2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa


The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa is an A1 Grand Prix race, held on 24 February 2008 at the Durban street circuit in Durban, South Africa. This is the seventh meeting in the 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix season.

Pre-race

and France lead the championship by 96 points each other.
Portugal replace for the rest of the season, their lead driver João Urbano by the newcomer Filipe Albuquerque. For Czech Republic, it was Josef Král that replace Tomáš Enge for the rest of the season.
Bruno Junqueira and rookie Alexandre Negrão will return for Brazil this weekend as race driver and rookie driver like it was in the 2006-07 season.
Loïc Duval was the race driver despite his commitment in Super GT and Formula Nippon this season. Nicolas Prost ran the Rookie sessions, Jonathan Cochet the Friday practice session and Loïc Duval the Saturday afternoon practice and the both Sunday races traveling from Japan during the Friday to Saturday night. Therefore, 3 different drivers from the same team, France, take part on the race weekend. A1 Team Greece engage also 3 different drivers on the 2006-07, Netherlands but only 2 actually ran.

Qualifications

On the Saturday morning free practice, Narain Karthikeyan was injured after hitting the tyre barriers at the exit of the second turn. The Indian Rookie driver Parthiva Sureshwaren replaces its lead driver, Narain Karthikeyan, who have participate in one run in each Sprint and Feature qualifying sessions putting India in 9th and 17th positions on the starting grids. Parthiva Sureshwaren will muster start from the back of the grid because he did not take part of the qualifying sessions.
During the Sprint Qualification 1, Jonny Reid spin out and a red flag stop the session. Only Six teams have done hot laps : Germany, India, Pakistan, Australia, Lebanon and Indonesia. In the Sprint Qualification 2, Adrian Zaugg spins out at the first chicane and have no time. South Africa starts from the back of the grid for the Sunday Sprint race. France is hampered by the yellow flag due to Adrian Zaugg and take only the 17th. Adam Carroll isn't able to make a hot lap due to fuel pump problem.
The home South African team realize only the 15th position for the Feature race grid because of electrical glitch and then traffic problems during its qualification laps.
It is a sunny 28 °C weather for the Sprint race. India start from the back of the grid because they have replaced their lead driver between qualifying and race sessions. John Martin was in hospital overnight suffering from dehydration but he takes part of both races.
Canada take the lead on start and during the first lap, New Zealand damage its nose on Robert Wickens's car and was forced to pit for repairs. Brazil try to passes Switzerland in lap 2, but fail and damage its nose too. The order is Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, Brazil, China, Netherlands, Germany and Australia for 8th. France starting from 17th is already 13th. In lap 5, Brazil fight China, which is now behind, for 4th. But Bruno Junqueira's front wing is too much damaged and he slows targeting pits to change the car's nose.
In lap 7, Neel Jani is just behind the second, Oliver Jarvis. Adrian Zaugg is now 14th in lap 8, starting second from last. Bruno Junqueira crashes out in Turn 5/6 chicane hitting the wall and the car is stuck out on track. The Safety car is out until lap 11.
Michael Ammermüller hit Jeroen Bleekemolen on final corner and both cars retire but the incident brought out the red flag. For causing this avoidable collision, Germany was excluded from its 6th.
The final order is Canada behind Great Britain, Switzerland, China, Netherlands, Australia, Portugal, Mexico, Malaysia and USA. New Zealand with Jonny Reid score the bonus point for the fastest lap.
PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints
1 CanadaRobert Wickens1115'28.15615
2 Great BritainOliver Jarvis11+0.99012
3 SwitzerlandNeel Jani11+1.74210
4 ChinaCong Fu Cheng11+2.2488
5 NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen11+3.4776
6 AustraliaJohn Martin11+5.3375
7 PortugalFilipe Albuquerque11+6.4494
8 MexicoDavid Garza Perez11+8.3433
9 MalaysiaFairuz Fauzy11+8.9312
10 USAJonathan Summerton11+10.2701
11 FranceLoïc Duval11+11.067
12 PakistanAdam Langley-Khan11+11.625
13 South AfricaAdrian Zaugg11+12.074
14 ItalyEdoardo Piscopo11+12.715
15 IrelandAdam Carroll11+13.143
16 IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto14+14.579
17 IndiaParthiva Sureshwaren11+15.375
18 Czech RepublicJosef Král11+24.147
19 LebanonKhalil Beschir11+30.280
20 New ZealandJonny Reid11+46.100+1
21 BrazilBruno Junqueira8+3 laps
EX GermanyMichael Ammermüller11+4.602

