Strong start in Sepang for A1 Team Brasil

A1 Team Brasil kicked off the third round of the 2007/08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in a positive fashion today at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Sergio Jimenez, driving at the track for the first time, finished second fastest in each of this morning’s rookie practices, behind A1GP double-race winner Oliver Jarvis, and followed that up with a strong seventh position in this afternoon’s one-hour session.

The main aim of this morning’s first 25-minute rookie practice for Sergio was to learn the tricky 5.54km Sepang circuit, and he proved a quick learner as he topped the timesheets half way through the session. Team GBR’s Jarvis was the only driver able to improve on Sergio’s time and, with the final three minutes of the session cancelled due to a red-flag, the Team Brasil driver did not have time to respond.

Sergio continued his strong form in the second segment of the rookie practice, setting consistently fast times, and once again sitting at the top of the table for much of the session. In a repeat of the first segment, Jarvis once again set a faster time and the field was brought in three minutes early due to another red flag.

In this afternoon’s one-hour practice, which saw all of the weekend’s race drivers take to the track, Team Brasil tried out several set-up options and set his fastest lap time of 1:50.753 towards the end of the hour, finishing up seventh quickest.

Drivers will have a further one-hour practice tomorrow morning before the afternoon’s qualifying takes place.

Sergio Jimenez: "We started very well in the rookie session and we used it so that I could learn the track. The car was okay but the tyres were old so it was just normal really. In the second session this afternoon we started with new tyres but we had a lot of oversteer so I couldn’t do a good time.

After that we kept improving, but the best lap was at the end of the session on old tyres. I think we’ve found a good way to go but we need to work more to catch the guys ahead so we’ll work on that for the morning."

Fernando Paiva, Team Principal: "Sergio did a very good job this morning in getting to know the circuit having never been here before. Of course he did what all the boys do now and played on the video games beforehand, but he did a great job with the real thing.

This afternoon we tested a few different things and gradually went back to what has been working for us and did a good time at the end of practice. It was a little shy of where we could have been on newer tyres so it was pretty decent altogether. We’re looking for a much improved position tomorrow."

Practice Summary

Laps: 8 Position: 2nd Fastest Lap: 1:53.954 (+1.086)

Laps: 8 Position: 2nd Fastest Lap: 1:52.757 (+0.744)

Laps: 14 Position: 7th Fastest Lap: 1:50.753 (+1.294)

- Rebecca Banks, A1 Team Brasil -