2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Shanghai, China

2007-08 A1GP of Shanghai, China
Race Details
Race 9 of 10 in the 2007-08 A1GP season.
Date	April 13, 2008
Location	Shanghai International Circuit Shanghai, China
Weather	Overcast
Sprint race
Qualifying
Pole	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'34.163
Podium
1st	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
2nd	Canada (Robert Wickens)
3rd	Portugal (F.Albuquerque)
Fastest Lap
FL	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'35.400, (Lap 4)
Feature race
Qualifying
Pole	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'34.172
Podium
1st	USA (Jonathan Summerton)
2nd	Portugal (F.Albuquerque)
3rd	Ireland (Adam Carroll)
Fastest Lap
FL	Canada (Robert Wickens)
Time	1'35.177, (Lap 33)
Official Classifications
PDF Booklet

The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Shanghai, China was an A1 Grand Prix race, held on April 13, 2008 at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China. It was the ninth meeting in the 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix season.

Pre-race

A1 Grand Prix make official the creation of an off-track entertainment, the A1GP Global Village, to complete, with the support series A2 Grand Prix, the race weekends next season.^[1] The Global Village deliver extra entertainments and interactive activities, merchandise shops, eat and drink... for fans and spectators. An official website is launched A1GPGlobalVillage.com. The first edition will be in the last event of this 2007-08 season, on May 2–4, 2007-08, Great Britain.

Like the past season, A1GP organize a vote for the fan's favorite 2007-08 A1 team.^[2] All A1GP fan, and other, can vote in the official A1GP site. The winning team, revealed at the A1GP's Gala Awards, on May 5, 2008, receive a special award.

Qualifications

Neel Jani (Switzerland) score the pole position for each Sunday races.^[3] For the second consecutive venue, Mexico start from the back of the grid in each race because of bad performances.

Sprint race qualifications Pos Team Time Gap 1 Switzerland 1'34.163 - 2 Portugal 1'34.613 +0.450 3 Canada 1'34.682 +0.519 4 India 1'34.688 +0.525 5 New Zealand 1'34.742 +0.579 6 USA 1'34.791 +0.628 7 Malaysia 1'34.850 +0.687 8 Ireland 1'34.928 +0.765 9 Germany 1'35.012 +0.849 10 Great Britain 1'35.015 +0.852 11 South Africa 1'35.198 +1.035 12 Italy 1'35.224 +1.061 13 Australia 1'35.336 +1.173 14 Brazil 1'35.492 +1.329 15 China 1'35.508 +1.345 16 Czech Republic 1'35.590 +1.427 17 Netherlands 1'35.670 +1.507 18 France 1'35.789 +1.626 19 Pakistan 1'35.923 +1.760 20 Lebanon 1'35.931 +1.768 21 Indonesia 1'36.612 +2.449 22 Mexico 1'38.312 +4.149

Main race qualifications Pos Team Time Gap 1 Switzerland 1'34.172 - 2 USA 1'34.626 +0.454 3 Portugal 1'35.022 +0.850 4 Ireland 1'35.035 +0.863 5 India 1'35.195 +1.023 6 Malaysia 1'35.207 +1.035 7 New Zealand 1'35.283 +1.111 8 Great Britain 1'35.357 +1.185 9 South Africa 1'35.392 +1.220 10 France 1'35.496 +1.324 11 Italy 1'35.520 +1.348 12 Canada 1'35.554 +1.382 13 Germany 1'35.558 +1.386 14 Czech Republic 1'35.611 +1.439 15 Australia 1'35.653 +1.481 16 Pakistan 1'35.865 +1.693 17 Brazil 1'35.887 +1.715 18 Netherlands 1'35.921 +1.749 19 Lebanon 1'36.066 +1.894 20 China 1'36.136 +1.964 21 Indonesia 1'36.326 +2.154 22 Mexico 1'37.440 +3.268

Sprint race

For the Sprint race, Switzerland take the lead behind Canada, Portugal, Malaysia, India, Germany, South Africa, Italy, Great Britain and Ireland.^[4] New Zealand crash out at start after a collision with USA.

Cong Fu Cheng (China) passes Adam Carroll (Ireland) for 10th in Lap 4 when Neel Jani (Switzerland) score the Fastest lap. Despite efforts from Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal) on Robert Wickens (Canada) and from Michael Ammermüller (Germany) on Narain Karthikeyan (India), the order remained the same until the finish line.

Switzerland win the race with the Fastest lap. Canada take the second position behind Portugal, Malaysia, India, Germany, South Africa, Italy, Great Britain and China. Both Switzerland opponent for the title, France (12th) and New Zealand, doesn't score any points.

