2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Malaysia

2007-08 A1GP of Malaysia
Race Details
Race 3 of 10 in the 2007-08 A1GP season.
Date	November 25, 2007
Location	Sepang International Circuit Sepang, Malaysia
Weather	Fine
Sprint race
Qualifying
Pole	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'48.630
Podium
1st	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
2nd	France (Loïc Duval)
3rd	Canada (Robert Wickens)
Fastest Lap
FL	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'49.221, (Lap 10)
Feature race
Qualifying
Pole	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'47.648
Podium
1st	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
2nd	France (Loïc Duval)
3rd	Brazil (Sérgio Jimenez)
Fastest Lap
FL	Switzerland (Neel Jani)
Time	1'49.260, (Lap 25)
Official Classifications
PDF Booklet

The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Malaysia is an A1 Grand Prix race, to be held on November 25, 2007 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. This will be the third meeting in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season and the 50th start in the A1 Grand Prix history.^[1]

Pre-race

Swiss driver Rahel Frey was the second ever woman to enter in A1GP weekend, on Friday, during rookies sessions.^[2] Her compatriot Natacha Gachnang drove the rookies sessions in Czech round also in 2007.

Qualifications

Neel Jani cloked the best lap time of the weekend in the sprint race qualifications and improve this in the main race qualifications in 1'47.648. Swiss driver demonstrate his superiority in the Sepang circuit and take a double pole for Sunday races.

The Lebanese cars was found to be under the minimum weight limit during main race qualifying.^[3] A1 Team Lebanon start from the back of the grid (22nd), instead of 18th, because of the Chris Alajajian car was found 3 kg under the 705 kg minimum weight limit.

Sprint race qualifications Pos Team Time Gap 1 Switzerland 1'48.630 - 2 France 1'48.845 +0.215 3 Great Britain 1'48.864 +0.234 4 Germany 1'49.219 +0.589 5 Canada 1'49.252 +0.622 6 New Zealand 1'49.330 +0.700 7 Brazil 1'49.376 +0.746 8 South Africa 1'49.525 +0.895 9 China 1'49.535 +0.905 10 Netherlands 1'49.677 +1.047 11 USA 1'49.758 +1.128 12 Australia 1'49.898 +1.268 13 Ireland 1'49.915 +1.285 14 India 1'50.226 +1.596 15 Portugal 1'50.329 +1.699 16 Mexico 1'50.364 +1.734 17 Czech Republic 1'50.401 +1.771 18 Italy 1'50.546 +1.916 19 Malaysia 1'50.653 +2.023 20 Lebanon 1'50.775 +2.145 21 Indonesia 1'51.618 +2.988 22 Pakistan 1'51.819 +3.189

Main race qualifications Pos Team Time Gap 1 Switzerland 1'47.648 - 2 Great Britain 1'48.608 +0.960 3 Germany 1'48.736 +1.088 4 France 1'48.807 +1.159 5 Netherlands 1'49.021 +1.373 6 Brazil 1'49.110 +1.462 7 Ireland 1'49.248 +1.600 8 China 1'49.308 +1.600 9 South Africa 1'49.324 +1.676 10 New Zealand 1'49.353 +1.705 11 India 1'49.543 +1.895 12 Canada 1'49.642 +1.994 13 USA 1'49.818 +2.170 14 Australia 1'49.868 +2.220 15 Malaysia 1'49.997 +2.349 16 Czech Republic 1'50.020 +2.372 17 Portugal 1'50.109 +2.461 18 Italy 1'50.193 +2.545 19 Indonesia 1'50.651 +3.003 20 Mexico 1'50.869 +3.221 21 Pakistan 1'50.871 +3.223 22 Lebanon 1'51.161 +3.513

