Great Britain has made A1GP history today dominating the Brands Hatch Sprint race from start to finish so becoming the first team to win a home race in the series. Driver Robbie Kerr led from pole, setting a new circuit record on his final lap, and closing the gap in its battle with New Zealand for second place in the championship.
Great Britain’s Robbie Kerr stormed off the grid slipping the red, white and blue car ahead of Germany’s Nico Hülkenberg and pulling away throughout to build a lead that was never threatened. Behind them, all 23 teams made a clean start with the Netherlands, South Africa, Ireland and Mexico all gaining two places on their original starting positions.
The action began later into the first lap with a collision between Ireland and New Zealand. Irish luck was with the team as the car continued undamaged while Black Beauty lost its front wing, forcing a pit stop at the end of the lap, and pushing the team, currently defending second place in the championship from the Brits, to the back of the field. While driver, Matt Halliday fought to re-gain places, it was the retirement of others that eventually got the team to 16th on the Feature Race grid.
A trip into the gravel at Stirling’s lost Mexico the two places it had gained off the grid, but new driver Juan Pablo Garcia, making his A1GP debut this weekend recovered the situation re-joining the track ahead of New Zealand. Stirling’s corner was to gain a second victim of the day just one lap later as France went wide and also left the track temporarily. The slight mistake was enough for Italy’s Enrico Toccacelo to take advantage, immediately seizing the opportunity to slip through for a third place finish.
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