajajian14 +1'05.02920 MalaysiaFairuz Fauzy14 +1'20.88021 IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto14 +1'22.642Ret PakistanAdam Langley-Khan1 Crash
Main race It's 25 °C and soaking wet for the Main race.Feature race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (3 February 2008) Jonny Reid (New Zealand), having qualified pole, halt on track after quitting the stand and must start the race from the pitlane. Loïc Duval (France), qualified fifth, is stuck on the grid at the start of the formation lap and must start the race second to last. After the first lap, Ireland and India enter in pit to change their slicks tyres to wets. The order is Switzerland, Great Britain, South Africa, Brazil, USA, China, Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Canada. In the third lap, New Zealand is 19th and France 14th. Robert Wickens (Canada) grab the 9th to Tomáš Enge (Czech Republic) in Lap 3. In lap 7, New Zealand is already 14th and France in points at 10th. During Lap 9, Pakistan run off without damage. In the next lap, João Urbano (Portugal) spin off trying passes Chris Alajajian (Lebanon) who run off too. Pakistan, Czech Republic and China receive a drive-through penalty for making a false start. The pit window is now open in Lap 10. Switzerland and Great Britain pit at same time and leave the stand in the same order. In Lap 13, South Africa leads France by 21 seconds but neither have made their pit stop. Adrian Zaugg (South Africa) take the lead after a quick pit stop in Lap 15. In the same lap, Robbie Kerr (Great Britain) run wide and lost a few seconds meanwhile Jonathan Summerton (USA) has gone off and Robert Wickens (Canada) passes. Finally, France makes is mandatory pit stop and South Africa set the current fastest lap in Lap 16. After the pit window close, Canada and USA fight for 6th in Lap 17. Loïc Duval (France) join the battle and try to passes Jonathan Summerton (USA). In Lap 22, France hit USA, who give up, and receive a drive-through penalty for avoidable collision. Two laps before the opening of the pit for the second mandatories stops in Lap 26, John Martin (Australia) passes Robert Wickens (Canada). Cong Fu Cheng (China) loses is 11th to 13th after spin in Lap 28, Satrio Hermanto spin also at turn 1, 2 laps after that. Switzerland takes the fasted lap. During his pit stop on lap 31, the French car have a clutch failure and Loïc Duval must renounce. Canada passes Germany for 6th and South Africa takes again the fasted lap on Lap 33. Later, Cong Fu Cheng (China) passes Narain Karthikeyan (India) for 10th. The 42nd lap is the last and South Africa win 19.560 seconds behind Switzerland, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and China. New Zealand and France are now tied leading the championship with 96 points.
PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints1 South AfricaAdrian Zaugg421:12'00.93015+12 SwitzerlandNeel Jani42 +19.560123 Great BritainRobbie Kerr42 +25.194104 BrazilSérgio Jimenez42 +42.77085 AustraliaJohn Martin42 +1'08.64766 CanadaRobert Wickens42 +1'10.32157 GermanyChristian Vietoris42 +1'16.29948 NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen42 +1'17.15539 New ZealandJonny Reid42 +1'22.447210 ChinaCong Fu Cheng42 +1'33.913111 IndiaNarain Karthikeyan42 +1'35.41412 PakistanAdam Langley-Khan42 +1'39.49613 IrelandAdam Carroll41 +1 lap14 ItalyEdoardo Piscopo41 +1 lap15 Czech RepublicTomáš Enge41 +1 lap16 PortugalJoão Urbano41 +1 lap17 MalaysiaFairuz Fauzy41 +1 lap18 MexicoDavid Garza Perez41 +1 lap19 LebanonChris Alajajian40 +2 laps20 IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto39 +3 lapsRet FranceLoïc Duval31 Clutch Ret USAJonathan Summerton20 Collision
After race Due to commitment to race in Japan (Formula Nippon and Super GT) agreed before the start of the A1GP season, Loïc Duval announced he will not drive for France for the final three rounds of the 2007–08.France set to change driver a1gp.com (3 February 2008) His participation for the next South African round on 24 February was only confirmed 22 February.The Three Musketeers a1gp.com (21 February 2008)
Notes It was the 28th race weekend (56 starts). It was the third venue in Eastern Creek Raceway and in Australia. It was the first race weekend for Jonathan CochetRookies combined results.a1gp.com (1 February 2008) and Michael Klein. Records : France even up the 6 pole position of Switzerland. France score 10 fastest laps (6 rewarded by points). Lebanon participate on 28 rounds (56 starts) without won points since their first Grand Prix. Neel Jani score 232 points.
References
External links France wins Australia Sprint Sprint race: lap-by-lap Sprint Race Results South Africa storms Sydney Feature race lap-by-lap Feature Race Results