Full Throttle

Jeroen Bleekemolen has given A1 Team Netherlands the pole position for the A1GP Zandvoort Sprint race. On the seaside circuit the team lived up to the role of favorite by just fending off New Zealand and Ireland.

The A1GP qualifying was altered for this event. Due to the late arrival of some teams, including China and Portugal A1GP had decided to change the session. Instead of four segments, the first two determining the Sprint race grid, the latter two the Feature race grid, there was now one session which ran for an hour, with no limit for the teams on the number of laps. During the session the teams had two sets of new tyres and the possibility to use the powerboost button four times in total, in order to set a faster time. The times also only determined the Sprint Race starting grid.

A1 Team Netherlands went out for three runs and immediately Bleekemolen set the tone by setting a fastest lap with quite a big margin. The second run of Jeroen had to be aborted due to a red flag, after Australia had crashed. By then Ireland had taken the provisional pole and was about six tenths clear. In his final run on new tyres Jeroen gave it all and as he passed the finish line the crowds on the packed main grandstand and in the dunes cheered. The dying minutes of the session were tense though, both for A1 Team Netherlands and the Netherlands fans lining the circuit, there were still ten minutes left. In the end the time of 1’24.213 proved to be three tenths faster than both New Zealand and Ireland and Jeroen was able to celebrate his second A1GP pole.

Jeroen Bleekemolen: “There is no better way to start the season. On pole at your home race. From this morning on we were constantly on top, but then you still have to capitalize on this. The car felt really good, both this morning in the wet as well as on a dry track. Straight after my last run I really felt that this might well be good enough for the provisional pole. After the final red flag because of Frankrijk going off it got tense for a bit, because everyone still had time for a run and some also had new tyres left.

Then those dying minutes of qualifying really get exciting, despite the fact that I have been in similar situations before. Driving with the powerboost is a bit tricky, you have only got four of them and when you use one and make a mistake straight after you are done for.”

Jan Lammers: “Of course pole position is great. When you announce your ambition before the season and you can immediately fill in a part of that ambition, it is a good omen, but it is also only half time. For now let’s enjoy that we are on pole at half time. Tomorrow we will have to start from the beginning, but we will also start from the front. There are some good young racing talents up front, the drivers are happy with the cars. We are very proud to have Jeroen starting in front.”

A1 Team USA: Charlie Kimball took to the track for the first time today in the USA car, with IndyCar legend Andretti Green Racing now running the squad. After only getting the call on Wednesday, the Californian landed in the UK to shakedown the car at Snetterton Friday morning, before heading to the Netherlands. A winner at Zandvoort in junior formula, the 23-year-old will get his first chance to race for his nation on Sunday.

Tomorrow at 11.00 hours the A1GP Sprintrace will start at 11.00 with a rolling start. The mandatory pitstop has been taken out of the short race. The Feature race which will start at 15.00 hours will still have two mandatory pitstops.