23/08/2006
NEWS STORY
A week today sees the start of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport pre-season testing with England's Silverstone Circuit playing host to a two-day test where the competing nations will gather for the first time since the last round of the inaugural season in China back in April.
A1 Team Great Britain will be attending the Silverstone test with a trio of talent expected to get behind the wheel of the British A1GP entry. Robbie Kerr (26) and Darren Manning (30) both return having steered A1 Team GBR to a third place finish in last season's Nations Standings while newcomer Oliver Jarvis (22) will get a
second helping of A1GP action following his first try-out with the team last month at Pembrey.
Next week's test days at Silverstone, in addition to allowing the drivers to reacquaint themselves with the A1GP car, will also herald the first time A1 Team GBR's ‘in-house' operation takes to the pit garages. The post-season has been a busy one as the team's personnel structure has been realigned ahead of the new campaign which kicks off at Zandvoort in Holland on 1st October.
Team Principal John Surtees commented, "This is obviously the first proper running of A1 Team GBR with a new structure in place. We've retained a few familiar faces who helped take us to third overall in the championship last year while bolstering the team with some welcome new additions."
He continued, "I'm excited to have Paul Bellringer step up from Chief Mechanic to Team Manager while we also have Paul Antony as our Driver Development Manager. We're hoping to make some additional announcements very shortly. Those additions, combined with the depth of our driver line-up, will hopefully allow us to fight for the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport from the very first race!"
With seven podium finishes to his credit for A1 Team GBR last season Burbage's Robbie Kerr is eager to return for national duty. "I'm really looking forward to getting back in the car," said Kerr. "I think with the changes made to the team and how the car will be engineered this season we have good reason to be optimistic and I can't wait to be driving it again. Our goal is to get that first win having come close last season and go for the World Championship!"
Oliver Jarvis is a new face to the A1 Team GBR garage this season but the 2005 Formula Renault UK Champion impressed in last month's Pembrey test and is relishing the prospect of more seat time. Looking ahead to next week's test he commented, "Put simply it's another fantastic opportunity for me and this time I have a chance
to compare myself against Robbie and Darren as well as the rest of the A1GP pack. Hopefully the test will go well and I'll be in a position to
take advantage of any opportunities that arise from it!"
Yorkshire's Darren Manning, currently in Japan, returns to England for the Silverstone test where he'll be hoping to recapture the form that led to a superb podium as he raced to a second place finish in his maiden start for A1 Team Great Britain in the Sprint race in China in last season's closing event.