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SA set for new A1GP season

A1 Team South Africa is gearing up for the third season of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, which gets under way at Zandvoort, Netherlands on 30 September, with trials for a new rookie driver to join the team, and with a new general manager at the helm.

Mike Carroll, previously in charge of technical and sporting matters with the team, has been appointed general manager both of A1 Team SA and of the company that organises and promotes the A1GP event in Durban.

He replaces former CEO Dana Cooper, who steered the South African team through the first two seasons of the series, which pits country against country in identical cars.

"We can't wait for the new season to start, and we are gearing up once again to take on the world at the A1GP Zandvoort, Netherlands," Carrol said in a statement last month.

In preparation for the new season, A1 Team SA will be trying out four young South African drivers for the position of rookie driver with the team. All the drivers currently contracted to the team no longer qualify for rookie status. Rookies must be under 28 years of age and may not have competed in more than six A1GP races (sprint or feature) in any one season.

Initial trials will take place at Phakisa Freeway in the Free State on 7 August, where the four will drive two high-performance single-seater race cars. Two of the drivers will then be selected to travel to Britain, where they will be tested in SA's A1GP vehicle, Vulindela, at Snetterton on 15 August.

Two-person rookie squad
"We will probably announce a two-person rookie driver squad for the team this season," Carroll said in a statement on Thursday.

"Each team competing in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport is allowed to run a rookie driver in the first practice session on the Friday of the race weekend," Carroll explained.

"Rookie drivers play a key role for the teams as they are the ones who shake down the cars and need to identify as quickly and accurately as possible any problems with the car. They start the three-day race weekend set-up process, and can have a direct impact on the qualifying performance of the team, based on their ability to provide quality feedback to the engineers.

"Importantly, we are investing valuable seat time in the individuals chosen for the role of rookie driver and they, in turn, gain invaluable experience in A1GP and can become candidates for race driver selection."

Attributes of an A1GP driver
According to Carroll, a number of attributes make for a successful A1 GP driver. Besides being able to stand up to the considerable physical and mental demands made on them, they must have experience in the appropriate formulas over a number of years to be able to perform competitively.

"Typically, this experience would include karting, and then progressing through slicks and wings single-seater categories of ever-increasing downforce and horsepower levels that takes the driver from 1.25G loadings all the way through to the 3.5G sometimes experienced in A1GP," Carroll said.

"We have monitored very closely the performance of those South African drivers who have current slicks and wings experience, and we have selected our rookie candidates accordingly."

A1GP Durban
The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport 2007/08 season will consist of 11 rounds in 10 countries, with South Africa hosting a round for the third consecutive season.

The South African leg will take place on the streets of Durban on 24 February 2008, with the final round set to take place at Brands Hatch, Great Britain on 4 May.

An additional round, earmarked for 4 November, is under consideration, with A1GP in negotiations with a number of venues in Asia, including the Sentul circuit in Indonesia, which has hosted the last two Asian rounds.

"We have staged two very successful rounds of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in Durban, which have been very well supported by the people of Durban and motorsport fans around the country," Carroll said.

"Motorsport fans can look forward to more of the spectacular racing, with lots of overtaking, that has characterised A1GP, as some of the world's most talented young racing drivers battle it out in virtually identical high-powered racing cars for the pride of their nations.

"We won the award for the best presented event in the first season and we intend claiming this prize back from the Netherlands, who won it last season."

A1GP CALENDAR 2007/08