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Zaugg, A1 GP Team SA on fire

With Adrian Zaugg at the wheel, A1 GP Team South Africa got the 2007/08 season off to an almost perfect start by winning the sprint race and finishing second in the feature race at Zandvoort in the Netherlands over the weekend.

Zaugg had been set to compete in the final round of the GP2 Championship in Spain, but Team South Africa managed to secure his release from Red Bull for the racing in the Netherlands. It was a move that paid rich dividends for both the driver and the team.

The 20-year-old competed in a newly liveried "Vulindela". The car's new look included the six colours of the South African flag, as well as the number 46664, the prison number of former President Nelson Mandela that has become the name of a foundation aimed at raising global awareness of HIV/Aids and educating young people about the disease.

'Clear the way'
"Vulindela" means "clear the way", and Zaugg drove in a manner befitting the name, showing sensational form as he clinched pole position for the sprint race in wet conditions. His pole set the wheels in motion for a great weekend for Team South Africa.

In the 20-minute sprint race, after holding off Team France's Loic Duval on the first turn, Zaugg simply pulled away, clocking the fastest lap of the race on lap two, which earned him a bonus point in the standings.

He remained unchallenged and ultimately crossed the finish line seven-and-a-half seconds up on Duval.

It was a repeat performance for the South African driver as he had claimed the sprint title at Zandvoort the previous season.

Jeroen Bleekmolen gave the home fans something to cheer as he grabbed the final podium place ahead of Mexico's Salvador Duran.

Well prepared
Speaking after his victory, Zaugg said the car had been well prepared for the conditions, showing up well in both the wet and the dry. After putting some distance between "Vulindela" and the chasing pack three laps into the race, he said he didn't need to push to the maximum from that point on.

Again, Zaugg claimed pole for the feature race, but victory went to Great Britain as Oliver Jarvis managed to pass the South African, thanks to his team's pit stop strategy, which saw Jarvis re-entering the race with clear road in front of him.

Zaugg was put under pressure by Switzerland's Neel Jani ahead of the second of two mandatory pit-stops, but he fought off the Swiss challenge and managed to once more open up a gap that stood at just over two seconds at the end of the 45-lap event.

Changing conditions
Afterwards, Zaugg explained that it had been a difficult race because of changing conditions, which prevented him from pushing the car to its maximum.

Not surprisingly, though, he was confident about Team South Africa's chances during the rest of the season, saying the early signs were promising.

Thanks to his efforts, South Africa tops the standings with 28 points. Great Britain is second on 19, followed by France in third on 18, Mexico in fourth on 17, and Switzerland in fifth on 16.

With both pole positions, a win and a second place, as well as the fastest lap in the sprint race, A1 GP Team South Africa will be well satisfied with its performance in the season-opening event. They missed making it a perfect weekend by just one position in the feature race.

The team has a two-week break before the next event in Brno, the Czech Republic, over the weekend of 12-14 October.

RESULTS

SPRINT RACE