A1GP Australia takes rookie into China

John Martin getting into the Aussie car

Well we haven't really covered A1GP to date, and yes we have even expressed strong views on the series. However at the end of the day, the team is giving some up and coming Aussie racers a chance so we think we should cover them.

we pick them up ahead of the Chinese round of the series and news that A1 Team Australia will start a new rookie at the next round of the ‘World Cup of Motorsport’ in Shanghai, China. Sydneysider Nathan Antunes comes to the team with extensive open wheel experience including stints in Formula BMW, Formula 3 and GP2. Both Nathan and lead driver John Martin will experience the Shanghai circuit for the first time in this penultimate round of season three.

Alan Jones A1 Team Australia Seatholder: "This is a very important race like all others, where we have to secure the best points to move back up the championship ladder. John has not raced here before, nor has our new Rookie Nathan Antunes ever driven our A1GP racecar. Again we have created the opportunity for young talent to shine on the International motorsport stage with A1 Team Australia. Shanghai International Circuit has a very long fast back straight, with challenging corners and a long pit lane. We provided Nathan Antunes the best information possible in Mexico with our engineers and driver on the car setup and team strategies and communications. Both young guys are working and talking to each other so we feel confident of a good weekend"

John Martin: "Shanghai is a great circuit to simulate on with Playstation, as many international drivers use this type of feedback on tracks they have never been on before. The last race there for the team was a good one to start though the result was not so good in the end. Year before was a podium so I have my target set to do well there. This week I have spent valuable time talking over race strategy with Rob [Arnott] and Ash [Edwards]. We arrive on Thursday morning to have a good walk around the entire circuit with our engineers and rookie driver to review what we discussed this week and take notice of the weather forecast for tyre selection"

Rob Arnott Chief Engineer: "Shanghai has a lot of speed on the front and back straights, so we are confident as the car is quick. Tyre degradation will play a vital part in our plan to get our car high up on the grid for both races. John like Nathan is new to Shanghai, as are some other drivers. We will let Nathan get used to the car at his pace so John can set it up for Saturday’s all important qualifying"

Nathan Antunes: "I am keen to get into the car, and thank everyone for the opportunity. The information and feedback from Alan Jones is no doubt a very valuable asset to have access to at anytime. We have so much to draw from with his experience; the engineers were excellent in Mexico to understand the entire car setup. Adam Gotch with his crew made it quite clear, on how to best prepare for Friday in Shanghai and look forward to a walk around the circuit on Thursday with John Rob and Ash. I met John again in Mexico, we soon swapped information together over the weekend, good vibe inside the team, and together we will do our best for the team and our country in China.

Ted Toleman founder of Toleman Motorsport, the Team who gave Ayrton Senna his first Formula One drive:"After observing Nathan in Australian, France and driving competitively in New Zealand, we are convinced he has the ability to be a frontrunner in his chosen sport. He has the correct mental and personal attitude to compete at the highest level. He is professional in his approach to motor racing and aware of the ‘up’s and downs’ he will encounter whilst attempting to achieve a permanent seat in A1GP"

We would love to hear your thoughts on the A1GP series. Is it worthwhile? Should we cover it? Have we been to harsh in the past with our comments? Just use the comments section in the blog or the e-mail link at the top of the page.