14/10/2007
NEWS STORY
Brazil
Sergio Jimenez: "I had a normal start but then on the first corner I had to brake very early to avoid China ahead of me and New Zealand was able to get past me. Otherwise there are a lot of positives to take from the race and we are aware of the areas we have to work on. We were on the pace and set the third fastest lap of the race, so we know we are making good progress and we know we have a good car. Unfortunately both of the pitstops were a bit slow so we need to work a bit on qualifying and get the pitstops right. If it were not for losing time in the pits today we would have been in fourth position and perhaps on the podium, so that lost us a few positions."
Fernando Paiva, Team Principal: "We're pleased that we've picked up some points and are extremely happy with Sergio's progress and the way he has been performing. He was very quick throughout the race, as he was in Zandvoort. We have put a new team together and are learning all the time. We were hoping to have improved the pitstops since Zandvoort, but we're still suffering from that problem at the moment. Otherwise, we would have collected more from this race."
Canada
James Hinchcliffe: "The team did a good job all weekend. We know we have a decent race pace but we need to work on qualifying so we're up there when it counts. I think we could have been in the points today but we were held up quite a bit in our second stint in the Feature, we showed how quick we were at the end as we closed in on Italy but we ran out of time and just missed out on points."
Simon Cayzer, Team Manager: "We could have had a top-six finish this weekend but frustratingly one way or another we've come away without scoring. We had a good car today and a driver who knows the circuit well so we're a little disappointed. We've now got a five week gap to put in some work away from the track and really get our season started in Malaysia!"
France
Nicolas Lapierre: "I made a very good start in the Sprint race and managed to pass four cars on the outside in the first corner. We knew we had to take risks at that moment as the race lasted only ten laps. In the second event I made an average start as I was on the dirty side of the track, and my tyres spun when I let the clutch out. We decided to come at the start of the refuelling window and gained a place. I rejoined behind Great Britain and South Africa. We had a good scrap from which I emerged victorious: I finished fifth. Today's result is positive as we gained places in relation to where we were on the grid in each race. On the other hand, the weekend's been a bit mixed. Had we qualified better I think we'd have been on the podium."
Olivier Panis, Sporting Director: "The team has had a good weekend. In addition, Nicolas Lapierre found his marks very quickly, and drove a couple of good races enabling us to gain several places in relation to our qualifying performances. We're leaving Brno without being on the rostrum, but the points we've scored this weekend help close the gap to the overall leader."
Germany
Christian Vietoris: "In the sprint race my car had a tendency to oversteer on turn-in to the corners. Furthermore, we also noticed that our opponents used a longer sixth gear. We started the feature race with these two handicaps and I didn't make things any easier for myself when I spun the wheels at the start. Afterwards, it was easy to overtake and regain the positions. However, the problems at the second pit-stop cost me four places of which I was only able to regain two before the finish. We'll now look at the data in detail and try to understand why the set-up wasn't ideal here. Then we'll focus on the next race. I'm convinced that we'll soon have everything under control again soon."
Willi Weber: "Unfortunately both the team and driver haven't reached top form yet. The team needs to sort out all the unanswered technical details, so that the set-up of the car is better. Pit stops are all about practice and a small portion of luck. At the same time, Christian must try to find his feet in the series and win more respect on the circuit. He has already shown that he possesses the raw speed by setting fastest times in testing and practice sessions. It's also important that he stamps his authority during the wheel to wheel duels. Unfortunately we have lost a little ground to the leaders in the points table. However, we aim to change this situation as soon as possible. Team and driver are better than the results show – I know this."
Great Britain
Robbie Kerr: "The Sprint Race was a fantastic first race back in the car. It was a shame we couldn't make it one place higher but the car wasn't quite under us to challenge New Zealand and we had a lot of over-steer. It was a great battle during the first lap of the Sprint between us, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa – we all went for it but respected each other and tried to make it as clean as possible. Unfortunately Ireland and GBR did touch but there was no blame and it was great racing and a good result."
"In the Feature we got a great start battling for the lead going into the first corner. Jeroen (A1 Team Netherlands) did exactly as I would and saw us on the outside and ran me out which was fair but it allowed Adrian (A1 Team RSA) to get back past going into turn 2 which was disappointing as I knew I was much quicker. From that point on he held me up. We had a slower first pit stop than normal and South Africa came out ahead, but I battled hard and immediately got up behind him. We had a good battle but when I eventually overtook him down the straight, giving him plenty of room, he unfortunately got it wrong on the inside and drove into the back of my car knocking off the valve cap, therefore puncturing my tyre with his front wing. We couldn't wait until the next pit stop window to change the tyres so had to come in for another stop. It's disappointing as we were heading for a possible podium and could have left Brno as Championship leaders."
