Ireland stay top in A1GP

Switzerland’s Neel Jani won the A1GP feature race at Taupo but it was a good day for series leaders Ireland as Adam Carroll finished second after winning the sprint to maintain a healthy lead over the defending champions.

Jani took the chequered flag at the New Zealand track, 1.047seconds ahead of Carroll with Portugal’s Filipe Filipe Albuquerque finishing where he started in third. Britain’s Dan Clark came home a disappointing 13th.

Pole-sitter Carroll got away cleanly and led in the early stages but the Netherlands‘ Robert Doornbos suffered a poor start to drop from second on the grid to fifth.

Jani had jumped from fifth to second and was exerting plenty of pressure on Carroll as the duo traded fastest laps.

The first round of pit stops saw the two drivers hold station but with Carroll holding a 3.482secs advantage after 16 laps.

However, the Irishman’s second stop proved far more crucial as his car’s anti-stall system engaged and brought him to a momentary halt, allowing Jani to sneak by and assume the lead.

But there was further drama as Monaco’s Clivio Piccione went off at Turn 11, bringing out the safety car on lap 38 and bunching up the field once again for what proved to be a nine-lap shootout.

Jani, though, made an excellent re-start and despite his car leaking oil, managed to hold off Carroll to take the chequered flag and close the gap to Ireland to 13 points.

“It was a great, great weekend and a fantastic car,” said Jani.

“This was the most points we have scored on a weekend this season and so now it is starting to come good for us, but there are still a lot of points needed to catch up Ireland.

“I had a great start from fifth to second and I was already next to Adam. I settled for second, but then we had a little problem on the first pit stop, I had a problem with the clutch.

“The second pit stop was fantastic, very quick from the guys. I saw Adam next to me and heard his engine revving on the limiter and thought there must be a problem. Then I was just able to control the race.”

Carroll won the earlier sprint race from pole position as a supreme drive saw Ireland take the chequered flag.

Carroll got away cleanly and led into the first corner before establishing a gap over Doornbos with Albuquerque third.

Jani managed to jump into second following some slick work in the pits by the Swiss team and while he closed on Carroll in the latter stages, the Irishman was never in danger of relinquishing the lead and crossed the line 1.488secs ahead of his rival.

Britain‘s Clark, meanwhile, finished 12th.

“It was a great race obviously from pole to win,” said Carroll.

“I am very, very happy. It is a hard little circuit and easy to make mistakes. There are some interesting bumps in some quick corners that unsettle the car and you have to work hard all the time.”