02/10/2008
NEWS STORY
A1 Team Korea head to the Netherlands this week, for the first round of the 2008/09 season. Zandvoort will be the first race for A1 Team Korea, with 25 year-old Jin-Woo Hwang becoming the first Korean to represent his nation in the global motor racing series.
Following a glittering launch in Seoul, attended by 500 guests from the world of business, fashion, music and film in August, the team have been busy preparing for the first round of the A1GP season. Before arriving in Zandvoort, the team will complete a shakedown at the Snetterton circuit in England, giving Hwang a full day to learn more about the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car.
The Zandvoort circuit, which lies just 30km from Amsterdam, will host its third A1GP race this weekend. The 2.8 mile long track has the reputation for being a true ‘drivers' track, with the Tarzan corner at the end of the main straight considered to be one of the most challenging in the world. One of the most popular races on the A1GP calendar, A1 Team Korea will be racing in front of a large enthusiastic crowd on its A1GP debut.
Zandvoort will host fewer teams than expected, with a number of teams missing the first round. The A1GP series has made no secret of its car build delay, and this has impacted on the number that will be on the grid at the Dutch seaside resort track. The series plans to have all its nations on the grid for the second event of Season Four, A1GP Chengdu, China on 7-9 November.
Driver, Jin-Woo Hwang said, "It's a great honour to be representing my country in A1GP. I feel both proud and excited to be the first person to represent Korea in motorsport and drive the A1GP Powered by Ferrari car. We have a lot to learn this week, in terms of getting used to the new car and learning the Zandvoort circuit, which many of the A1GP drivers' already have experience of. Nevertheless I will be working hard to get the best result for my team and country this weekend."
A1 Team Korea seat holder, Jung-Yong Joshua Kim added, "This is a very exciting time for the team. It seems as though we have waited a long time to see the Korean car on track and a lot of hard work has gone into getting the car and team ready for this first race. This weekend will be the start of a new era in motorsport in Korea, and I am very proud to be able to take Korea into A1GP and onto such an exciting international sporting stage. We will be racing against countries such as China, India, Malaysia and the USA, and it will be a proud moment to see the national colours of Korea racing around Zandvoort this weekend."