The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport car for the 2008/09 season continued its intensive testing programme this week with two days at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola.

Following on from successful tests at Fiorano, the Ferrari test track in Italy, Andrea Bertolini has been back behind the wheel of the Powered by Ferrari car, putting it through its paces at Imola.
This is the first time the car has run outside the confines of Fiorano but feedback continues to be positive with the car running on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Testing will continue next week with five-days running scheduled at Guadix Circuit, a recently constructed facility in Spain. The three-kilometre track near Granada has a good mix of fast and slow corners with varying cambers and a 750-metre main straight set against the stunning back drop of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

A1GP General Manager, Technical and Operations, John Wickham: "We've completed about 900-kilometres of testing so far and everything is going relatively smoothly. The car is performing very well and the driver is happy with it; the balance is good and the tyres are working well. We haven't done as much testing as we hoped but that's partly because we were waiting on the weather at Fiorano. We ended up just running in the rain in the end but the car looked very quick in the wet!  In general the car has been very reliable. We look forward to five consecutive days running next week with the tight Guadix Circuit ideal for further testing of the handling of the car. "

The official pre-season testing for all the teams will take place at Silverstone on 18 - 20 August 2008 and Mugello on 17 - 18 September 2008.

 Franck Montagny will join A1 Team France for the last 2 events of the season: Shanghai (11th-13th April) and Brands Hatch (2nd-4th May). Despite a very full programme the Frenchman has accepted to drive the red, white and blue car and do battle for the 2007/08 title. He will follow in the footsteps of Loïc Duval and Jonathan Cochet who have defended the team’s colours since the start of the season.
With 8 rounds gone A1 Team France is in 3rd place in the overall classification 20 points behind the leader, Switzerland. It has racked up 1 victory, 7 podium placings and 12 points - scoring finishes.

30-year-old Franck Montagny raced in 7 F1 grand prix with Super Aguri in 2006. He was the Renault F1 test driver from 2003 to 2005, and then did the same job for Toyota F1 in 2007.

Franck  Montagny: “When A1 Team France asked me to race in the final rounds of  the season I immediately checked my programme to see if I could give them a positive reply; then I accepted without hesitation. It’s going to be a difficult job but I’m happy to be able to make my contribution. On paper anyway, winning the title is within our possibilities. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the car and find out its potential.”

Olivier Panis: “Welcome Franck! Since the start of the season we’ve repeated that the title is our objective and Franck’s arrival is a boost for the whole team. Pulling back 20 points in three races is going to be a tough challenge, but we’re determined to do our absolute best to snatch the crown!”

Così all'arrivo di Gara 1 (Sprint Race):

1. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - 14 giri in 20'59.462
2. Gran Bretagna - Oliver Jarvis - a 2.697
3. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 3.745
4. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 4.291
5. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 4.721
6. Portogallo - Filipe Albuquerque - a 7.125
7. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 7.787
8. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 8.597
9. Malesia - Alex Yoong -a 9.599
10. Brasile - Bruno Junqueira - a 10.952
11. Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 11.538
12. Francia - Jonathan Cochet - a 12.483
13. India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 14.859
14. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 15.600
15. Libano - Jimmy Auby - a 16.970
16. Messico - David Garza - a 18.363
17. Cina - CongFu Cheng - a 1 giro
18. Repubblica Ceca - Filip Salaquarda - a 10 giri
19. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 10 giri
20. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 12 giri
21. Germania - Michael Ammermuller
22. Australia - John Martin

Così all'arrivo di Gara 2 (Feature Race):

1. Irelanda - Adam Carroll - 47 giri in 1h07'47.858
2. Gran Bretagna - Oliver Jarvis - a 3.355
3. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 4.104
4. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 13.653
5. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 15.175
6. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 16.195
7. Portogallo - Filipe Albuquerque - a 16.542
8. Brasile - Bruno Junqueira - a 17.253
9. India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 26.504
10. Cina - CongFu Cheng - a 30.671
11. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 35.536
12. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 36.051
13. Francia - Jonathan Cochet - a 39.464
14. Messico - David Garza - a 49.082
15. Malesia - Alex Yoong - a 53.860
16. Repubblica Ceca - Filip Salaquarda - a 1'06.153
17. Libano - Jimmy Auby - a 1'24.771
18. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 1 giro
19. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 1 giro
20. Germania - Michael Ammermuller - a 1 giro
21. Australia - John Martin - a 1 giro
Non classificati
Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 45 giri

