Loose Kerb causes problems for A1

A1GP suffered another embarrassing episode in its brief existence today when loose kerbing ended running early ahead of Sunday’s races in Durban.

The event is taking place around the city’s streets and crumbling temporary kerbing caused Brazil debutant Bruno Junqueira to lose his front wing during first free practice.

Organisers, who blamed the problem on cars from support races dislodging the kerb, called a halt to the day’s proceedings and now hope the problem will be cured with overnight resurfacing.

This is not the first time A1GP has found itself red-faced after the first race of the season in Beijing in November proved even more troublesome.

There, a manhole cover worked loose and the street circuit itself had to be reprofiled when drivers found they could not negotiate a tight hairpin corner.

With running cancelled until Saturday, France’s Loic Duval was left as the pacesetter. He also topped the rookie session run earlier in the day.

Duval went round the 2.04-mile course in one minute 18.620 seconds, more than half a second quicker than Richard Lyons, of Ireland.

Points leader Germany, piloted by starlet Nico Hulkenberg, were once again up at the front, just two tenths of a second behind Ireland, and fractionally ahead of the Czech Republic’s Tomas Enge in fourth,

Holland, who along with France took the race honours in South Africa last season, were fifth fastest in the hands of Jeroen Bleekemolen.

A recurring throttle problem blighted Great Britain’s hopes of clocking up track time and with only nine laps under his belt, driver Robbie Kerr could not better 21st place, three seconds adrift of France.

Kerr said: “We’re definitely on the back foot a little, but can take heart from how competitive we were here last year (in finishing second in the sprint race).

“We just have to see what we can get the car to do tomorrow in practice before we have to qualify in the afternoon.”