04/07/2005
NEWS STORY
A1 Team Great Britain Team Principal, John Surtees, MBE, has announced Robbie Kerr and Alex Lloyd are the drivers chosen to represent their country in the inaugural A1 Grand Prix series. John knows all about winning at the top level, being the only man to win World Championships on both two and four wheels, so is delighted to be able to give two of Great Britain’s talented racing drivers this opportunity.
"A1 Grand Prix is a Series of opportunity, particularly for these two young British drivers, who have demonstrated their abilities but found it hard to be in the right place at the right time when it came to seating themselves in a competitive car. It is 9 years since the last British Formula One World Champion. Yet despite all the talent being developed through from karting to cars, we are still relying on David Coulthard to bring the car home in the points and willing Jenson Button on to win his first Grand Prix," said John.
Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum’s new A1 Grand Prix series, due to start at Brands Hatch on 23-25 September 2005, brings a new dimension to motorsport and new opportunities. It is nation versus nation with 25 countries competing for what is considered the World Cup of Motorsport.
The cars, which are entirely British designed and built, with 550bhp available, will be exciting and evenly matched, as they must all be maintained to a standard specification, and a true test of ability of the drivers and of the organisation and preparation skills of the team.
The British team’s partner in running the programme is the skilled and successful championship winning Arden International Motorsport owned by Christian Horner.
Robbie Kerr, who has already been on testing duty for A1 Grand Prix, won the British Formula 3 Championship in 2002, having won the Scholarship class the year before, said: "I am really honoured and pleased to be announced as one of the drivers for A1 Team Great Britain. We have got a tremendous team of experienced people we can call on and I am looking forward to giving it my best shot."
Alex Lloyd, a winner of the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award, at the age of 20 has already tested a Formula One car and raced in the European Formula 3000 and Formula Renault Championships. His comment was: "I’ve been on tenterhooks for the past month, so it was a fantastic feeling to get the call from John confirming that I have been chosen to be one of the two British drivers in the A1 GP series. I look forward to flying the flag for Great Britain in all four corners of the world, and I feel very privileged to be a part of this team. With all the elements now in place, we should be a formidable force in the Series and what better way to start off the than with the first event at Brands Hatch, one of the greatest venues in motorsport."
Both drivers will become acquainted with the team’s cars at the shake down tests due to take place at Silverstone and Paul Ricard in France prior to Brands Hatch.