14/01/2008
NEWS STORY
The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport will make history in round five at Taupo in New Zealand this weekend (January 18 to 20) when all 22 teams - including South Africa - race for the first time with their 3,4-litre V8 engines powered by biofuel.
Part of an ambitious initiative called THINK Greener Racing aimed at reducing its environmental footprint, A1GP's new fuel is an ethanol-based product sourced from sugar beet in Europe and produced specifically for A1GP.
A1 Team South Africa will be represented by 21-year-old Adrian Zaugg and Vulindlela, the team's colourfully liveried racing car that will carry the names and logos of sponsors SABC Sport, Ericsson, Aqua SP and Aon, in addition to bearing the number 46664 to show the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport's support for the Nelson Mandela Foundation's HIV/AIDS initiatives.
Zaugg will be making his 11th appearance for his country in the World Cup of Motorsport following his impressive debut at Zandvoort in the Netherlands in October 2006, where he won the opening round sprint race in season two. He repeated the feat in last year's opening round at the Dutch seaside resort in September and, with three podium finishes so far this season, he and Vulindlela have put South Africa in fifth place in the championship as the series approaches its halfway point.
"We're coming off a good result in the feature race at Zhuhai in China in the last round in December (Zaugg finished a fine third after starting from ninth on the grid) and we'll be looking to build on this in New Zealand," said Mike Carroll, general manager of A1 Team South Africa. "We also had two really good pit stops, which are crucial for a good result in the feature race, and we'll be working hard to repeat these in the rounds ahead."
For Zaugg, it will be a new challenge to start the new year. "It will be my first time at Taupo and I'll have to learn the circuit as well as get back into the groove after the Christmas and New Year break," said the 21-year-old South African. "I'm confident we can improve our position in the championship and, as always, I'll be doing my best to score a win."
The huge and magnificent Lake Taupo, in the North Island of the Land of the Long White Cloud, provides the backdrop for what will be one of the most spectacular races of the season. The 3,5-km circuit, which is the focus of the NZ$ 12,5 million Taupo motor sport park, runs in an anti-clockwise direction and features 13 turns and an 830-metre straight. Drivers found it hard to overtake in last year's inaugural New Zealand round at Taupo, so turn 10 has been transformed into a sharp, 90-degree left-hander, which will reduce the corner speed and hopefully create more overtaking.
Saturday's qualifying will be broadcast live on SABC3 from 03h00 to 05h00 and Sunday's sprint and feature races will be broadcast from 03h00 to 05h30 (the recorded sprint race will be screened from 03h00 while the feature race will be live from 04h00).