a Proper Driver for Team USA puts USA on top

[coolhand]

Team USA leads first test at Paul Ricard A1 Team USA recorded the fastest lap time at the Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track today during A1 Grand Prix's second team test session. Making its debut appearance following its official unveiling this morning, the USA car emblazoned with the American flag and the slogan 'We the People' crept above A1 Team Brazil mid-way through the afternoon session.

Commenting on his team's success, seat holder, Rick Weidinger said: 'A1 Team USA is very pleased with the today's results. Anytime you finish a test, especially at Paul Ricard, and you're P1 you have to be happy. Our test driver, Scott Speed has a rich heritage of racing results and today is another indication of his talent. The team did a wonderful job, they all pulled together, and that's a goal of ours, to be a team in the garage and on the track. We made a huge step forward today.'

Emphasizing the team involvement in A1 Grand Prix, A1 Team Ireland driver Ralph Firman said: 'It was a very encouraging start for the team, they have only had one week to get the car ready and they've done a fantastic job to get the car up and running. It's an exciting series which I have wanted to be involved in it for a long time.'

'Today's A1 Team test session showed just how exciting the A1 Grand Prix races are set to be' said A1 Grand Prix Founder, President and Chairman, Sheikh Maktoum. 'Each team became increasingly competitive as the day progressed with the countries in the top few positions changing constantly. We saw 20 identical cars each driven by a mixture of established drivers and young up and coming talent, each racing for the pride of their nation. A1 Grand Prix is a diverse Series and from today's results we can see that it is also highly competitive. I'm looking forward to tomorrow where the Teams will experience the first rolling start of A1 Grand Prix where you will see 20 nations in a league of their own starting to compete for the first World Cup of Motorsport.'

Fastest lap times - Wednesday 24 August 2005
1 USA 1.24.559 - SCOTT SPEED
2 BRAZIL 1.24.973 - NELSON PIQUET JR
3 FRANCE 1.25.095 - NICOLAS LAPIERE
4 GRAT BRITAIN 1.25.281 - ROBBIE KERR
5 MEXICO 1.25.296 - SALVADOR DURAN
6 PORTUGAL 1.25.377 - ALVARO PARENTE
7 NEW ZEALAND 1.25.536 - JONNY REID
8 IRELAND 1.25.687 - RALPH FIRMAN
9 AUSTRALIA 1.25.692 - WILL DAVISON
10 MALAYSIA 1.25.717 - ALEX YOONG
11 NETHERLANDS 1.25.751 - JOS VERSTAPPEN
12 PAKISTAN 1.26.139 - ADAM KHAN
13 SWITZERLAND 1.26.147 - ROMAIN GROSJEAN
14 SOUTH AFRICA 1.26.177 - THOMAS SCHECKTER
15 GERMANY 1.26.440 - TIMO SCHEIDER
16 LEBANON 1.26.477 - BASIL SHAABAN
17 INDIA 1.27.978 - KARUN CHANDOK
18 INDONESIA 1.28.430 - ANANDA MIKOLA
19 CHINA 1.29.377 - TENG JIANG
20 RUSSIA 1.32.760 - NIKOLAY FOMENKO

--------------------
Go Lebanon :thumbup:

[Don Quixote]

Jos was sandbagging. :p

[Joe in LA]

Scheckter and Verstappen are behind Alex Yoong in spec cars? :gomer:

[Tim]

Wow what an awesome driver line-up. :rolleyes:

[trauma1]

with scott sharp in the team plus a former earl owner , it should be interesting, look out speed and watch your back :shakehead

[Fio1]

See, this is proof that the IRL is bad for your health. A perfectly good driver like Tomas Scheckter is now behind a mid-pack F3 driver with parents from Pakistan. :shakehead

IRL, it takes the talent right out of you! :rolleyes: :laugh:

[Easy]

See, this is proof that the IRL is bad for your health. A perfectly good driver like Tomas Scheckter is now behind a mid-pack F3 driver with parents from Pakistan. :shakehead

IRL, it takes the talent right out of you! :rolleyes: :laugh:

Was Adam (Langley-)Khan even considered a mid-pack F3 driver. You may be a bit generous there. He was certianly an FRenault V6 tailender.

[NismoZ]

Wait a minute...I know some very fine Pakistani parents! (of course none of them drive very well...)

[Steve99]

How many cars did Scheckter wreck?

[coolhand]

Team USA again fastest, Team China again slowest A1 Team Germany chose the second day of the A1 Grand Prix test at the famous Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track to officially announce their seat holder as Willy Webber manager to the current F1 champion Michael Schumacher.

Today's announcement followed the extraordinary sound of A1 Grand Prix's first- ever rolling start. Sixteen A1 cars in full race livery jostled for position over the start line simulating the spectacle that will be witnessed at the start of every A1 Grand Prix race. The day was a huge success for all involved as lap times continued to fall and all the drivers continued to push for the top slot.

