Sprint race: France wins, Jos 7th
Published on 12 February 2006 by Thorsten Hendriks
Nicolas Lapierre has given Team France yet another victory. At the Sentul track in Indonesia he managed to stay in front of Team Great Britain and Team Mexico. Team Malaysia had their be result of the season (4th), Jos finished 7th.
It was a race without any remarkable accidents or incidents, only two car retire; no safety car situation at all. The race was a good one to watch: close racing and lots of overtaking which kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.
The start went well and everyone gets through the first corner. Jos gains a few places and at the end of the first lap he is 10th. He is chasing Czechia and fighting off Indonesia. England is first but in the second lap France manages to get passed by using the slipstream. Mexico is comfortably driving on 3rd position.
Left and right cars make trips into the gravel pit. Team India and Italy have problems with the width of the track. Jos overtakes Czechia successfully. He is chasing the Japanese car and Jos is obviously faster. Just before the straight he manages to overtake the Japanese car after some fruitless attempts earlier. Team Switzerland has trouble with the car and Malaysian Alex Yoong takes advantage.
Germany and Indonesia show the public what the sheikh had in mind when he started A1GP: close quarter racing and fighting for position. Team France has a comfortable lead over Team Great Britain, this team on its turn is under pressure from Team Mexico. Salvador Duran, however, is not able to overtake Robbie Kerr and finished third.
Jos's laptimes are the same as race leader, the next victim is Matt Halliday. With only 3 laps to go Jos overtakes the New Zealand car at the end of the straight only using speed. Ralph Firman would have been the next aim, but is too far away with too much speed to reel in. Jos finishes 7th.
Result:
1 FRANCE 2 GREAT BRITAIN + 6.981 3 MEXICO + 8.027 4 MALAYSIA + 11.322 5 SWITZERLAND + 12.860 6 IRELAND + 13.734 7 NETHERLANDS + 14.504 8 NEW ZEALAND + 16.309 9 JAPAN + 18.714 10 CZECH REPUBLIC + 23.122 11 INDONESIA + 23.306 12 GERMANY + 24.401 13 AUSTRIA + 29.522 14 ITALY + 32.187 15 USA + 36.395 16 AUSTRALIA + 37.957 17 LEBANON + 45.185 18 INDIA +1'00.289 19 PORTUGAL +3'19.834 20 BRAZIL 1 Lap 21 SOUTH AFRICA 3 Laps 22 CHINA 13 Laps 23 CANADA 17 Laps
Thorsten Hendriks
