20/02/2006
NEWS STORY
Two races await A1 Team Germany in the 'New World'.
Willi Weber's team heads off to America for the first time for the ninth round of the A1 Grand Prix series in Monterrey, Mexico from 24 to 26 February and for the race held in Laguna Seca, California two weeks later. The events on the American continent also mean that nominated driver Timo Scheider enters new territory.
"It's a pleasant feeling knowing that I"ll be competing in Monterrey and later in Laguna Seca, where so many famous races have already been run", explains Scheider. "I'll take my fiancé Jasmin and my mental coach Arno Gantner with me to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and to be able to draw new strength for the races." In the field of 24-nations, each fighting for supremacy in the inaugural World Cup in Motorsport, there is an extremely evenly matched grid and constant place swapping among the leading teams. "After the having had the podium firmly in our sights on more than one occasion, and having narrowly missed it, I obviously want to finish well up the leader board for A1 Team Germany in the final races", says the 27-year old professional racing driver.
A varied and interesting 3.386 kilometre circuit awaits the teams at Fundidora Park in Monterrey. The extremely wide track is full of excellent overtaking places. The track is also characterised by its extremely hilly nature and the twelve corners of contrasting radii. The circuit runs around the grounds of a former steel mill, which has become an unusual setting for motorsport owing to its artificial lake and lush vegetation and which attracted seven-digit crowds in the past.
"I hope that we are able to have a grandstand finish at the last three rounds of the inaugural A1 Grand Prix series", explains Willi Weber. "Team and driver have undergone a learning curve and made improvements to the car from race to race, to driving style and in the way the team works. We certainly possess all the ingredients to bring home good results. Now it's a just a question of putting it all into practice."