IRELAND PENALIZED AS JANI TRIUMPH'S // A1GP RACE REPORT

Team Switzerland must have feared for their place atop the Championship after their misfortune in Saturday's Qualifying, but following a frenetic and highly entertaining Feature Race in which Jani produced a quality drive at the Algarve Autodrome, he and the Swiss Team still retain their lead.
 
In what is proving to be by far the closest run since the inception of the A1GP, three teams head to Brands Hatch separated by only six points. 
 
Team Ireland perhaps should have capitalized more on Switzerland's misfortune in Sprint Race qualifying, but due to an indiscretion in the Feature, were handed a 25 second penalty thus dropping them to 5th place and therefore the Championship lead... [read more]

Earlier in the day, the Sprint Race was not to see a dream debut for poleman Tonio Liuzzi of Team Italy, as he was passed off the line by Robert Doornbos and ended the race ten seconds down in 4th
 
The Sprint Race went to plan for Team Netherlands and saw them complete an easy win, moving closer to the top three at the head of the Championship. Italy and Liuzzi initially held 2nd place, until teams started to make their compulsory pitstop. Team Italy's stop didn't go well and Liuzzi rejoined the race in 4th with both Adam Carroll and Felipe Albuquerque moving through. Team Switzerland and Neel Jani, who started towards the back of the grid, moved through the tail of the field but suffered a penalty for stopping outside the 'Pit Window,' and came away with a no score which lost them the Series lead by 6 points.
 
Sprint Race Results:
1. Netherlands     Doornbos
2. Ireland             Carroll
3. Portugal          Albuquerque
4. Italy                Liuzzi
5. Monaco          Piccione
6.  India              Karthikeyan
  
The Feature Race started with drama even before the finish of the formation lap, as the pole position car of  Doornbos came to a halt half way round amid a cloud of electrical smoke.
 
Adam Carroll was left on the front row all by himself and duly capitalized away from the line, leading Switzerland and Portugal. The biggest mover however, was Team USA and Marco Andretti who made a storming start to grab 5th. All was not as it seems though, as Carroll was adjudged to have jumped the start and therefore was given a stop go penalty.   
 
After the first round of pitstops, the safety car intervened for a clash between New Zealand and South Africa which put both cars out of the race.This enabled Team Ireland to regain the ground they had lost earlier with their penalty.
 
On Lap 18 the Safety Car pulled in, and in probably one of the best moves this season, Team Portugal's Albuquerque carried off a pass around the outside as both he and Jani dived into the 4th hear 1st corner, sending the home support crazy.
 
Another great battle unfortunately was to end shortly after the restart, as Team USA's Andretti made a small mistake at turn eight and ran wide allowing Liuzzi to pull alongside, albeit not completely. Andretti turned in and both collided along with the totally innocent car of Team Monaco's Clivio Piccione who clipped the errant Italian car. This forced the Safety Car out once more.

On the restart, Jani tried everything to pass the resolute Albuquerque but to no avail. Ireland and Portugal made their second stops, with the now flying Adam Carroll right on the tail of the Portuguese car.
 
Switzerland stayed out one lap longer and after a great job by the Swiss mechanics, Jani was able to make it out in front of Albuquerque as they headed into the first turn.
 
The Portugese car now came under pressure from Team Ireland and after a brave fight, Ireland made their move with Carroll taking the position. For the next few minutes Carroll put in a stunning set of laps which included fastest of the race, for which he gained an all important extra point. He closed the gap even further, eventually brining himself within a half a second, but it was too late, as Jani took the flag to make him the driver with the most wins in A1GP history.

The 'luck of the Irish' didn't apply today, as they once again fell foul to a penalty, this one after the race had finished. Carroll was penalised 25 seconds for overtaking under the Safety Car and demoted to fifth place.
 
So with Jani the winner, Albuquerque was promoted to second ahead of Fairuz Fauzy of Team Malaysia.
 
The series now makes the trip to the famous Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit at the beginning of May with a title fight the like no other before. 
 
Feature Race Results:
1.  Switzerland     Jani
2.  Portugal          Albuquerque
3.  Malaysia         Fauzy
4.  Mexico           Duran
5.  Ireland            Carroll
6.  France            Prost

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Photo: A1GP
Editorial: Neil Tozer