Così all'arrivo di Gara 1 (Sprint Race):

1. Canada - Robert Wickens - 11 giri in 15'28.156
2. Gran Bretagna - Oliver Jarvis - a 0.990
3. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 1.742
4. Cina - CongFu Cheng - a 2.248
5. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 3.477
6. Australia - John Martin - a 5.337
7. Portogallo - Filipe Albuquerque - a 6.449
8. Messico -David Garza - a 8.343
9. Malesia - Fairuz Fauzy - a 8.931
10. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 10.270
11. Francia - Loic Duval - a 11.067
12. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 11.625
13. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 12.074
14. Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 12.715
15. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 13.143
16. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 14.579
17. India - Parthiva Sureshwaren - a 15.375
18. Repubblica Ceca - Josef Kral - a 24.147
19. Libano - Khalil Beschir - a 30.280
20. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 46.100
Non classificati
Brasile - Bruno Junqueira - a 3 giri
Germania - Michael Ammermuller - 6° ma squalificato per non aver evitato l'incidente con l'Olanda.

Così all'arrivo di Gara 2 (Feature Race):
 
1. Svizzera - Neel Jani - 41 giri in 1h01'55.330
2. Francia - Loic Duval - a 1.051
3. Portogallo - Filipe Albuquerque - a 1.934
4. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 3.378
5. Malesia - Fairuz Fauzy - a 4.549
6. Cina - CongFu Cheng - a 4.984
7. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 5.640
8. Italia -Edoardo Piscopo -a 6.562
9. Brasile - Bruno Junqueira - a 19.524
10. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 20.220
11. Gran Bretagna - Oliver Jarvis - a 1 giro
12. Canada Robert Wickens - a 2 giri
13. Libano - Khalil Beschir - a 2 giri
14. Australia - John Martin - a 2 giri
15. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 6 giri
16. Repubblica Ceca - Josef Kral - a 8 giri
Non classificati
India - Parthiva Sureshwaren - a 12 giri
USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 16 giri
Messico - David Garza - a 23 giri
Germania - Michael Ammermuller - a 38 giri
Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 38 giri
Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 38 giri

Così all'arrivo di Gara 1 (Sprint Race):

1. Francia -Loic Duval - 14 giri in 20'18.536
2. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 9.198
3. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 11.016
4. Germania - Michael Ammermuller - a 11.929
5. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 12.604
6. Australia - John Martin - a 14.210
7. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 14.523
8. Brasile - Sergio Jimenez - a 30.260
9. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 33.471
10. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 33.806
11. India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 44.742
12. Portogallo - Joao Urbano -a 46.131
13. Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 46.196
14. Cina - CongFu Cheng -a 49.423
15. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 50.300
16. Gran Bretagna - Robbie Kerr - a 56.715
17. Messico - David Garza - a 1'01.846
18. Repubblica Ceca - Tomas Enge - a 1'03.033
19. Libano - Chris Alajajian - a 1'05.029
20. Malesia - Fairuz Fauzy - a 1'20.880
21. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 1'22.642
Non classificati
Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 13 giri
 
Così all'arrivo di Gara 2 (Feature Race):
 
1. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - 42 giri in 1h12'0.930
2. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 19.560
3. Gran Bretagna - Robbie Kerr - a 25.194
4. Brasile - Sergio Jimenez - a 42.770
5. Australia - John Martin - a 1'08.647
6. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 1'10.321
7. Germania - Michael Ammermuller - a 1'16.299
8. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 1'17.155
9. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 1'21.447
10. Cina - CongFu Cheng - a 1'33.913
11. India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 1'35.414
12. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 1'39.416
13. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 1 giro
14. Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 1 giro
15. Repubblica Ceca - Tomas Enge - a 1 giro
16. Portogallo - Joao Urbano - a 1 giro
17. Malesia - Fairuz Fauzy - a 1 giro
18. Messico - David Garza - a 1 giro
19. Libano - Chris Alajajian - a 2 giri
20. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 3 giri
Non classificati
Francia - Loic Duval - a 11 giri
USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 22 giri