Main race

Its a 32 °C when Switzerland take the lead of the race after starting from pole position. China and Portugal collide in first lap and Cong Fu Cheng is stuck in the wall meanwhile Filipe Albuquerque is launched into the air. The Safety car is out. China, Lebanon, USA, Mexico and South Africa goes in pit for minors repairs each other. On lap 4, the safety car is on and the order is Switzerland behind New Zealand, Brazil, Great Britain, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, France, Australia and Ireland. In the first corner again, on lap 4, Australia hits Germany, who spin, and then Ireland. John Martin and Adam Carroll are stuck on the track. France is involved but passes without damages. Indonesia piles into Germany and Pakistan into Indonesia, the three teams retire. Safety car is out again. Before the Safety car is on, on lap 9, many drivers get into pits to minors repairs. In lap 10, the first mandatory pit stop is possible.
Jonny Reid make a long stop changing his front wing because of a collision into pits with David Garza Perez. South Africa have a slow pit stop due to sticking wheel and France gain some places staying out more time than its rivals. In lap 13, New Zealand receive a drive-through penalty for his collision with Mexico. Lebanon also gets a drive-through penalty in lap 15. After the first mandatory stop, Switzerland lead Canada, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Malaysia, Brazil, Italy and China. Ireland receive a drive-through penalty in lap 18. Loïc Duval and Oliver Jarvis fight for 3rd while Cong Fu Cheng get by Edoardo Piscopo in lap 23 for ninth. In the next lap, Czech Republic run slowly and reach the pits. USA retire in pits. China passes now Brazil for eighth and South Africa, started from 15th enter into the points getting by Italy. India retire from the race because of a black flag in lap 29 for pit stop violation and exceed the pit lane speed limit. The second pit stop window start in lap 30.
South Africa does a faster pit stop and passes Brazil in the pits like Canada taking the lead behind Switzerland. France pits after its adversaries, into lap 32, and passes Great Britain. Jonny Reid take the fastest lap in lap 34 but Cong Fu Cheng make a better lap time next lap.
In lap 39, Robert Wickens spins and Oliver Jarvis hits him and damage his car's nose. The Safety car is out until lap 41. On first corner, South Africa hits Netherlands, 3rd and involving three other drivers. The safety car is out again, the order its Switzerland, France, Portugal, China, Malaysia but the commissioners red flag the race. The official classification is, at the end of lap 41, Switzerland front of France, Portugal, Netherlands, Malaysia, China, South Africa, Italy, Brazil and New Zealand. The fastest lap is for China.
PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints
1 SwitzerlandNeel Jani411:01'55.33015
2 FranceLoïc Duval41+1.05112
3 PortugalFilipe Albuquerque41+1.93410
4 NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen41+3.3788
5 MalaysiaFairuz Fauzy41+4.5496
6 ChinaCong Fu Cheng41+4.9845+1
7 South AfricaAdrian Zaugg41+5.6404
8 ItalyEdoardo Piscopo41+6.5623
9 BrazilBruno Junqueira41+19.5242
10 New ZealandJonny Reid41+20.2201
11 Great BritainOliver Jarvis40+1 lap
12 CanadaRobert Wickens39+2 laps
13 LebanonKhalil Beschir39+2 laps
14 AustraliaJohn Martin39+2 laps
Ret IrelandAdam Carroll35+6 laps
Ret Czech RepublicJosef Král33+8 laps
Ret IndiaParthiva Sureshwaren29+12 laps
Ret USAJonathan Summerton25+16 laps
Ret MexicoDavid Garza Perez18+23 laps
Ret GermanyMichael Ammermüller3+38 laps
Ret IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto3+38 laps
Ret PakistanAdam Langley-Khan3+38 laps