Switzerland Wins Dramatic Durban Feature Race

Race: A1GP Durban, South Africa (round 7 of 10)

South Africa - Title leader A1 Team Switzerland dominated the action in Durban this afternoon to win the incident-packed Feature race, as the tricky turn one claimed numerous victims throughout the 48-lap race. Today's results move the Swiss team 10 points ahead of France in the championship standings while New Zealand now lies third, having scored a meagre two points after enduring a frustrating weekend in South Africa.

Superb work by the French team in the pits helped Loic Duval on his way to securing second place behind Switzerland, an incredible feat considering the Frenchman only arrived at the track from Japan on Saturday morning and qualified eighth. Portuguese rookie Filipe Albuquerque wowed the crowds by racing to third position from ninth on the grid, taking an impressive first podium on his A1GP debut.

With just nine laps remaining, Canada's Robert Wickens, who was on great form and running in second for much of the race, spun out at turn one and was hit by GBR's Oliver Jarvis as he rounded the tight hairpin and could not avoid the Canadian car. The incident brought out the safety car and no sooner had the race restarted than it was all over due to am ambitious move from local hero Adrian Zaugg.

The South African driver, who started 15th, had climbed to seventh when he made a determined dive down the inside at turn one and hit the unlucky Jeroen Bleekemolen in the Dutch car, causing a major pile up involving five cars. Bleekemolen was out of the race, which continued for a short period under the safety car, but still classified in fourth position when the race was brought to a premature end by a red flag.

It was the third time during the Feature race that a multi-car incident at turn one led to a safety car period when the field squeezed through the tight hairpin eager to take advantage of one of the few overtaking spots on the narrow street circuit.

Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy had a superb afternoon, making his way through the field to finish fifth, having started from 12th on the grid. China's Congfu Cheng was also on impressive form, racing from 11th to sixth and collecting a bonus point for setting the fastest lap.

Khalil Beschir was heartbroken as the Lebanese driver was on course to score his nation's first ever championship point when the race was red-flagged with just one lap remaining.

Feature race winner and championship leader Switzerland's Neel Jani, who has been suffering with a stomach bug and dehydration, was grateful for the safety car periods:

'I had a lot of stomach pain and cramps and obviously many runs to the toilet, so this morning I felt really bad. I got two litres of fluids by drip and that was a little bit better afterwards but still the cramps and everything was still going on, so the race was really tough and in the end I really had problems to concentrate. I really felt how dehydrated I was and the concentration was really getting tough in the end so I was happy with all the safety cars. My mechanics did a superb job. They got the car ready and the pit stops were good, so I have to thank the team that they gave me again the car and I just had to drive it.'

France's Loic Duval, who will not be able to compete in the remaining three rounds of the A1GP season due to prior commitments, was very happy with second in the Feature race today and thought it was one of the best races of his A1GP career:

'The team did a great job. We overtook everybody. I mean on the track we were faster than them and fortunately for us Canada spun - I was pretty lucky actually because I almost crashed into him. It was just a great race, maybe the best of A1GP for me. It's like a victory for us so now I feel really happy. I want to thank all my team because it's the last race for me. I want to wish them the best for the rest of the season.'

Portuguese newcomer Filipe Albuquerque was pleased to finish on the podium at his first A1GP event:

'I was pushing all the time and it was easy to make mistakes because the tyres were getting worse. I did some mistakes also, but it happens to everyone and it's not easy to push for over 40 laps without making a mistake. I'm happy with a third place, I built up to fifth so I was already very happy because I came up from ninth after the first corner and the speed was good. Not enough like Switzerland or France but enough to be P3.'

Switzerland leaves Durban on 118 points ahead of France on 108 and New Zealand on 98, as the thrilling nation versus nation series heads to Mexico City for round eight of the 10-event championship on 14-16 March 2008.

All results remain provisional while the stewards of the circuit continue to carry out investigations. Keep checking www.A1GP.com for further updates and the final results.

Feature race results
--------------------

Pos Driver               A1 Team        Laps Time        Gap     Kph
                                                                 
1   Neel JANI            SWITZERLAND     41  01:55.330        -  146 
2   Loic DUVAL           FRANCE          41  01:56.381   +1.051  146 
3   Filipe ALBUQUERQUE   PORTUGAL        41  01:57.264   +1.934  145 
4   Jeroen BLEEKEMOLEN   NETHERLANDS     41  01:58.708   +3.378  146 
5   Fairuz FAUZY         MALAYSIA        41  01:59.879   +4.549  144 
6   Congfu CHENG         CHINA           41  02:00.314   +4.984  146 
7   Adrian ZAUGG         SOUTH AFRICA    41  02:00.970   +5.640  145 
8   Edoardo PISCOPO      ITALY           41  02:01.892   +6.562  145
9   Bruno JUNQUEIRA      BRAZIL          41  02:14.854  +19.524  144 
10  Jonny REID           NEW ZEALAND     41  02:15.550  +20.220  146 
11  Oliver JARVIS        GREAT BRITAIN   40  03:20.739  1 Lap    146 
12  Robert WICKENS       CANADA          39  58:16.230  2 Laps   146 
13  Khalil BESCHIR       LEBANON         39  01:55.694  2 Laps   140 
14  John MARTIN          AUSTRALIA       39  02:33.307  2 Laps   143 
15  Adam CARROLL         IRELAND         35  02:32.070  6 Laps   144 
16  Josef KRAL           CZECH REPUBLIC  33  02:03.530  8 Laps   141 
17  Parthiva SURESHWAREN INDIA           29  47:19.860  12 Laps  140 
18  Jonathan SUMMERTON   USA             25  41:11.057  16 Laps  143 
19  David GARZA          MEXICO          18  31:50.475  23 Laps  141 
20  Michael AMMERMULLER  GERMANY          3  06:09.229  38 Laps   95.2 
21  Satrio HERMANTO      INDONESIA        3  06:13.039  38 Laps   99.7 
22  Adam KHAN            PAKISTAN         3  06:14.096  38 Laps   97.6
 

Points Standings
----------------

Pos  A1 Team       Points
 
1    Switzerland    118 
2    France         108 
3    New Zealand     98 
4    South Africa    83 
5    Germany         77 
6    Great Britain   70 
7    Netherlands     69 
8    Canada          52 
9    Ireland         50 
10   China           43 
11   Brazil          40 
12   India           28 
13   Mexico          22 
14   Australia       20 
15   Portugal        19 
16   USA             13 
17   Czech Republic  10 
18   Malaysia        10 
19   Italy            7 
20   Pakistan         1 



Fastest lap: A1 Team China set the fastest lap in the 
             Feature race, lapping the Durban street 
             circuit in 1m.18.744s with a speed of 
             146.3 kph on lap 35 of the 48 lap race.

Next race: A1GP Mexico City, Mexico, 14-16 March 2008

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