A real driver's series
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The new 2008/09 A1GP Powered by Ferrari car is designed to the highest standards with the aim of providing a high-performance single-seater to A1GP’s core values of exciting racing on a level playing field. Recently Jonathan was asked by A1GP.com what he thought of the new car.

A1 Team USA racer Jonathan Summerton believes the new A1GP season will be a ‘driver’s series’ more than ever before with the introduction of the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car.

Summerton, who finally won the USA’s first race in Shanghai, China last season in its 62nd race, has been eagerly looking at the exclusive photos and video footage provided on A1GP.com of testing of the new car in the off-season.

And Summerton believes, just from seeing the pictures and video footage, that the new car will place the emphasis on drivers’ ability more than ever before.

“You won’t be able to get away with as much as you did in the old car,” Summerton told A1GP.com from his home in Florida. “It won’t accept lightweights. The good drivers will be able to find the limits of the car a bit quicker, and will be able to control it within those limits better.

“They will still need to have a good set-up, alongside good pit stops from the team, but it will also be down to which driver can learn the car the quickest and control it the best.

“The car is going to have more horsepower, and with the new engine going to be about 600bhp, it is going to be a kick in the butt, that’s for sure. Drivers are going to have to be controlling the [throttle] pedal better.

“It also may not be as forgiving as the last car. You could get it in a bit of a slide and get away with it before, but I think the new car will spin round quickly. But looking at the way A1GP is trying to make the series, with good close racing, it should be alright. It’s going to be a bit of a different feeling compared to the old car, but that’s expected.

“It is going to take high speed corners a lot better than the old car did, because the aerodynamics look a lot better. But when the car decides to go [when control is lost] it will all go a bit quicker. It could all come down to the handling characteristics of the new tyres.”

The 20-year-old praised the visual characteristics of the car, and is hoping to get the opportunity to test the USA’s in the off-season, should he be recalled by the team. Summerton is the most-capped USA driver, with 24 starts to his name.

"The car is looking pretty good, and without the big rear tyres, it definitely looks a very appealing car,” he added. “The shape, the design, the lines of it all, all give for a very nice visual appearance. Where the front wing end plates were flat, they now have a little swoop to them. It makes it nicer, those little things.”