Così all'arrivo di Gara 1 (Sprint Race):

1. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - 14 giri in 19'25.408
2. Germania - Christian Vietoris - a 3.192
3. Francia - Loic Duval - a 4.899
4. SudAfrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 7.823
5. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 9.581
6. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 10.912
7. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 11.417
8. Portogallo - Joao Urbano - a 13.315
9. Australia - John Martin - a 15.580
10. India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 22.968
11. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 25.773
12. Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 26.048
13. Brasile - Sergio Jimenez - a 26.541
14. Cina - Congfu Cheng - a 26.773
15. Libano - Chris Alajajian - a 29.483
16. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 31.107
17. Messico - David Garza - a 31.349
18. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 3 giri 
19 Repubblica Ceca - Tomas Enge - a 4 giri
20. Gran Bretagna - Robbie Kerr  - a 5 giri
Non classificati
Malesia - Alex Yoong
Svizzera - Neel Jani 

Così all'arrivo di Gara 2 (Feature Race):

1. Germania - Christian Vietoris - 50 giri in 1h10'40.168
2. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 1.180
3. Francia - Loic Duval - a 2.025
4. Nuova - Zelanda Jonny Reid - a 3.031
5. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 4.088
6. Brasile - Sergio Jimenez - a 5.117
7. SudAfrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 10.107
8. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 11.175
9. Messico - David Garza - a 19.478
10. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 25.559
11. Repubblica Ceca - Tomas Enge - a 26.506
12. Portogallo - Joao Urbano - a 29.848
13. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 34.451
14. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 1'20.634 *penalità di 70 secondi
Non classificati
Cina - Congfu Cheng - a 7 giri
Malesia - Alex Yoong - a 12 giri
Australia - John Martin - a 13 giri
Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto -a 29 giri
Gran Bretagna - Robbie Kerr - a 46 giri
Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 47 giri
Libano - Chris Alajajian - a 47 giri
India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 49 giri 

Così all'arrivo di Gara 1 (Sprint Race):

1. Germania - Michael Ammermuller - 13 giri in 20'31.432
2. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 0.601
3. Cina - Congfu Cheng - a 4.632
4. Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 6.707
5. Repubblica Ceca - Tomas Enge - a 7.386
6. Gran Bretagna - Oliver Jarvis - a 7.865
7. India - Narain Karthikeyan - a 8.661
8. Francia - Loic Duval - a 9.033
9. Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 9.650
10. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 12.992
11. Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 14.709
12. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 16.895
13. Australia - Ian Dyk - a 17.169
14. Pakistan - Adam Khan - a 20.944
15. Canada - Robert Wickens - a 21.784
16. Messico - David Garza -a 23.388
17. Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto - a 23.792
18. Brasile - Sergio Jimenez - a 1 giro
19. Portogallo - Joao Urbano - a 3 giri
Non classificati
Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 12 giri 
Malesia - Alex Yoong - a 12 giri
Libano - Chris Alajajian 

Così all'arrivo di Gara 2 (Feature Race):

1. India - Narain Karthikeyan - 45 giri in 1h08'30.759
2. Nuova Zelanda - Jonny Reid - a 0.502
3. Sudafrica - Adrian Zaugg - a 4.128
4. Germania - Michael Ammermuller - a 4.907
5. Gran Bretagna - Oliver Jarvis - a 5.267
6. Svizzera - Neel Jani - a 14.516
7. Francia - Loic Duval - a 18.572
8. Repubblica Ceca - Tomas Enge - a 27.140
9. Cina - Congfu Cheng - a 27.579
10. USA - Jonathan Summerton - a 33.388
11. Messico - David Garza - a 49.353
12. Portogallo - Joao Urbano - a 1'03.831
13. Libano - Chris Alajajian - a 1 giro
14. Pakistan - Adam Khan -a 1 giro
15. Australia - Ian Dyk - a 3 giri
Non classificati
Irlanda - Adam Carroll - a 18 giri
Indonesia - Satrio Hermanto -a 26 giri
Olanda - Jeroen Bleekemolen - a 36 giri
Canada - Robert Wickens - a 42 giri
Italia - Edoardo Piscopo - a 44 giri
Brasile - Sergio Jimenez - a 44 giri
Malesia - Alex Yoong