Alex Yoong’s Guide to Taupo, New Zealand

Editor’s note:
Alex Yoong is our Malaysian Driver on the A1GP quest, and he regularly sends us interesting information about the tracks in the various countries that he visits for the A1 GP. We thought that it is interesting enough t oshare with our AW readers. This time, Alex talks about Taupo, New Zealand, where the fifth round of the A1 GP is held.

After a refreshing winter break, we head into the New Year with renewed vigour here at A1 Team Malaysia. 2008 kicks off at one of the most beautiful locations, the Taupo Circuit in New Zealand. The 3.5 km circuit with its new pits facilities and pit complex is a perfect place for A1GP’s race in this Australasian outpost.
This will be our second visit to the Taupo circuit. We raced there at the end of last season and became the largest international racing series ever to hit this New Zealand motorsport venue. However since our last visit the circuit has undergone some pretty big changes to the corners at the end of the main straight, before the pit lane entry. The previous left-right-left sequence is now two corners, a tight left hander, followed by an even tighter right hander. This should create some real excitement, because it’s been designed to encourage overtaking, and with it leading onto the start/finish straight, we’ll surely see some slip-streaming action with the PowerBoost.
The Feature race in Taupo will mark my 50th start in A1GP, which is a bit of a milestone. During this time we’ve had four race wins, six podium places and two pole positions, but it’s definitely been a rollercoaster ride during the three seasons. I’m the most capped driver in A1GP as well, so I’ll be the only one celebrating this!
New Zealand is a really beautiful country with lots of amazing scenery; I always look forward to getting out there. The hospitality of the people is second only to Malaysia and last year we had a great reception from the locals with a traditional tribal welcome by the Maori Warriors, fireworks displays and VIP receptions, we were all made to feel very special. All the drivers went jet skiing on Lake Taupo as well, which was great fun, it’s in our nature as a driver to be very competitive and especially when there is an engine involved – I was just pipped to victory by Robbie Kerr from A1 Team Great Britain. Unfortunately I didn’t get time to go rock climbing with the other drivers, but hopefully we’ll do something equally as exciting when we get there this time.
Here are some facts about New Zealand which you may not know:

• Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand, but her position is such that while she may reign, she does not rule. Political power is held by the Prime Minister
• The country has a population of 4.1 million, of which 70 per cent are of European decent.
• Lake Taupo dominates the region. This lake was formed in the giant caldera (collapsed crater) of one of the worlds most active and violent volcanoes – The Taupo Volcano.
• The Taupo Volcano began erupting about 300,000 years ago with the last eruption being around 186 AD.
• Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest body of fresh water. It is also the second largest body of fresh water in the Southern Hemisphere.
• New Zealand has won more Olympic gold medals, per capita, than any other country
• Malaysia is one of the top ten countries that New Zealand imports from
• The sheep population is around 40 million – that’s 10 sheep to every person
• With 2.5 million cars for 4 million people, New Zealand’s car ownership rate is one of the highest in the world
• Malaysia Airlines travels to Auckland, the capital of New Zealand 5 times per week.
And now, here is my corner by corner guide to the Taupo circuit:
Taupo is very tight circuit with almost no overtaking places. So having a car that is good through slow corners is very important. The lack of long straights to rest on makes it a very physical track to drive too. Needless to say qualifying will be crucial too.

Turn 1 is a tight left hand hairpin. It’s quite narrow here and drivers have been known to go wide into the gravel if they brake too late for it. On the outside of this corner is also the pit exit, so when you exit the pits you have to be aware of any cars coming in to turn 1 and collecting you in the process.

Turns 2, 3 and 4 are a right, left, right sequence of corners and around medium speed. It’s all about maintaining momentum and staying on the throttle as much as possible through here. So taking the right line to find the right compromise is crucial.

You then brake and change down to 2nd gear for turn 5, which is a very slow 90 degree right hander.

Then it’s up through the gears as you go through turn 6th which is taken flat. You do have to brake immediately after the corner as it leads straight into turn 7, which is another slow left hand hairpin. Unlike the first turn it is banked so you can carry more speed then you think should be possible for the radius of the corner.

Turn 8 is easy full throttle and quite quick. By the end of the race you will be feeling the tiredness in your arms and neck through this corner.

Turn 9 is a short right hander but pretty quick. It is narrow too, and this makes it hard to get it right. There is also a bit of a straight after it and this makes it crucial to get right as you can find quite a bit of lap time here.

Turn 10 is not really a corner but part of the straight. It does make braking for turn 11 a bit tricky because you are still in 10 while braking for 11.

Turn 12 has been made tighter to try and aid overtaking for this year. It comes at the end of the tracks longest straight and so you will be braking hard to try and stop the car for turn 12.

Turn 13 and 14 are a tight right, left hand complex and it will be key to try and set yourself up through 13 so you get a good exit out of 14. This then sets you up for good straight line speed across the start/finish straight.