story by: Peter Burroughes Communications 27 July 2010

Zaugg on podium in GP2 at Hockenheim

South African racing driver Adrian Zaugg has given a timely reminder to those currently talking about the return of Formula One to South Africa with third place in Sunday’s GP2 race at Hockenheim in Germany, the curtain-raiser to Sunday afternoon’s German Grand Prix.
 
After qualifying fifth and finishing seventh in Saturday’s 38-lap feature race, Zaugg gave his best performance of the year in Sunday’s 27-lap sprint race to give the Italian Trident Racing team its first podium finish in two seasons.
 
Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela won the first race from Mexico’s Sergio Perez and Frenchman Charles Pic, while the Mexican took a dominant win on Sunday ahead of Great Britain’s Oliver Turvey and Zaugg.
 
The 23-year-old former A1 Team South Africa driver is the first and only South African to compete in GP2, a series created in 2005 and regarded as the ultimate stepping stone to F1 - almost half the current F1 grid came through GP2.  His success last weekend will have reminded South African fans – and those who might be seriously considering bringing Formula One back to South Africa – that we have a candidate for a South African on the grid, surely a prerequisite for hosting the world’s highest level of track racing.
 
“I have read that Motorsport South Africa would support the hosting of an F1 event in the country under certain conditions and that one of these revolved around the opportunity for a South African to be on the grid,” said Zaugg.  “It is my objective to reach F1 and, while I was very proud to represent my country in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, nothing would make me prouder than to be the first South African on an F1 grid since 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter.”
 
“From what I heard from some influential people in F1 at Hockenheim this weekend, there is serious discussion about having an F1 round in South Africa.  I hope this happens and I hope it can be done in such a way that the development of motor sport in the country can benefit, to the advantage of all of its people.”
 
GP2 is contested by 24 drivers in 12 teams in cars similar to F1 machines.  The single-make formula features a Dallara chassis and a 4-litre V8 Renault engine developing 612 bhp @ 10 000 r/min that can propel the car to a top speed of 328 km/h and from 0 to 200 km/h in 6,6 sec (0 to 100 km/h in 2,9 sec).
 
The next round of the GP2 championship will support the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring on August 1.
 
Ends
 
Images can be downloaded from www.gp2series.com or www.tridentracing.it. 
 
Issued on behalf of Adrian Zaugg by Peter Burrroughes Communications, telephone 082 899 0101.