2008 Mexico City A1GP round

Motor racing meeting Flag_of_Mexico.svg Mexico 8 of 10 2007-08 Mexico City A1GP 2008.png March 16, 2008 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Mexico City Mexico dry Flag_of_South_Africa.svg South Africa Adrian Zaugg 1'20.315 Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg New Zealand Jonny Reid Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Great Britain Oliver Jarvis Flag_of_Switzerland.svg Switzerland Neel Jani Flag_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China.svg China Cong Fu Cheng 1'21.589 11 Flag_of_Canada.svg Canada Robert Wickens 1'20.278 Flag_of_Ireland.svg Ireland Adam Carroll Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Great Britain Oliver Jarvis Flag_of_the_United_States.svg USA Jonathan Summerton Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Great Britain Oliver Jarvis 1'21.417 37 http://www.forix.com/a1gp/pdf/2007/08_Mexico,%20Mexico.pdf The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Mexico is an A1 Grand Prix race, held on March 16, 2008, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico. This is the eighth meeting in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season. Pre-race David Martínez (Mexico) who race two venues in the 2005-06 season was recalled to drive Rookie sessions due to ineligibility of current main driver David Garza Perez.Mexico confirms home team a1gp.com (March 05, 2008) Josef Král (Czech Republic) was replaced by Filip Salaquarda for the last three meetings.Salaquarda in shock Czech recall a1gp.com (March 05, 2008) This Czech driver race in one round in 2006-07. Initially, Josef Král was called for race all four rounds but its results in the last South African venue (18th and 16th) weren't enough for its team. Qualifications In Rookie sessions, David Rigon (Italy) top the classification for its first A1GP appearance.Rigon achieves rare rookie feat a1gp.com (March 15, 2008) This performance was only achieved before by Jonathan Summerton (USA) in 2006-07, Australia. Mexico and France made disappointing qualifying sessions.Canada and South Africa grab poles a1gp.com (March 15, 2008) David Garza Perez (Mexico) spin and hit the wall in the Peraltada corner in its last hot lap, he start from last row of the grid in each races. Jonathan Cochet line up on 16th and 14th position for his first race weekend replacing Loïc Duval for French team who is second in the standings before Mexican rounds. Robert Wickens (Canada) make the Feature race pole position under yellow flag during the last qualifying session when David Garza Perez (Mexico) spin off. These circumstances are controversial according to several drivers, like Neel Jani who realize the second time, but the race stewards take no action against the Canadian team.Controversial Feature pole for Canada autosport.com (March 15, 2008) Sprint race qualificationsPosTeamTimeGap1RSA South Africa1'20.315 -2NZL New Zealand1'20.397 +0.0823USA USA1'20.426 +0.1114SUI Switzerland1'20.518 +0.2035GBR Great Britain1'20.556 +0.2416CAN Canada1'20.621 +0.3067IRE Ireland1'20.769 +0.4548BRA Brazil1'20.842 +0.5279POR Portugal1'20.940 +0.62510ITA Italy1'20.961 +0.64611NLD Netherlands1'21.005 +0.69012CHN China1'21.028 +0.71313GER Germany1'21.054 +0.73914MYS Malaysia1'21.099 +0.78415PAK Pakistan1'21.176 +0.86116FRA France1'21.417 +1.10217AUS Australia1'21.789 +1.47418IND India1'21.799 +1.48419LIB Lebanon1'22.012 +1.69720IDN Indonesia1'22.044 +1.72921MEX Mexico1'22.370 +2.05522CZE Czech Republic1'22.373 +2.058Main race qualificationsPosTeamTimeGap1CAN Canada1'20.278 -2SUI Switzerland1'20.320 +0.0423GER Germany1'20.646 +0.3684GBR Great Britain1'20.705 +0.4275IRE Ireland1'20.708 +0.4306NZL New Zealand1'20.743 +0.4657USA USA1'20.783 +0.5058POR Portugal1'20.825 +0.5479CHN China1'20.859 +0.58110RSA South Africa1'20.870 +0.59211MYS Malaysia1'20.939 +0.66112ITA Italy1'20.953 +0.67513NLD Netherlands1'21.263 +0.98514FRA France1'21.310 +1.03215AUS Australia1'21.358 +1.08016LIB Lebanon1'21.441 +1.16317PAK Pakistan1'21.484 +1.20618BRA Brazil1'21.675 +1.39719IDN Indonesia1'21.788 +1.51020IND India1'21.909 +1.63121CZE Czech Republic1'22.333 +2.05522MEX Mexico1'22.371 +2.093 Sprint race It is 28 °C for the sprint race and a near 50 °C for the track temperature.Mexico Sprint race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (March 16, 2008) A second start was planned because of multiple crash in the first. Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) hit the back of Neel Jani (Switzerland) car's. Pakistan and then Australia hit Germany. Ireland and Brazil went off the track. Red flag is brandished and a new start is scheduled 20 minutes later. All teams had time to repair damages and line up in their qualifying position except Germany who cannot take part in the second start. The start is properly done this time and South Africa take the lead but only for two laps to have sustained a puncture. New Zealand lead Great Britain, Switzerland and Ireland. Australia is out since Lap 1, hitting Pakistan. Jonathan Cochet (France passes Narain Karthikeyan (India) in Lap 4 for 13th. The Safety car is out in Lap 6 when Filip Salaquarda (Czech Republic) spin in the chicane. After the safety car comes on in Lap 9, Great Britain, Switzerland and Ireland are close together using PowerBoosts to make the difference but all preserve their own position. In Lap 10, Cong Fu Cheng (China) hit David Garza Perez (Brazil) and go to the pits. China make the fastest lap on Lap 13. Jonny Reid (New Zealand) take its fourth win of the season behind Great Britain, Switzerland, Ireland, USA, Portugal, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia and Brazil finished 10th. PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints1NZL New ZealandJonny Reid1420'59.462152GBR Great BritainOliver Jarvis14 +2.697123SUI SwitzerlandNeel Jani14 +3.745104IRE IrelandAdam Carroll14 +4.29185USA USAJonathan Summerton14 +4.72166POR PortugalFilipe Albuquerque14 +7.12557CAN CanadaRobert Wickens14 +7.78748NLD NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen14 +8.59739MYS MalaysiaAlex Yoong14 +9.599210BRA BrazilBruno Junqueira14 +10.952111ITA ItalyEdoardo Piscopo14 +11.53812FRA FranceJonathan Cochet14 +12.48313IND IndiaNarain Karthikeyan14 +14.85914IDN IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto14 +15.60015LIB LebanonJimmy Auby14 +16.97016MEX MexicoDavid Garza Perez14 +18.36317CHN ChinaCong Fu Cheng11 +1 lap +1RetCZE Czech RepublicFilip Salaquarda4 Spun OffRetPAK PakistanAdam Langley-Khan4 +10 lapsRetRSA South AfricaAdrian Zaugg2 PunctureRetAUS AustraliaJohn Martin0 CollisionDNSGER GermanyMichael Ammermüller - - Main race The start was aborted because Brazil was way out of its position.Mexico Feature race: lap-by-lap a1gp.com (March 16, 2008) At 15:15 the race was restarted and Canada took the lead behind Switzerland, Great Britain, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, USA, Portugal, Malaysia, South Africa. Australia and Italy get in the pits but Edoardo Piscopo (Italy) retire. In Lap 4, China passes Malaysia for 10th. In Lap 7, Neel Jani (Switzerland) grabb the lead to Robert Wickens (Canada). Australia receive a drive-through penalty. The first window to mandatory pit stops is open on Lap 10. New Zealand loses some positions with its bad pit stop. Switzerland made the festest lap just after pitting. France then Indonesia, for the first time in A1GP history, lead the race due to late stops. After the first mandatory stops, in Lap 16, Switzerland take the lead behind Ireland, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, USA, New Zealand, South Africa, Netherlands and China. In the next lap, Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) passes Robert Wickens (Canada) for 3rd. During the next laps, Switzerland increase