Full Throttle

Things are looking down, just when A1GP’s fortunes should be looking up.

It’s been a bumpy start to the fourth season of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport and it didn’t help matters when the organizers decided to introduce a new Ferrari-powered car during the off-season.

When the scheduled opening round of the 2008-09 series loomed on the horizon, it was decided to scrap Mugello, Italy, as the new cars weren’t going to be ready. So Zandvoort became the opening round, albeit with a depleted 17-car field as not all teams had their respective chassis and engines.

Zandoort featured an untold carnage of totaled cars and many major pieces and parts relegated to the trash bin as some teams played pinball wizard with other cars and barriers.

It was untold - now the aftermath has been told - by A1Team Malaysia’s Aaron Lim who spoke with the New Straits Times.

Round Two of the series which begins at the Goldenport Circuit in Chengdu, China today will see Aaron Lim taking a more cautious approach as he flags off the defense of A1 Team Malaysia’s championship lead.

All teams will have to do without sufficient replacement parts for much of their Ferrari cars, leaving a rather tricky situation in the planning of strategies ahead of the weekend.

“I’d have preferred to be able to go all out, put the car to the limit in order to provide better input for Fairuz to take into the races. But this is now a risk that I can’t take.

“In my case, we’ll have to wait till Sepang before I can see what the car can really do,” said Aaron, 21, when contacted.

Aaron said the teams had been informed that the spare parts issue would be rectified by the next round at the Sepang Circuit on Sept 21-23.

“Of course. We’re leading the championship, so there is some pressure. But I’m also excited about my first chance to really drive the car.

“Despite the handicap of having to hold back a little, I have to make sure I can give the team as much data as they need, more so on gear ratios and aerodynamic settings so that Fairuz has all the advantages he can have when he takes over,” said Aaron.

Sounds like my title isn’t an either or situation.

Maybe it should read: “A1GP Half Assed and Half-Fast.”