Could A1GP rookie James Winslow pick up a more regular slot with Team GBR in the wake of Danny Watts’ decision to sign a season-long contract with a sportscar team?
Winslow, last year’s Australian Formula 3 champion, has reportedly declined the chance to take part in the highly-rated Bathurst 12-Hour endurance event in that country in order to be on duty as reserve driver this weekend at Kyalami.
He was also present at Taupo, New Zealand, at the series’ last race when Watts took paternity leave – but failed to make the step up after Champ Car’s Dan Clarke was brought in to fill the race seat instead.
Clarke had a less-than-stellar weekend thanks to on-track incidents and ended up with 12th- and a 13th-place finish while Winslow was confined to car set-up and pit duties.
However, both drivers must now be keenly aware of the possibilities presented by Watts’ decision to move to sportscars.
• In the run-up to the race weekend Winslow took a tour of Johannesburg alongside 14 other A1GP personnel including home driver Adrian Zaugg and Team Ireland’s Adam Carroll.
The drivers visited Soweto Township, once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, the Apartheid Museum and the Hector Pieterson Memorial.
They also took in the construction site of the FNB football stadium, which will be the venue for the 2010 Football World Cup when South Africa hosts the competition next year.
After the sightseeing trip the drivers visited the Don Matera school, set up to educate mentally and physically disadvantaged or disabled children.
According to the series organisers they had a rapturous reception from the children, who sang to them on arrival, then demonstrated how they race using tyres and sticks and wire cars.
After the tour Winslow said: “It’s been great to visit these places, to see some of South Africa and to understand its culture.
“We learned a lot today and it was great to visit the Hector Pieterson memorial. Visiting the school was an honour and I spoke to a few of the children who all loved talking about cars.
“It’s nice for us to be able to bring them a bit of A1GP and for us to teach them their racing games!â€