Katie Clements, Team Principal: "Today was bitter-sweet because once again we showed how competitive we are and the superb second placed finish in the Sprint Race really set the team up nicely for the Feature Race. We seemed to lose a lot of ground as a result of South Africa holding everyone up and it was very close after the first pit stops – but ultimately the puncture put paid to any chance Robbie had of scoring another podium for the team. Unfortunately this is what can happy in racing, but at least we remain fully competitive and are looking forward to Malaysia next month."
Ireland
Adam Carroll: "It's been a very good day for us, a podium in race one is what we wanted and we achieved that. The car was really good throughout, we had a couple of small issues with the balance that we fixed for race two and we got a great start and made up a lot of places. After that everything came together, the guys did a great job with the pit stops, I had some good battles on the track and we finished sixth from the back, I'm now looking forward to the next race in Malaysia."
Dan Walmsley, Race Engineer: "A very satisfactory weekend, the only disappointment was qualifying but we turned that into a positive with a great result in the Feature Race. This was achieved thanks to the hard work and determination of everyone in the team from top to bottom. Adam drove two superb races, the guys did their usual great job on the pit stops and we've come away with more points. The fact we finished just 24 seconds behind the leader having started 18th on the grid shows just how far this team has come in two race weekends.
Mark Kershaw, Team Owner: "I'm delighted with the team's performance this weekend, our second podium in A1GP was long overdue and I'm confident it will be the first of many this season. Adam did a fantastic job in both races, the team was on top form, and based on this performance I'm sure we'll be challenging for wins and getting ourselves in the title hunt as the season unfolds. It will be nice to go to the A1GP podium party tonight having actually scored one!"
Lebanon
Khalil Beschir: "Our main focus was on completing two race distances, to give me the racing mileage that I lack compared to the other drivers in this Series. We achieved this, and, more importantly, we improved our pace throughout the weekend. I certainly need more experience in the car and more race distances to continue my learning curve, but this was a starting point which can be built on through the season."
Luke Craft, Team Principal: "It's been a tough weekend for Khalil, but he's coped well, considering his comparative inexperience. He's shown steady improvement with a steep learning curve, working with the new team and returning to racing after nearly a year, with only the limited testing opportunities available within A1GP to give him seat time in this car. The determination to succeed is within everyone at A1 Team Lebanon, so we'll head on to Malaysia with the focus and commitment to perform as well as we can for Lebanon."
Malaysia
Alex Yoong: "In the Sprint race we were still struggling with finding the setup for the circuit and the conditions, but we did make progress in the Feature race. We were able to make up some places over the course of the race, which, together with two good pitstops from the team enabled us to finish 14th. Of course, we're disappointed with this weekend's performance, but we have some time now to review every single technical aspect before we reach Sepang for the next round"
Jack Cunningham, Chief Executive: "It's been one of the toughest weekends of any A1GP season, but we are heartened by the progress that we finally made in the Feature race. To go from last on the grid to 14th is a creditable performance but we are fairly sure that something is not right that either we are doing wrong, or that there is something wrong with the car. To some degree the break between now and Sepang will help us get to the bottom of what the problems are. I have every confidence in the professionalism and talents of the team. We'll pull together, work through everything and come back as strong and determined as we can be, with all our efforts focused on bringing pride to the Malaysian nation."
Netherlands
Jeroen Bleekemolen: "Of course a very good result, really happy with this podium. We could have battled for the win even more today though. New Zealand was quicker on track, but we were leading. We had some bad luck. Our second stop was perfect, as was our strategy. I came out again just behind India and that cost us a lot of time. On my own I was driving low 48's and now behind him it were high 49's. Otherwise I could have stayed in front and then it probably would have been a fight to the finish. Then with my remaining power boosts I would have been able to defend quite well. As far as the Championship goes we did good today. For races, two podiums and points every time. We are not far behind New Zealand, it is looking good so far this year.. All summer Jan and myself have said that we are going for the title. The team is getting better and better and now we are really competing for the Championship."
Jan Lammers: "Jeroen and I have already said; we are going for the Championship. When you step back from the emotions of the weekend then this is super for us when you look at the Championship. We have stayed in touch with the leaders, we are six points behind. We have now completed 20 percent of the Championship and our ambition to go for the title has now partially been confirmed. We still have important races ahead though. When we keep working hard the victories will come our way. Our goal is the ultimate victory at the end of the season. The backmarkers did make the difference for us this race. New Zealand was in another league this time out, we knew that. If we could have just stayed ahead after the pitstops we could have very well won. But then it has to go your way. A good job by New Zealand, but certainly also a very good one by us. This was our maximum race pace. A good weekend and it is a nice feeling to go to Malaysia lying third in the Championship."