Pos	Team	Driver	Laps	Time	Points
1	Switzerland	Neel Jani	10	15'59.612	15+1
2	Canada	Robert Wickens	10	+4.643	12
3	Portugal	Filipe Albuquerque	10	+5.335	10
4	Malaysia	Alex Yoong	10	+12.169	8
5	India	Narain Karthikeyan	10	+13.068	6
6	Germany	Michael Ammermüller	10	+13.810	5
7	South Africa	Adrian Zaugg	10	+14.999	4
8	Italy	Edoardo Piscopo	10	+15.835	3
9	Great Britain	Robbie Kerr	10	+17.120	2
10	China	Cong Fu Cheng	10	+17.692	1
11	Ireland	Adam Carroll	10	+18.581
12	France	Franck Montagny	10	+19.114
13	Czech Republic	Filip Salaquarda	10	+21.165
14	Brazil	Alexandre Negrão	10	+22.111
15	Australia	John Martin	10	+24.363
16	Pakistan	Adam Langley-Khan	10	+26.298
17	Netherlands	Jeroen Bleekemolen	10	+28.053
18	Lebanon	Jimmy Auby	10	+29.029
19	Indonesia	Satrio Hermanto	10	+30.196
20	Mexico	Jorge Goeters	10	+38.267
21	USA	Jonathan Summerton	1	+9 laps
Ret	New Zealand	Jonny Reid	0	+10 laps

Main race

After the start, USA led, ahead of Switzerland, India, Portugal, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Great Britain, France and Italy.^[5] USA and Switzerland escaped from the rest of the field until the first mandatory pit stops. In Lap 6, Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal) passed for 3rd Narain Karthikeyan (India) in the final hairpin. Adam Carroll (Ireland) try to pass Narain Karthikeyan in the same turn, one lap later, but finally passes him in Lap 8. In Lap 9, the pits are open.
USA, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Canada pits early, in Lap 10 and Jonny Reid (New Zealand) with a fast stop, exits ahead Alex Yoong (Malaysia) and Narain Karthikeyan (India). USA lead still Switzerland after the stops but the Swiss driver, Neel Jani, lost the second gear of his car. In Lap 15, Jonathan Summerton (USA) is 4.3 seconds ahead of Switzerland losing time. In the next lap, for speeding in the pit lane, Lebanon received a drive-through penalty, five laps then his driver received a 10-second Stop and Go penalty. Portugal was then pushing Switzerland for 2nd position. Ireland close to both drivers and New Zealand it is also faster than Switzerland and comes near in the few next laps. The second pit stop window opens in Lap 24.

Ireland and New Zealand got ahead of Switzerland at the pit stops. In Lap 27, Portugal had the fastest lap. After the pits, USA still led Portugal, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Malaysia, India, France, Great Britain and Germany. In Lap 33, Robert Wickens (Canada) had the fastest lap.

The victory went to Summerton, who gave his country the honours for the first time. The Yanks' victory made them the 16th nation to win an A1GP race.

Pos	Team	Driver	Laps	Time	Points
1	USA	Jonathan Summerton	38	1:02'25.206	15
2	Portugal	Filipe Albuquerque	38	+9.729	12
3	Ireland	Adam Carroll	38	+15.303	10
4	New Zealand	Jonny Reid	38	+19.533	8
5	Switzerland	Neel Jani	38	+26.193	6
6	Malaysia	Alex Yoong	38	+34.410	5
7	India	Narain Karthikeyan	38	+35.967	4
8	France	Franck Montagny	38	+38.213	3
9	Great Britain	Robbie Kerr	38	+39.280	2
10	Germany	Michael Ammermüller	38	+39.890	1
11	Czech Republic	Filip Salaquarda	38	+47.568
12	Italy	Edoardo Piscopo	38	+50.348
13	Brazil	Alexandre Negrão	38	+50.968
14	Australia	John Martin	38	+52.624
15	China	Cong Fu Cheng	38	+53.240
16	South Africa	Adrian Zaugg	38	+55.629
17	Pakistan	Adam Langley-Khan	38	+1'05.352
18	Netherlands	Jeroen Bleekemolen	38	+1'14.390
19	Indonesia	Satrio Hermanto	38	+1'20.252
20	Canada	Robert Wickens	38	+1'21.003	+1
21	Mexico	Jorge Goeters	37	+1 lap
22	Lebanon	Jimmy Auby	37	+1 lap

After race

Switzerland and New Zealand are the only team that can win the championship. Switzerland lead with 29 points the season before the last venue in Great Britain.

A1 Team Korea was announced to be part of the next season of the competition.^[6] The seat holder will be Joshua Kim of Omnibus Investment and Good EMG support the project. In Shanghai this weekend, a ceremony officialise the participation of South Korea in the 2008-09 season.

Notes

• It was the 31st race weekend (62 starts).
• It was the 3rd venue in Shanghai International Circuit and the 5th in China.
• It was the first race for Jorge Goeters^[7] (Mexico), Franck Montagny^[8] (France), Alexandre Negrao^[9] (Brazil).
• It was the first weekend as Rookie driver for Nathan Antunes^[10] (Australia).
• Records:
  • USA and Jonathan Summerton win their first race.
  • Switzerland score 9 pole positions.
  • Lebanon participate on 31 rounds (62 starts) without won points since their first Grand Prix.
  • Neel Jani score 289 points.
  • Jorge Goeters was the oldest driver to start a race at 37 years, 9 month and 18 days.
  • Alex Yoong participate on 28 races (54 starts).

References

External links

• Switzerland closes in on title
• Sprint race: lap-by-lap
• Sprint race results
• The home of the brave
• Feature race: lap-by-lap
• Feature race results
• A1GP Global Village A1GPGlobalVillage.com