A1GP news
USA faces driver selection dilema
03 September 2007A1 Team USA chiefs are facing problems of a good kind heading into the 2007/08 season of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.
Both of the team's drivers impressed officials during last week's Silverstone test, running similar lap times under similar conditions.
Jonathan Summerton, who was capped eight times for the team last season, produced the fastest time for the squad during the two-day test with a 1m 11.047s lap.
However, on the final afternoon, when times on the whole were slower, his pace was all-but matched by A1GP newcomer Buddy Rice when the two shared the car.
Rice is a big racing name in the United States, having won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 2004. After Summerton got out of the 'We the People' car having posted a 1m 11.868s, Rice posted a time just 0.007s slower on his run.
The level pace of the pair is causing seat holder Rick Weidinger selection problems. 'What I took away from the test is that we put two drivers in the car and learned from both of them,' he said. 'It was an overall good test for us. They ran almost identical laps in the same conditions and had top-ten times on different days. We have two very good drivers. I'm pleased with how everything has gone. We have to make a decision on which driver to put in the car to start the season. We can't make a bad choice and that is going to make it a very difficult decision.'
Rice showed his commitment to race in A1GP by flying to last week's test in the middle of back-to-back IRL IndyCar races in the United States. He again proved his road course pace in yesterday's IndyCar race in Detroit, where he was running a strong second until he ran out of fuel with just over a lap to go. 'I'd really like to get the chance to race for the USA,' Rice said. 'With the IRL finishing next week, this will give me something to do all winter long so I'm looking forward to that. We'll just see what happens but I'm glad to be back here but I'm definitely keen to do some racing.'
Rice did however admit that despite last week's test, it will still take him time for him to get used to the A1GP car. He added: 'I'm not used to a paddle-shift gearbox, so I still keep trying to leave the pits by reaching to my right side and trying to find a gear lever!
'The car is a little bit more like a racing kart and it likes to be thrown around a bit more. You have to be aggressive but you have to know how far to push it.'
Unlike Rice, Summerton has done little racing in the A1GP off-season and was just pleased with his performance having been sat on the sidelines for nearly four months.
'I'm happy to be back in the car,' Summerton said. 'My fastest time was pretty good considering I was just getting used to a new track and the car again. I've never been to Silverstone and when you've been out of the car for a few months, it still takes a little time to get used to it again.'
Either driver could return for the second pre-season Silverstone test on the 18-19 September, and a decision on who will drive at Zandvoort is not expected until after that test.
Summerton could have the edge over Rice in the first two rounds, at Zandvoort and Brno, having driving in both of the rookie sessions at the venue last year. However, Rice's pace with relatively little knowledge of the car could also give him the edge for the season opener.
Either way, both drivers are likely to race at some point in the season, and the decision in who will race for which track could develop into one of the most intriguing stories of the season.
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