A1GP: Test car gets a crack at new Portimao circuit
By LJ Hutchins
Monday, January 12th, 2009
So, what’s all the fuss about with this new European circuit, we hear you cry? No sooner have McLaren and Ferrari tested there than GP2 announces it will hold its season finale on the Algarve.
Well, for anyone hoping for some advance info about a track that was only finished and certified in October, and has seen hardly any racing in anger, then A1GP is your formula.
The series’ test team has been in action, with Italian F3 Champion Mirko Bortolotti at the wheel of the black test car for the first time, joining regular A1GP test driver, Andrea Bertolini, at the three-day event.
The circuit has been getting rave reviews from anyone lucky enough to have a go and Bortolotti was no exception: “The track is fantastic but very tricky. We were here to test several new compounds and we have made a very good progress.
“I am sure that the work that we have done will help the development of the car a lot.
“It was the first time I had tested an A1GP car and I loved it. It is absolutely great. We did a lot of laps, despite the rain in the morning and I hope I can get another chance to test the car.”
* In other A1GP news, four familiar names have made an appearance in a charity karting contest at the Autosport International Show.
Team GBR’s Danny Watts and James Winslow joined Team Ireland’s Adam Carroll and Niall Quinn for a head to head in the BP Ultimate Karting Challenge to help raise money for the Richard Burns Foundation, supporting people with serious injury and illness.
- Portugal's new Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
- Portimao: We like a circuit with a bit of swoop
- Portimao: the A1GP team liked the facilities
- Portimao: the grandstands should be full to bursting on race days
Related posts:
- Take on your racing heroes at charity karting event
- British drivers line up for David Brabham’s Celebrity Karting Challenge
- A1GP: Dance the night away at Brands Hatch for a good cause
- A1GP: Watts to the rescue of Team GBR
- A1GP: Will Adam Khan finally get to have a go in Portugal?
Read more about A1GP, Adam Carroll, Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Autosport International, BP Ultimate Celebrity Karting Challenge, Danny Watts, F1 testing, James Winslow, karting, Mirko Bortolotti, Richard Burns Foundation.
This entry was posted on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 10:40 pm and is filed under A1GP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Author: LJ Hutchins. Supports McLaren, kind of. Thinks James May gets a rough deal off the other two. Drives a Subaru Impreza but regrets its lack of bright blue paint and gold wheels. Is very nearly old enough to know better but probably never will. Is a supporter member of the BWRDC. LJ has written 1117 articles for us.