its advance to 6 secondes, Michael Ammermüller (Germany) come near to Canada and try to passes without success and Jonathan Summerton (USA) close to Germany. In Lap 27, Jonny Reid (New Zealand) hit the kerb in the chicane and finish in the tire wall. The Safety car is out until lap 29. New Zealand is still in the race but in 20th. In Lap 32, USA passes Canada by way of its Power-to-Pass. Malaysia who were 10th, loses two positions in the same Lap 33. Portugal passes at Turn 2 and Brazil on a side-by-side overtake in Turns 4 and 5. Next lap, Germany and Canada hits each other and Michael Ammermüller (Germany) should change its car's nose. It's the second mandatory pit stops. Switzerland, Ireland, Great Britain and USA pit immediately. Switzerland and Ireland exit side-by-side gratefully to the Ireland pits team. Adam Carroll (Ireland) take the lead at the end of the pit lane. Switzerland its second behind Great Britain, USA, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa, Portugal, Brazil and Malaysia. New Zealand and France are fighting but for 16th. Czech Republic and Switzerland receive a drive-through penalty in Lap 41 when Great Britain made the fastest lap. In Lap 44, Neel Jani (Switzerland) is 11th behind Pakistan. Jonathan Summerton (USA) is close to Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) and try to passes during the last laps of the race. The final order is Ireland, the 15th team to win a race in A1GP behind Great Britain, USA, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa, Portugal, Brazil, India and China. The championship leader finish 12th for New Zealand, 13th for France and 19th for Switzerland. Switzerland lead the series by 15 points behindNew Zealand and 20 points behind France who not score any points this weekend. PosTeamDriverLapsTimePoints1IRE IrelandAdam Carroll471:07'47.858152GBR Great BritainOliver Jarvis47 +3.35512+13USA USAJonathan Summerton47 +4.104104NLD NetherlandsJeroen Bleekemolen47 +13.65385CAN CanadaRobert Wickens47 +15.17566RSA South AfricaAdrian Zaugg47 +16.19557POR PortugalFilipe Albuquerque47 +16.54248BRA BrazilBruno Junqueira47 +17.25339IND IndiaNarain Karthikeyan47 +26.504210CHN ChinaCong Fu Cheng47 +30.671111IDN IndonesiaSatrio Hermanto47 +35.53612NZL New ZealandJonny Reid47 +36.05113FRA FranceJonathan Cochet47 +39.46414MEX MexicoDavid Garza Perez47 +49.08215MYS MalaysiaAlex Yoong47 +53.86016CZE Czech RepublicFilip Salaquarda47 +1'06.15317LIB LebanonJimmy Auby47 +1'24.77118PAK PakistanAdam Langley-Khan46 +1 lap19SUI SwitzerlandNeel Jani46 +1 lap20GER GermanyMichael Ammermüller46 +1 lap21AUS AustraliaJohn Martin46 +1 lapRetITA ItalyEdoardo Piscopo2 +45 laps Notes It was the 30th race weekend (60 starts). It was the 2nd venue in Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and the 3rd in Mexico. It was the first race for Jimmy AubyAuby to make Lebanese debut a1gp.com (February 29, 2008) (Lebanon), Jonathan CochetFrance call up veteran Cochet autosport.com (March 13, 2008) (France). It was the first race weekend as Rookie driver for Jimmy Auby (Lebanon), Felipe GuimarãesTeam Brazil to run rookie Guimaraes autosport.com (March 8, 2008) (Brazil), Davide RigonItaly leads the way in Mexico City a1gp.com (March 14, 2008) (Italy), Bruno Serra (Portugal), Duncan TappyTappy to make Team GBR debut autosport.com (March 7, 2008) (Great Britain). Records : Ireland and Adam Carroll win their first race. Lebanon participate on 30 rounds (60 starts) without won points since their first Grand Prix. Neel Jani score 267 points. Alex Yoong participate on 27 races (52 starts). References 2 External links New Zealand wins Mexican Sprint Sprint race: lap-by-lap Sprint race results The Irish eyes are smiling Feature race: lap-by-lap Feature race results 2007-08 2007-08, South Africa 2007-08, Shanghai, China A1 Grand Prix Of Nations, Mexico, 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix