A1GP New Zealand and France on Pole at Taupo

New Zealand - Home nation A1 Team New Zealand qualified in pole position for tomorrow morning's Sprint race at Taupo while France took the Feature race pole. It was an unusual qualifying hour as the majority of teams waited as late as possible to take to the windy, dusty track during each of the four 15-minute qualifying segments.

Sprint race qualifying
The crowds roared as New Zealand's Jonny Reid set the fastest lap in the closing minutes of the second 15-minute qualifying segment to snatch pole position for tomorrow morning's Sprint race.

South Africa's Adrian Zaugg will line up alongside the home nation hero on the front row, after an incredible last lap charge during Q2 moved him up to second place. France's Loic Duval, who has been the man to beat all weekend, will start the race from third position on the second row while Germany's Christian Vietoris qualified fourth.

The Netherlands' Jeroen Bleekemolen and USA's Jonathan Summerton will line up on the third row of the grid in fifth and sixth place respectively.

Feature race qualifying
The teams continued to play a waiting game due to the dusty conditions, finally taking to the track with just over two minutes of the final qualifying segment remaining. France's Loic Duval put in a sensational performance to secure pole for the Feature race ahead of Germany's Christian Vietoris who will line up alongside him on the front row.

Current championship leader Switzerland's Neel Jani qualified in third position, closely followed by Canada's Robert Wickens who will start from fourth on the grid. Home nation New Zealand's Jonny Reid took the fifth spot while Portugal's Joao Urbano recorded an incredible lap around the 3.5km circuit to secure sixth position ahead of South Africa.

New Zealand's Jonny Reid is delighted to be starting tomorrow's Sprint race from pole position and is aiming for a win in front of his home crowd:

'It was a fantastic feeling to see everyone on their feet in the grandstands as I came across the line. I had no radio communication during the session but I could see the crowd were pretty excited and I was hoping it was at least the front row. It was a very clean lap in Q2 and not many mistakes which is pleasing. We slipped up a bit for the Feature race qualifying but we'll be there when it comes to the racing tomorrow. I have the home support and I really want this one.'

Season one champion France's Loic Duval has been on superb form all weekend and has high hopes for tomorrow's Feature race, which he is starting from pole:

'The first part of qualifying was ok because I was first in the first segment, but the set up of the car wasn't really as good as this morning. It was quite difficult to find a good set up which is why I just took pole for the Feature race. The average of today is not too bad though - first and third - and at the end of the weekend the most important thing is the number of points we can score.'

Germany's Christian Vietoris, who will start the Sprint race from fourth and the Feature race from second on the grid, commented on the dirty, dusty track conditions:

'It is a big problem because you don't know what to expect at the next corner. Today it was ok but yesterday it was a lot worse and nearly everybody went off the track at some point.'

Tomorrow's Sprint race at Taupo, New Zealand will start at 11.00 local time and the 70-minute Feature race will start at 15.00.

Sprint race qualifying results - A1GP Taupo, New Zealand (round 5 of 10)

POS

A1 TEAM

DRIVER

 TIME S1

 TIME S2

 BEST TIME

GAP FIRST

1

NEW ZEALAND

Jonny REID

01:16.533

01:15.241

01:15.241

 

2

SOUTH AFRICA

Adrian ZAUGG

01:17.423

01:15.522

01:15.522

0.281

3

FRANCE

Loic DUVAL

01:16.340

01:15.628

01:15.628

0.387

4

GERMANY

Christian VIETORIS

01:16.495

01:15.724

01:15.724

0.483

5

NETHERLANDS

Jeroen BLEEKEMOLEN

01:17.700

01:16.036

01:16.036

0.795

6

USA

Jonathan SUMMERTON

01:19.515

01:16.101

01:16.101

0.86

7

IRELAND

Adam CARROLL

01:16.846

01:16.182

01:16.182

0.941

8

CANADA

Robert WICKENS

01:17.612

01:16.201

01:16.201

0.96

9

MALAYSIA

Alex YOONG

01:19.409

01:16.386

01:16.386

1.145

10

BRAZIL

Sergio JIMENEZ

01:17.516

01:16.408

01:16.408

1.167

11

SWITZERLAND

Neel JANI

01:16.978

01:16.423

01:16.423

1.182

12

ITALY

Edoardo PISCOPO

01:17.654

01:16.472

01:16.472

1.231

13

GREAT BRITAIN

Robbie KERR

01:17.876

01:16.731

01:16.731

1.49

14

PORTUGAL

Joao URBANO

01:23.471

01:17.147

01:17.147

1.906

15

AUSTRALIA

John MARTIN

01:18.875

01:17.309

01:17.309

2.068

16

CHINA

Congfu CHENG

 

01:17.340

01:17.340

2.099

17

LEBANON

Chris ALAJAJIAN

 

01:17.682

01:17.682

2.441

18

MEXICO

David GARZA

 

01:17.809

01:17.809

2.568

19

CZECH REPUBLIC

Tomas ENGE

01:19.736

01:17.811

01:17.811

2.57

20

INDIA

Narain KARTHIKEYAN

01:50.053

01:17.961

01:17.961

2.72

21

INDONESIA

Satrio HERMANTO

01:20.597

01:18.421

01:18.421

3.18

22

PAKISTAN

Adam KHAN

01:19.325

01:18.635

01:18.635

3.394

Feature race qualifying results - A1GP Taupo, New Zealand (round 5 of 10)

POS

A1 TEAM

DRIVER

TIME S1

TIME S2

BEST TIME

GAP FIRST

1

FRANCE

Loic DUVAL

01:15.974

01:15.296

01:15.296

 

2

GERMANY

Christian VIETORIS

01:15.869

01:15.331

01:15.331

+0.035

3

SWITZERLAND

Neel JANI

01:16.351

01:15.476

01:15.476

+0.180

4

CANADA

Robert WICKENS

01:15.922

01:15.588

01:15.588

+0.292

5

NEW ZEALAND

Jonny REID

01:15.618

01:15.649

01:15.618

+0.322

6

PORTUGAL

Joao URBANO

01:16.627

01:15.620

01:15.620

+0.324

7

SOUTH AFRICA

Adrian ZAUGG

01:15.651

 

01:15.651

+0.355

8

NETHERLANDS

Jeroen BLEEKEMOLEN

01:15.988

01:15.795

01:15.795

+0.499

9

GREAT BRITAIN

Robbie KERR

01:16.485

01:15.895

01:15.895

+0.599

10

USA

Jonathan SUMMERTON

01:16.185

01:15.898

01:15.898

+0.602

11

BRAZIL

Sergio JIMENEZ

01:16.647

01:16.024

01:16.024

+0.728

12

AUSTRALIA

John MARTIN

01:16.658

01:16.106

01:16.106

+0.810

13

IRELAND

Adam CARROLL

01:16.271

01:16.115

01:16.115

+0.819

14

MALAYSIA

Alex YOONG

01:16.198

01:16.303

01:16.198

+0.902

15

MEXICO

David GARZA

01:17.977

01:16.313

01:16.313

+1.017

16

ITALY

Edoardo PISCOPO

01:16.592

01:16.524

01:16.524

+1.228

17

LEBANON

Chris ALAJAJIAN

01:17.871

01:16.556

01:16.556

+1.260

18

CHINA

Congfu CHENG

01:17.625

01:16.761

01:16.761

+1.465

19

INDIA

Narain KARTHIKEYAN

01:17.248

01:16.791

01:16.791

+1.495

20

CZECH REPUBLIC

Tomas ENGE

01:18.217

01:17.526

01:17.526

+2.230

21

PAKISTAN

Adam KHAN

01:18.338

01:17.556

01:17.556

+2.260

22

INDONESIA

Satrio HERMANTO

01:18.106

01:18.395

01:18.106

+2.810