'The car has been great today. This kind of test session is invaluable; we are concentrating on doing our own thing and improving the set up of the car. The Team is coming together nicely and I think it's going to be a strong partnership. The car is great to drive. Even round a circuit I don't know I have complete confidence in it, I'm loving being involved in A1 Grand Prix,' said Stephen Simpson, test driver for A1 Team South Africa.

Max Welti, Team Principal for A1 Team Switzerland commented on his team's performance and the reliability of the A1GP car, saying: 'It's been a successful day, we have been testing Romain Grosjean, a young Swiss driver who has developed extremely well in today's test alone, having done a very professional job adapting to a more powerful car. However, the most positive surprise so far has been reliability. It is not often in my 30 years of experience in motorsport that I have come across a piece of technology as reliable as the A1 Grand Prix Car. Compared to all other series that have been launched in recent years, we haven't had any significant problems.'

Speaking at today's press conference, A1 Grand Prix Founder, President and Chairman, Sheikh Maktoum said: 'It is fantastic that Germany is involved in the World Cup of Motorsport particularly as it has such a great motorsport heritage from the Silver Arrows to Michael Schumacher. I'm delighted to have Willy Webber on-board representing Germany and I'm sure his country will be behind him, especially when we reach our second race at EuroSpeedway.'

He continued: 'It was sensational seeing all the cars have their first rolling start today with the French car and the USA 'We the People' duelling for the top position diving into the first hairpin bend. Exactly one month ahead of our opening race at Brands Hatch, A1 Grand Prix is all set to find out which country really is the best on track.'

Willy Webber spoke of his involvement with the Series saying: 'At the beginning, when I heard about A1 grand Prix I have to admit I was skeptical. But now, after what we have seen today, and what I have seen in the past, I can see A1 Grand Prix is a fantastic series. I believe in the idea and it makes me very proud and happy to have the chance to be the team boss of A1 Team Germany.'

A1 Grand Prix CEO, Tony Teixeira concluded saying: 'It is great having Germany involved and we're looking forward to announcing more teams in the coming days giving us a full grid at Brands Hatch. We are over subscribed and the global support we have received is a pleasant surprise.'

Fastest lap times - Thursday 25 August 2005
1 USA 1.24.177 - SCOTT SPEED
2 FRANCE 1.24.392 - ALEX PREMAT
3 BRAZIL 1.24.574 - NELSON PIQUET JR
4 NEW ZEALAND 1.24.590 - JONNY REID
5 PORTUGAL 1.24.738 - ALVARO PARENTE
6 IRELAND 1.24.772 - RALPH FIRMAN
7 NETHERLANDS 1.24.879 - JOS VERSTAPPEN
8 SWITZERLAND 1.24.895 - ROMAIN GROSJEAN
9 MALAYSIA 1.24.987 - FAIRUZ FAUZY
10 LEBANON 1.25.012 - KALIL BESCHIR
11 GREAT BRITAIN 1.25.104 - ROBBIE KERR
12 GERMANY 1.25.211 - TIMO SCHEIDER
13 PAKISTAN 1.25.374 - ADAM KHAN
14 SOUTH AFRICA 1.25.757 - STEPHEN SIMPSON
15 MEXICO 1.25.891 - SALVADOR DURAN
16 INDONESIA 1.26.655 - ANANDA MIKOLA
17 INDIA 1.26.959 - KARUN CHANDOK
18 AUSTRALIA 1.26.990 - CHRISTIAN JONES
19 RUSSIA 1.27.942 - ALEXEY VASILIEV
20 CHINA 1.28.202 - TENG YI JIANG

[coolhand]

does anyone think putting national pride at stake will cause any problems for the series?

will the chinese government tolerate their car bringing up the back or pull the plug?

[Fio1]

I just found out that some European and South American countries are mad that Speed and the American team is topping the time sheets, so they are asking Team USA to put Sam Hornish in the car instead. You know, for the good of foreign relations! :laugh: Look the US wins in Olympics, even during the winter games, they can't possibly win in the autoracing olympics as well....

[trauma1]

no sam the sham will be deemed as to good and they will demand that IV and special ed be put in the cars with AJ and larry curry as crew chiefs

[Fio1]

no sam the sham will be deemed as to good and they will demand that IV and special ed be put in the cars with AJ and larry curry as crew chiefs

Sam too good? Now, that's funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :laugh: :rofl: :shakehead

[Beevis]

Imagine how much faster they would be if they took the Speed clown out and put RHR in! :gomer:

[trauma1]

Imagine how much faster they would be if they took the Speed clown out and put RHR in! :gomer:
or AJ

[Easy]

oh ****

[pchall]

does anyone think putting national pride at stake will cause any problems for the series?

will the chinese government tolerate their car bringing up the back or pull the plug?

That sounds a bit kinky... :eek: