New Zealand’s Jonny Reid took top honours in the penultimate race of the 2006/07 A1GP in Shanghai. The Kiwis were delighted with the result, but could not prevent Germany from taking the overall championship
A1 Team New Zealand has taken its third race victory of the season winning the A1GP Shanghai, China Feature race. Second place belonged to Great Britain, while Germany’s Nico Hulkenburg managed to scoop the third place points his team needed to take the 2006/07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport title.
The New Zealand team hoped that Jonny Reid’s second position placing in the earlier Sprint race would provide a good enough platform to claim this season’s championship. With Great Britain’s Robbie Kerr securing first and Hulkenburg occupying the third berth, the stage was set for the Feature race. Reid needed the win the second race in such a fashion that Team Germany would not land the two points needed to take the title – this would take the title contest to a dead heat in the season finale in two weeks at Brands Hatch.
Unfortunately, for Reid, he could not stop the way the race panned out. His drive to victory was cool and calculated – the New Zealander only taking risks where the odds were stacked in his favour. However, in spite of the German team car not running at its best, Hulkenberg managed to fight off the challenge of Team USA’s Jonathan Summerton to land in the points.
The pit stops played a telling role in the overall results – Reid’s pit stop saw him behind Great Britain’s Robbie Kerr, but he managed to slip the past Briton to claim victory.
“I came out I caught them (the leaders) quite quickly and then there was the safety car period and I managed to get a good exit out of the final turn and get the car up the inside,” explained Reid. “Robbie gave me just enough racing room, it was getting tight there but it’s great to work with such classy drivers.”
After a pit stop glitch when changing his left-rear tire cost Hulkenberg time and position in his pursuit of Summerton and third position, the German’s fortune changed when the American’s over zealousness to gain on the pack saw him spin out, handing third to Team Germany.
“I’m relieved that we have won the title. A big thank you to the entire David Sears team! We arrived in China with a 27 point lead, but it wasn’t as easy as it looked,” said Hulkenberg.
The specter of this season’s Durban race almost materialised again when South Africa’s Alan van der Merwe made contact with India in turn one during the first lap. The South African’s front wing and the side pod of the Indian car were damaged in the incident. Debris on the track following a tangle between Mexico and Australia brought out the safety car at the end of the first lap to slow things down. During this lull, South Africa took seized the opportunity to head into the pits and replace the damaged nose cone – van der Merwe eventually finished twelfth.
The final race of the season will take place in the UK at the Brands Hatch circuit on Sunday 29 April. The practice session takes place in Friday 27 April and Qualifying commences on Saturday 28 April.
