A1 Team Australia

Last updated

A1 Team Australia
Flag of Australia.svg
Founded2005
Seat holder(s)Alan Docking
Team principal Alan Jones
Race driver(s) John Martin
Car nicknameJackeroo
First race 2005–06 Great Britain
Rounds entered39 (78 races)
Championships0
Sprint race victories0
Feature race victories0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps1
Total points132
2008–09 position8th (36 pts)
A1 Team Australia A1 Grand Prix, Kyalami - Australia.jpg
A1 Team Australia

A1 Team Australia was the Australian team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series.

Contents

Management

The team chairman is former Formula One world champion Alan Jones, backed by general manager and former NASCAR driver Peter Nolan. The seat is owned by Formula One talent-spotter come principal engineer Alan Docking through his eponymous racing team organisation.

History

Will Power was the team's driver for the opening round at Brands Hatch, scoring a fourth place in the Sprint Race and a second in the Main Race, beaten only by Nelson Piquet Jr. who dominated the weekend. Power amassed 16 points for these two results; however, he had already signed for Champ Car's Team Australia and made no further appearance in A1GP. His replacement was seat owner Jones' son Christian Jones, who did not fare so well; round two in Germany provided no points and a best finish of fourteenth place.

The uncompetitive Jones was replaced with Will Davison for round three in Portugal, and despite a qualifying performance of 18th place and a first-lap retirement in the Sprint Race, secured sixth place and five points in the Main Race. Davison was maintained for the home round at Eastern Creek Raceway, and again provided a sixth-place Main Race result. Davison consistently scored better in the Main Race in his drives, securing a one-point tenth place in the UAE round, although retiring from the main race in Durban.

Contract obligations again caused a driver change when Davison switched to V8 Supercars; Australia's fourth driver of the season was Marcus Marshall, who scored the team's first podium since the opening round with a third-place finish in Indonesia. He also moved into V8 Supercars however, and the driver's seat reverted to Christian Jones, who was again uncompetitive.

The seat for the last two rounds was awarded to Ryan Briscoe, who matched Power and Marshall's podium feat in the final round in China, with a main race third-place finish. In total, Australia's best results were a second place and two third places, for a total of 51 points and 13th place in the first-ever A1GP championship.

Although Team Australia managed to secure three podium finishes during the 2006-07 season, they still finished the championship in 13th position with 25 points.

Team Australia finished the 2007–08 season in 17th position, but did manage to score points in both the Sprint and Feature races of their home race.

In the 2008–09 season, Team Australia scored their first ever fastest lap in the final race of the season, however just narrowly missed out on beating New Zealand in the final standings, finishing 8th.

Drivers

NameSeasonsRounds
(Starts)
TitlesWinsSprint
wins
Feature
wins
2nd3rdPolesFastest
Laps
Points
Ryan Briscoe 2005–06, 2006–07 5 (10 starts)224
Will Davison 2005–06 5 (10 starts)13
Ian Dyk 2006–07, 2007–08 7 (14 starts)19
Christian Jones 2005–06 2 (4 starts)0
Marcus Marshall 2005–06 1 (2 starts)18
John Martin 2007–08, 2008–09 13 (26 starts)154
Will Power 2005–06 1 (2 starts)17
Karl Reindler 2006–07 5 (10 starts)18

Complete A1 Grand Prix results

(key), "spr" indicates the Sprint Race, "fea" indicates the Feature Race.

YearRacing
team
Chassis,
Engine,
Tyres
Drivers12345678910111213141516171819202122PointsRank
2005–06 Alan Docking Racing Lola,
Zytek,
Cooper Avon
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
GBR
Flag of Germany.svg
GER
Flag of Portugal.svg
POR
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
AUS
Flag of Malaysia.svg
MYS
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg
UAE
Flag of South Africa.svg
RSA
Flag of Indonesia.svg
INA
Flag of Mexico.svg
MEX
Flag of the United States.svg
USA
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
CHN
5113th
sprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfea
Will Power 42
Christian Jones 151416Ret
Will Davison Ret6116Ret1121109Ret
Marcus Marshall 163
Ryan Briscoe 10893
2006–07 Alan Docking Racing Lola
Zytek
Cooper Avon
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
NED
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
CZE
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
BEI
Flag of Malaysia.svg
MYS
Flag of Indonesia.svg
INA
Flag of New Zealand.svg
NZL
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
AUS
Flag of South Africa.svg
RSA
Flag of Mexico.svg
MEX
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
SHA
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
GBR
2513th
sprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfea
Ryan Briscoe 1331217610
Karl Reindler 15161231413141416Ret
Ian Dyk 3816Ret14Ret
2007–08 Alan Docking Racing Lola
Zytek
Cooper Avon
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
NED
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
CZE
Flag of Malaysia.svg
MYS
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
ZHU
Flag of New Zealand.svg
NZL
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
AUS
Flag of South Africa.svg
RSA
Flag of Mexico.svg
MEX
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
SHA
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
GBR
2017th
sprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfea
Ian Dyk 2112Ret13Ret91315
John Martin 9Ret65614Ret21151414Ret
2008–09 Alan Docking Racing Ferrari,
Michelin
Flag of the Netherlands.svg NLD Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg CHN Flag of Malaysia.svg MYS Flag of New Zealand.svg NZL Flag of South Africa.svg RSA Flag of Portugal.svg POR Flag of the United Kingdom.svg GBR 368th
sprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfeasprfea
John Martin 12411684Ret41213101278

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References