Round 9 - Mexico City

[Last2LiftOff]

Hey, next up the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City this weekend. The course is still fresh in my mind after the recent Busch Series Telcel-Motorola 200 race there so I'm really looking forward to this one. Plenty of new drivers - I've lost track of them all - and some nations, I think, still to nominate their drivers. Should keep things interesting and hopefully exciting this weekend. No doubt several of the teams hoping to seize what they perceive as an opportunity for a win with Christian Vietoris driving for Germany in place of the series leader Nico Hülkenberg. I know it's asking alot but, with any luck, the video feeds will get through up here and we can actually watch the race live rather than wait for the tape-delayed broadcast(s).

As near as I can tell, there are no changes to the usual schedule so the rookie sessions are (should be) Friday morning from 11:00 to 11:25 and again at 11:35 to 12:00, and an open practice session from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Final practice is Saturday morning from 11:00 to 12:00 and qualifying from 2:15 pm to 3:30 pm. Sprint race Sunday at 11:00 am and the feature race Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm. If anyone has a different schedule, please bring it forward if you would.

Time converter here and live timing here.

[Last2LiftOff]

Old news now I suppose but according to pitpass.com Singapore's not going to make the trip. Christian Murchison is on the disabled list apparently.

[Knowlesy]

Neel Jani out with food poisoning. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/57551

[Last2LiftOff]

And a corresponding flurry of activity in the Predictions Competition thread.

The first practice session in 10 minutes or so, live timing here.

[cos]

Jarvis already putting a healthy gap back to Germany in the rookie sessions; I get the feeling this could finally be GBR's weekend!

[nev]

Originally Posted by cos

Jarvis already putting a healthy gap back to Germany in the rookie sessions; I get the feeling this could finally be GBR's weekend!

As long as all the decent drivers stay out of the race it may well be. But i think you will see newzeland pop out in qualifying and blitz GBR.

[strider]

After the first combined practice session, New Zealand does lead the way, but only by eleven-thousandths from Team GBR - go Oli!

My prediction looks to have gone down the pan because I thought Loic Duval was still the main man for France, but it looks like they're sticking with Jean Karl Vernay throughout. Hey ho.

[nev]

Originally Posted by strider

After the first combined practice session, New Zealand does lead the way, but only by eleven-thousandths from Team GBR - go Oli!

My prediction looks to have gone down the pan because I thought Loic Duval was still the main man for France, but it looks like they're sticking with Jean Karl Vernay throughout. Hey ho.

New zealand posted thier fastest time on his last lap - weird hey considering the tyres go off realy quickly. Shame Duval isnt there and maybe if New Zealand come off GBR may get there first win. But New Zealand wasn't even out in rookie practice that has to be good from them. Spose they had the data from the german car to help them.

[Kebab]

We've seen GBR lead the practices before, sadly they don't seem to step their game up like the other teams.

Tomorrow will be interesting!

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Where can I watch live video of the race? Website, TV channels?

[cos]

You might be able to get streaming video depending which country you're in; failing that there'll be free audio from a1gp.com
http://www.a1gp.com/Multimedia/racelive.aspx

[Asp]

Just a note that, as ever, the Chat Room is open for discussion during practice and of course the race itself.

Join in either at tentenths.com/chat
Or via an IRC client - server irc.phishy.net and channel #motorsport

[Last2LiftOff]

Thanks for that Asp.

Friday's free practice results. Close, again, at the front esp. the top 3 NZ, GBR, and Germany, with plenty of good runs there. Unfortunately, Canada's, not so much. No idea what's going on but it does seem something's not right since the barrel roll at Eastern Creek. How's that for an excuse? Not over yet though, second free practice and qualifying today.

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Where can I watch live video of the race? Website, TV channels?

Haven't tried it yet Jimmy, but a1podium.com also suggests they have live streams of both qualifying and the feature race here (download required apparently). I may give it a go this afternoon, dunno. As Cos says, if a video stream works, or not, depends on your whereabouts. Good luck with it.

[strider]

Oli Jarvis was fastest in the final practice session, ahead of Renger van der Zande for Holland. The organisers have only now released the list of drivers nominated for qualifying, namely:

Australia: Ian Dyk
Brazil: Bruno Junqueira
Canada: James Hinchcliffe
China: Ho Pin Tung
Czech Republic: Janis Jarek
France: Jean Karl Vernay
Germany: Christian Vietoris
Great Britain: Oliver Jarvis
India: Narain Karthikeyan
Indonesia: Moreno Soeprapto
Ireland: Richard Lyons
Italy: Enrico Toccacelo
Lebanon: Allam Khodair
Malaysia: Alex Yoong
Mexico: Salvador Duran
Netherlands: Renger van der Zande
New Zealand: Jonny Reid
Pakistan: Nur Ali
Portugal: Alvaro Parente
South Africa: Adrian Zaugg
Switzerland: Marcel Fassler
USA: Jonathan Summerton

So Adrian Zaugg gets the nod ahead of Alan van der Merwe for South Africa, but although van der Zande will qualify and do the sprint race for Holland, Jeroen Bleekemolen will take over for the feature race. Mildly confusing.

[Last2LiftOff]

Wow, Alex Yoong seemed to find almost a full 2 seconds a lap over his practice times for qualifying...where the heck did that come from? Germany 2nd, GBR third.

Aggregate qualifying times and Le Sprint Race Grid from Autosport here.

[strider]

Wow indeed! What happened to New Zealand?!?

Great circuit, but very bumpy. I reckon we shall see some real racing and overtaking tomorrow. Alex Yoong didn't seem convinced that his tyres would last so well, whereas Oli Jarvis did. You have to think that the German car will be good, but will the 17 year old have the stamina?

[Knowlesy]

Jarvis may have a shot here. But I feel a "Brno" coming on.

[Last2LiftOff]

And Salvador Duran; had some fastest sector times on more than one occasion this weekend. There's probably more there and in front of the home crowd. Hopefully makes for some good racing. Did Yoong's car pass inspection?

Originally Posted by strider

You have to think that the German car will be good, but will the 17 year old have the stamina?

The car's certainly quick, again, Strider so it's a great opportunity for Vietoris to shine. It will be interesting to see how he goes under pressure, over a full race distance, and from a bunch of guys with alot more experience.

[strider]

I just had a look and there's no live commentary today, which is a shame, but live timing is still working.

The Sprint race starts in just over 30 minutes

[Kebab]

I have a depressing feeling GBR will start 3rd and finish 6th or something. In the last practice Jarvis set his fastest lap early on (fresher tyres i guess) whereas everyone else did it right at the end. In quali his new tyre times seemed the same as his used tyre times?!

Germany qualifying 2nd is impressive considering its the guy's first ever weekend in an A1 car!

Could be exciting watching NZ racing through the field.

[Kebab]

Wow, the feature race is going to be exciting! I reckon at least 5 cars that are as fast as MAL/GBR had an incident and so will be starting from the back!

POR/NZL/MEX were flying once they got going again - POR even managed to overtake PAK despite a pitstop!

[Last2LiftOff]

Some pushing and shoving there at the start? I couldn't find a video stream.

[strider]

They're showing the race delayed over here in a couple of hours time, which is why I have not put up any results, but it will certainly be worth watching.

Yeah, serious pushing and shoving, I'd say. Salvador Duran set fastest lap for Mexico but still only finished in 17th...

[Last2LiftOff]

10-4 Strider, fair enough. What channel's it on, maybe I can find it?

[lovebritF3]

bit of a result for australia!