A1GP news

Ireland out of luck in Durban

In spite of an encouraging performance throughout the weekend and a 6th placed finish in the Sprint Race which netted the team a much needed championship point, Team Ireland was forced to retire from this afternoon's A1GP in Durban, South Africa, after driver Richard Lyons touched one of the street circuit's unforgiving walls. Lyons was holding 8th place at the time and battling with Mexico and Brazil following a Safety Car period. 

This morning's Sprint Race saw Lyons start 7th on the grid and finish 6th after overtaking Mexico at the first corner, so he started from 6th place on the grid for the Feature Race. Disaster struck at the start, however, when the engine stalled and Lyons had to be push started by track marshals, rejoining at the back of the field and then working his way through to 8th thanks in part to a superb pit stop by the Team Ireland mechanics. 

Richard Lyons commented, "At the start the car didn't even really move, the engine just died as I was trying to balance the clutch to make the most of the rubber that had been laid down on the formation lap. I had some brake balance problems during the race and the accident happened when I was trying to hug the wall at Turn 3 and the rear touched it where there is a bit of an angle. I'm very disappointed - we had the chance to score well today." 

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