A1GP news

Germany sets pace on final test day

A1 Team Germany started the 2007/08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport season as it finished it - at the top of the timesheets. Following Nico Hulkenberg's victory in the Feature race at Brands Hatch in April, new German driver Christian Vietoris took the fastest time in the first official pre-season test at Silverstone International Circuit this week.

Vietoris' time of 1m 10.005s, set in this morning's session, puts the best from last year's official test at the same circuit into the shade. A1 Team Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy set the best last year, with a lap half a second slower.

"We have tried some things and also today, and we finished quite good," Vietoris said. "Being first is always a good start into the season and we have tried some good things and found some good solutions. It takes a bit of time but it's getting better and better."

Zaugg at Silverstone

A1 Team South Africa's Adrian Zaugg had held the record at the end of yesterday test day, but Vietoris' lap was considerably quicker. Great Britain's Robbie Kerr set a lap 0.247s seconds slower than Vietoris, but with far less track time. Kerr had only half a day in the British car, but was still bang on the pace.

"I had to just go out there and test the car and see what its handling like and get used to it once again after Brands Hatch," Kerr said. "It's great to be back in the A1GP car, to be second quickest is particularly good because I only had this morning and one set of tyres compared to the others that had more running time. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season and can't wait to get back in the car at again."

Sebastien Buemi

Switzerland's Sebastien Buemi was also quick with just half a day's running, recording what proved to be the third fastest time of the week in the same session as Kerr. Zaugg's first day pace-setting time was good enough for South Africa to secure fourth overall ahead of A1 Team France. Nicolas Lapierre's lap from yesterday morning was good enough for the position, with the 23-year-old getting back in the groove quickly having not sat in A1GP car since the Indonesian A1GP round at Sentul in December 2006.

A1 Team New Zealand, runner-up last season, was sixth quickest with Jonny Reid, and an impressive performance from Ireland rookie, Adam Carroll, gave it the second fastest time. Joao Urbano, who continued to improve as he got more laps in for A1 Team Portugal, with the eighth fastest time ahead of Sergio Jiminez for Brazil.

Narain Karthikeyan's performance from yesterday was good enough for tenth in the newly-liveried India car. However, after suffering a high temperature and fever, he sat out the second day.

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