Jani’s dream race: two wins and 32 more points give championship lead to A1 Team Switzerland 25.11.2007: Jani’s dream race: two wins and 32 more points give championship lead to A1 Team Switzerland

Round 3: A1GP World Cup of Motorsports - Sepang-Malaysia

At the third round of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport at Sepang-Malaysia , A1 Team Switzerland driver Neel Jani fulfilled his dream and won both the sprint and feature races. The team has now collected 61 points in the championship after six race starts, ten points ahead of France.

Starting the sprint race from pole after an exciting qualifying on Saturday, Jani kept the advantage and controlled the race from star to finish. He immediately built the gap over France and Canada and remained in the lead until the chequered flag. Neel Jani managed to cross the line almost four seconds ahead of second-placed A1 Team France driver Loïc Duval and clocked a first fastest lap on lap 2 with 1.49.862 and on lap ten with 1.49.221. This is Neel Jani's second win in a sprint race at Sepang.

In the feature race, Neel Jani had a phenomenal start and again kept the lead. By the end of lap two, Switzerland had pulled out a 2.701s lead over France. Jani controlled the race despite the safety car period and fended off a challenge from Brazil to take his second win of the day by 8.414s over Brazil's Jimenez.

Scoring 16 points in each race, Switzerland took the lead in the championship, (61 points), ten points ahead of France.

Neel Jani said: "The start of the sprint race was a bit messy. I braked too late and went wide and almost touched with France. But I was lucky and maintained the the lead. The car was perfect on the slow and quick corners.

The feature race was superb. It's an unbelievable weekend for us. Finally I got the feature race win here, even if it was a tough task with the safety car and pit stops. I maintained the pressure on Sergio Jimenez until my pitstop and made sure not to come in at the same time than he did.

James Robinson, my engineer, had an excellent strategy for our second pit stop and the pit crew did a fantastic job. I started to push again when I rejoined the race and after a while, I was in position to work back up the order and retake the lead.

My dream is fulfilled and I won two races on this fantastic Sepang track. We get to understand each other better and better in the team with each race and I hope we can continue like this all year round. Sepang is definitely one of my favourites and I hope to maintain our advantage in Zhuhai even if I have never been there before. I learn tracks fast, so it should not be too difficult a challenge."

Neel continued to comment about the feature race: "A superb race! An unbelievable week-end! I am fantastically happy! In the feature race, the safety car disrupted our flow as we were blocked in the pit lane Finally I got this feature race even if it did not fall so easily in my hands.

We were sitting at the end of the pit lane stuck with a red light after our pit stop and Brazil took the lead of the race. I had a good fight with Great Britain and France after that and I maintained the 2nd position. A great drive and really entertaining! I maintained the pressure over Sergio Jimenez until my pit stop and made sure not to come in at the same time than he did.

James Robinson, my engineer, had a splendid strategy for our second pit stop. The pit crew did a fantastic job. I started to push again when I rejoined the race and after a while, I was in position to work back up in the classification and retake the lead which lasted till the end of the race. My dream is fulfilled and I won two races on this fantastic Sepang track.

We getting to understand each other better and better in the team and I hope we can continue like this all year round. Just a fantastic week-end and I was able to fight for this second consecutive win all through the race. I really like this flowing track. Sepang is definitely one of my favorites. I hope to maintain our advantage in Zhuhai even if I have never been there before. I learn tracks fast. So it should not be too difficult of a challenge."

Max Welti, Team Principal, A1 Team Switzerland commented: "I am very proud for the team and the country about our two race wins. To earn two poles, the fastest laps in each sprint and feature races and two wins the same weekend is a fantastic achievement from Neel Jani and the entire team. Neel controlled the two races remarkably.

In the feature race Neel drove superbly and the car was extremely competitive. It brought us our first ever double-win and gives us the lead in the championship. We had great teamwork all throughout the weekend. I would also like to congratulate both our drivers, Rahel Frey and Neel Jani and everyone in the team for an extremely professional job over the weekend and the best ever weekend of our young team's history.

Provisional classification - the final top ten was: Switzerland, Brazil, France, Netherlands, China, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain.

Next race: Zhuhai (ROC) 14-16 December 2007

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A1 Team Switzerland is the Swiss national team in motorsport, representing its country in the unique global A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport. A1 Team Switzerland is 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. In 2006-2007 they again won from the pole in Malaysia, on the way to securing another top eight championship finish.

The drivers racing for their country in 2007-2008 will be Neel Jani and Sébastien Buemi. The rookie drivers will be Marcel Fässler, Tom Dillmann and two lady rookie drivers, Rahel Frey and Natacha Gachnang who participated successfully to a shootout event at Silverstone in September 2007. They will have the chance to represent their national team starting with the Brno Grand Prix, 2nd leg of the A1 GP Championship.

A1 Team Switzerland’s selected best results Sprint race: 2 x 1st - Malaysia 2006/2007 (Neel Jani) and Dubai 2005/2006 (Neel Jani); 1 win Malaysia 2007/2008 (Neel Jani)

Feature race: 3 x 2nd 2005/2006 South Africa (Neel Jani), Malaysia (Neel Jani), Portugal (Neel Jani)

1 win Malaysia 2007/2008 (Neel Jani)

Pole Position: Malaysia 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 (Neel Jani), Dubai 2005/2006 (Neel Jani)

Malaysia Sprint and Feature race 2007/2008 (Neel Jani)

First 2007 podium: Zandvoort (Neel Jani)

Two wins on the podium: Malaysia (Neel Jani)

- Agnes Carlier - photos copyright A1 Team Switzerland & A1GP -