A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport: Taupo (New Zealand) Friday 18th to Sunday 20th January 2008
A1 Team Switzerland is ready to return to action this week at the fifth round of the A1 Grand Prix season in Taupo, New Zealand determined to pick up where it left off at the end of 2007 at Zhuhai and build on its 19 point lead over France in the championship. Neel Jani will again be leading the team’s weekend and be supported by rookie driver Tom Dillmann.
There is one major change as A1 Grand Prix gets back up to speed, however, since all teams will be running their 3.4 litre V8 engines on biofuel for the first time as part of the sport’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
"After over a month away from racing I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel," said Neel Jani. "We have been very competitive so far this season and are working together really well as one team. I’m looking forward to getting back on the track and driving on the Taupo circuit for the first time. I can usually learn a circuit very quickly so with the team’s data from last year.
I expect we will be very competitive again as we fight to build our lead in the championship This is sort of a home track for me because two of my aunts live here in Auckland and I hope to see all my Dad’s family here on the occasion of my visit out here."
Max Welti, team principal of A1 Team Switzerland comments, "It’s been a long break but what better way to get back in action than in such a beautiful country as New Zealand.
We will use biofuel for the first time this weekend, an initiative we support fully since we, as a sport, are determined to minimise our impact on the environment. Our team is eager to get back to what we do best and Neel and Tom will be working hard to help us build our lead in the championship."
Follow the race on Schweizer Sportfernsehen (SSF)
* Watch us live Sunday December 16 at 08.00 am
* Monday 17.50 "Sport highlights magazine" in the news
* Tuesday 19.00 until 21.00 A1GP Magazine (Race shown as live) with guest Roderick Tanzer, COO Multipro Natural AG.
* U1 Swiss Sport TV is available in Switzerland on Cablecom Digital Network and Bluewin TV from Swisscom
Live streaming on www.a1gp.com then click on view live racing stats.
Aqua SP, developed by Multi Pro Natural Ltd., is an innovative, non-toxic and environmentally friendly enzyme based product which acts as a catalyst to the natural oxidization process and speeds up the natural destruction process of bacteria in water without placing undue demand on oxygen contained. This product has a wide range of potential applications; it kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes and protozoa without the use of any toxins.
Currently the product is in the release process and being prepared for market entry. Aqua SP will be distributed internationally by Multi Pro Natural Ltd., which develops and distributes environmentally friendly products for different sectors.
A1 Switzerland is a Swiss-based international racing team entering its third year of racing in the A1 GP series. After 11 events and 22 races around the world, A1 Team Switzerland finished the inaugural A1GP season as runners-up, winning from pole position in Dubai. Neel Jani won the sprint race and the feature race from the pole in Malaysia 2007-2008.
The drivers racing for their country in 2007-2008, for the third consecutive season will be Neel Jani and Sebastien Buemi as well as two lady rookie drivers, Rahel Frey and Natacha Gachnang who participated successfully in a shootout event at Silverstone in September 2007 and have the chance to represent their national team. 20-year old Alexandre Imperatori was the Team’s rookie in Zhuhai and Tom Dillmann will be occupying the rookie seat in Taupo, NZ.
A1 Team Switzerland's selected best results:
Sprint race: 3 x 1st - Malaysia 2006/2007 and 07/08(Neel Jani) and Dubai 2005/2006 (Neel Jani)
Feature race: 3 x 2nd 05/06 S.Africa (Neel Jani), Malaysia (Neel Jani), Port. (Neel Jani) and one win Malaysia 2007-2008 (Neel Jani)
Qualifying: Malaysia 05/06, 06/07, 07/08 (Neel Jani), Dubai 05/06 (Neel Jani)
Leading the Championship with 61 points in the 2007-2008 season and four podiums: 3rd in Zandvoort – NL, Brno – CZ and two wins in Sepang - Malaysia
- Agnes Carlier - photos A1GP
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