Sprint race

There is 29 °C and 78% humidity level on the star of the sprint race.^[4] In turn one, Canada lose one position and Great Britain and France suffer a collision together. The British driver was forced back to sixth place with damage to the front wing of his car.^[5] In the same first lap, China was hit by New Zealand and lost many places as a result. The Malaysian team experienced the best start, moving swiftly from 19th to 11th place.
In lap 3, China was stopped at the side of the track. Jonny Reid (New Zealand) took over sixth position from Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) after a great move on the front straight in lap 5. In the next lap, Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands) passed Adam Carroll (Ireland) for eighth.^[4]
In the final lap, Germany collide with Canada and get by for podium position. Switzerland secure the fastest lap crossing the finish line and winning the race, followed by France and Germany. Neel Jani dominated from start to finish the sprint race winning pole, fastest lap in 1'49.221 and victory.^[6]

Jeroen Bleekemolen was found to have jumped the rolling start, causing A1 Team Netherlands to be sanctioned by 25sec^[7] after the end of the race. The result moved them from 8th to 18th position, losing the three points they had originally scored. It is an equivalent time loss to serving a drive-through penalty.

A1 Team Germany was demoted from 3rd to 16th place after causing an avoidable collision during the morning's Sprint race.^[8] In the final lap, Michael Ammermüller collided Robert Wickens from Canada.

Both these demotions allowed Malaysia to score their first two points of the season and also allowed Wickens and his Canadian team to finish on the podium.

Pos	Team	Driver	Laps	Time	Grid	Points
1	Switzerland	Neel Jani	10	18'20.910	1	15+1
2	France	Loïc Duval	10	+3.792	2	12
3	Canada	Robert Wickens	10	+13.127	5	10
4	Brazil	Sérgio Jimenez	10	+13.737	7	8
5	New Zealand	Jonny Reid	10	+14.476	6	6
6	Great Britain	Oliver Jarvis	10	+14.937	3	5
7	Ireland	Adam Carroll	10	+19.679	13	4
8	Italy	Enrico Toccacelo	10	+23.221	18	3
9	Malaysia	Alex Yoong	10	+23.587	19	2
10	South Africa	Adrian Zaugg	10	+25.105	8	1
11	India	Narain Karthikeyan	10	+25.204	14
12	USA	Jonathan Summerton	10	+26.527	11
13	Portugal	João Urbano	10	+27.772	15
14	Lebanon	Chris Alajajian	10	+34.121	20
15	Czech Republic	Erik Janis	10	+36.328	17
16	Germany	Michael Ammermüller	10	+36.935	4
17	Pakistan	Adam Langley-Khan	10	+37.546	22
18	Netherlands	Jeroen Bleekemolen	10	+40.327	10
19	Indonesia	Satrio Hermanto	10	+44.820	21
20	Mexico	Michel Jourdain Jr.	10	+47.416	16
Ret	China	Cong Fu Cheng	1	Mechanical	9
Ret	Australia	Ian Dyk	0	Collision	12

Main race

There is 32 °C and 66% of humidity for the second start of the Malaysian round. The two mandatories pit stop should occur between 8th and 14th laps and between 22nd and 30th laps.^[9]
At the first corner, a collision get involve Canada, USA, Portugal, China, Australia and Czech Republic.^[9] The Portuguese car stuck in the gravel. After a great start jumping ninth, Malaysia and New Zealand collide in the second lap. The both team must pass by stand. Robert Wickens (Canada) hits Adrian Zaugg (South Africa) while he tried to get his car back on track after spins out on lap 8, turn seven. The both driver retire and the safety car is out.
Meanwhile, Malaysia and New Zealand can catch up the end of the file after their collide on lap 2. The pit stop window is open and cars were stationary at the end of the pit lane with red light. On green light, Brazil got the better start behind Switzerland, Great Britain, France, Germany and Netherlands. The safety car go back and the race restart on lap 12. Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) passes Neel Jani (Switzerland) into the second corner but the Swiss driver go by Jarvis and Loïc Duval sneaks by too. In lap 14, Brazil set the fastest lap. Switzerland catch up Brazil, New Zealand attempt to passes Pakistan but is well defending, Ireland make mistake and drops from seventh to 10th.
In lap 18, Enrico Toccacelo (Italy) is in the pit and renounce. In turn 2, lap 20, German rookie driver, Michael Ammermüller hit unfairly Great Britain and drops to 5th, Jarvis is now 6th. Germany receive a drive-through penalty. For lap 23, the pit lane is open for the second stops. Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands) passes Loïc Duval (France) for 2nd place. In lap 25, Great Britain take the fast lap just before is pit stop where is too fast in the pit lane and receive a drive-through penalty. Switzerland set the fast lap at its turn. Again, at turn 2, lap 29, Michael Ammermüller collide unfairly Erik Janis (Czech Republic) and passes.
After second mandatory pit stop closed, Switzerland is behind Brazil and France. Mexico, Great Britain, USA and Australia are still battling for position. Great Britain gets by Mexico in lap 34 and Ian Dyk (Australia) passes Jonathan Summerton (USA) in final lap. Oliver Jarvis drops USA too.
The final top ten was: Switzerland, Brazil, France, Netherlands, China, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain.

