This weekend (February 2 and 3) marks the start of the second half of the third season of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, when the 22 competing nations take on the Eastern Creek circuit in Western Australia for round five.

South Africa, with 21-year-old Adrian Zaugg (right) at the wheel of the distinctively liveried Vulindlela, is in fifth place after the first five rounds and will be looking for good results in Sunday's two races to improve its position in the points standings.

Team manager Mike Carroll is upbeat after the team's good weekend in New Zealand two weeks ago. "Adrian has been phenomenal in Saturday qualifying so far this season - he took our fifth front row position of the year out of 10 races for the Sprint race in New Zealand. If we are able to improve our conversion ratio on these mega qualifying performances we could become an even stronger threat in the championship.

"I'm very happy with the way the team has worked so hard to improve in the compulsory pit stops in the Feature races. A good stop can move you up a place or two," added Carroll.

As was the case at the Taupo circuit in New Zealand, Zaugg will be making his first appearance at the Western Australia circuit and will have the added challenge of getting to know the track layout in just two hours of practice before Saturday's all-important qualifying.

This is the second round of the unofficial A1GP 'Tri Nations' (New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa) and there is a healthy rivalry between the three young drivers representing their southern hemisphere sporting nations.

New Zealand scored their first home win with Jonny Reid's success in the all-black car in the Sprint race and Zaugg would dearly love to be the victor in his home A1GP in Durban on February 24. Both will be looking to prevent Australia (who were represented by rookie John Martin in New Zealand) from winning on home tarmac.

"There's a close camaraderie among the A1GP drivers," said Zaugg "and Jonny and John and I are very aware of the traditional tri-nations rivalry as the season makes its southern hemisphere swing through the three countries. We'll all be trying our best to get the better of our rivals this weekend."

Eastern Creek International Raceway is an anti-clockwise 3,93-km circuit featuring 12 turns and is located 20 km west of Paramatta, a suburb of Sydney, on the east coast of Australia. It has a bit of everything, rising and falling, direction changes, different cambered corners and some good passing points. It is the hub of motor sport in New South Wales, combining the world's largest karting facility and Australia's leading drag complex. It annually plays host to a number of Australian motor sport's biggest events, including V8 Supercars and motorcycle racing.

Saturday's qualifying will be broadcast live on SABC3 from 05h00 to 07h00 and Sunday's sprint and feature races will be broadcast from 05h00 to 07h30 (the recorded sprint race will be screened from 05h00 while the feature race will be live from 06h00).