New Zealand
Jonny Reid: "I'm ecstatic. That was mega. It's not easy out there because the level has definitely gone up this year. But everything went 110 per cent today and the guys in the pits did such a fantastic job it allowed me to concentrate on all-out attack on the track.
"I'm so happy, absolutely stoked. We'll enjoy this one, but remember that it's early days in the championship and we have to remain focused on race wins and big points hauls."
David Sears: Engineering Team Director: "He's definitely stronger physically and mentally and that means a greater focus and less mistakes. No-one could keep up with him today as Black Beauty galloped off into the sunset from the green light in the opening Sprint Race.
"There were a few things we weren't happy about after the first round in the Netherlands and we had a big soul-searching debrief that helped solve some problems. Everything just gelled today for the entire team and the pit stops were outstanding. We were the fastest at the first stop by more than three seconds and reeled in two or three cars before repeating the dose at the second stop."
Pakistan
Adam Khan: "I made quite a good start in the Sprint race, but unfortunately had to take evasive action to avoid an accident ahead involving A1 Team India and that lost me quite a few places. I think P15 was the best we could have hoped for today.
"The Feature race was quite frustrating. I enjoyed a good battle with A1 Team Germany, even though my car must have been about two seconds slower a lap, I wasn't going to let him past! Yes, I had to make another pit stop, but I wasn't under any obligation to let him past, I think I raced hard but fair. You can't make it easy for people to overtake you, that goes against what I'm here to do for Pakistan, which is to represent the country to the best of my ability. Its been a difficult weekend, but we will be putting it behind us now and completely focusing on the rest of the season starting in Malaysia in six weeks time."
Bobby Issazadhe, Team Manager: "In the second pit stop the wheel nut came loose from the wheel gun, so I think we lost a bit of time there. Adam defended very well against Germany in the Feature race, but this possibly cost us a bit of time. After the last pit stop he was putting in some very good and consistent lap times, but unfortunately it was very hard to make up any positions in the latter stages of the race. A disappointing weekend overall I think, but we will be aiming to do better and get our first points of the season in Malaysia."
South Africa
Adrian Zaugg: "We didn't get the good start we were looking for. After turn one all I could do was hang on to my fourth position.
"I had really bad oversteer on the new tyres during the first stint. Then, in the second stint when we had contact with Great Britain, something must have got bent because I had severe oversteer from then on."
Mike Carroll, General Manager: "We're happy to still be in a strong position in the championship (just one point behind the leader), but we're disappointed we were not able to convert our strong qualifying performance into better results.
"We struggled all weekend on old tyres, but were very quick on new rubber. This circuit is very abrasive. We must have been asking too much of the tyres."
Switzerland
Neel Jani: "The rolling start of the sprint race behind the pace car was a bit preoccupying even if it is meant to make it more disciplined for a clean start. The first danger in this race was the oil at turn one. But I managed to avoid it partly even if I drove on it and got a bit of oil on the tyres as I was sandwiched between two cars and could not do much. Then things started to settle down in the pack. There was a lot of dirt, sand and gravel going into turn 2 after the contact between Britain and Ireland ahead of me on the track. I pushed Germany hard but there wasn't enough time to get past. "In the feature race, I had a good start in the second race yet still lost one place in the first lap. Then I came under attack from New Zealand and I did not panic. I then pushed the pace strongly until the first cars came in when the pitstop window was opened. I chose to come in on lap 10. I was running third when I came in. After my stop I rejoined in 9th place and picked up some places after that to stabilize back again in third. The race was eventful but I kept out of trouble. Our second pitstop was early into lap 25, in the pit-window and I quickly rejoined in eighth to get back to third. I almost lost the car two laps before the end locking up into turn 3, but luckily nothing happened. Towards the end of the race the finish was far from lonely with China catching very strongly. I was careful not to make any mistakes because China was so fast and clocked the fastest lap. The guys in the team did a really excellent job for the two pitstops. I can't thank them enough."
Max Welti, Team Principal: "I am very proud for the team and the country about our bronze medal. In the feature race Neel drove a superbe, solid strong race with a well thought out team strategy. It brought Team A1Switzerland our second podium of the season. It was great team work showing how much the team has progressed. Finishing eighth in the morning sprint race also allowed us to get three additional points in the classification. We had our final race team together for the second time this weekend and I would like to congratulate the guys for a very professional job over the weekend and one of the fastest and best-oiled pitstops today."
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