After the race, A1 teams Brazil and Great Britain were penalised to stay stationary at a red light during safety-car period on at the pit exit after their first mandatory pit stops.^[10] The both team have been retrogressed of 2 seconds to their total race time. Brazilian team lose one position (2nd to 3rd) and Great Britain lose 2 positions (10th to 12th) in their final feature race results.

Germany, with its driver Michael Ammermüller, was excluded from the final main race results.^[10] In lap 19, the German team cause an avoidable collision with Great Britain and was sanctioned with a drive-through penalty but in lap 28, Germany reiterate an avoidable collision with Czech Republic. The final results before exclusion of Germany was 13th.

Neel Jani accomplish the perfect weekend with 2 pole positions, 2 wins and 2 fast laps.

Pos	Team	Driver	Laps	Time	Grid	Points
1	Switzerland	Neel Jani	35	1:08'13.459	1	15+1
2	France	Loïc Duval	35	+8.928	4	12
3	Brazil	Sérgio Jimenez	35	+10.414	6	10
4	Netherlands	Jeroen Bleekemolen	35	+11.222	5	8
5	China	Cong Fu Cheng	35	+17.354	8	6
6	India	Narain Karthikeyan	35	+17.594	11	5
7	Ireland	Adam Carroll	35	+19.372	7	4
8	New Zealand	Jonny Reid	35	+20.397	10	3
9	Australia	Ian Dyk	35	+44.294	14	2
10	USA	Jonathan Summerton	35	+44.549	13	1
11	Mexico	Michel Jourdain Jr.	35	+44.715	20
12	Great Britain	Oliver Jarvis	35	+46.359	2
13	Malaysia	Alex Yoong	35	+48.795	15
14	Pakistan	Adam Langley-Khan	35	+56.877	21
15	Czech Republic	Erik Janis	35	+58.319	16
16	Indonesia	Satrio Hermanto	35	+1'20.906	19
Ret	Lebanon	Chris Alajajian	26	Mechanical	22
Ret	Italy	Enrico Toccacelo	17	Mechanical	18
Ret	South Africa	Adrian Zaugg	7	Collision	9
Ret	Canada	Robert Wickens	7	Collision	12
Ret	Portugal	João Urbano	0	Collision	17
DSQ	Germany	Michael Ammermüller	35	+46.409	3

Notes

• Main race was the 50th start and 25th race weekend.
• It was the first race for Michael Ammermüller^[11] and Robert Wickens^[12] in A1 Grand Prix.
• It was the first race weekend for Michael Ammermüller,^[11] Earl Bamber,^[13] Rahel Frey^[14] and Edoardo Piscopo.^[15]
• It was the 3rd venue in the Sepang International Circuit and the 3rd Malaysian Grand Prix.
• Records :
  • A1 Team Lebanon participate on 25 races (50 starts) without won points since their first Grand Prix.
  • 26th podium for A1 Team France.
  • Alex Yoong participate on 24 races (46 starts).
  • Neel Jani won 201 points.

References

External links

• Switzerland takes Sprint race
• Sepang Sprint: lap by lap
• Sprint race results
• Switzerland wins thrilling Feature
• Sepang Feature: lap by lap
• Feature race results