Team Germany is only inches away from clinching the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport title thanks to stellar drives from Nico Hülkenberg who won 8 races in his rookie season, making him the most successful driver in the sport's short history. But the German teenager is unavailable for next week's race event in Mexico, so team boss and seatholder Willi Weber opted for 17-year old Christian Vietoris to substitute Hülkenberg.
"Nico has scored double wins in all of the last three race weekends, but we cannot expect Christian to match this immediately," said Weber. Team Germany enjoys a 30-points advantage over Team New Zealand with two more rounds to go, after Mexico.
Last year, Vietoris won the Formula BMW Germany (9 wins) and later beat 34 other competitors to the Formula BMW world finals meeting in Spain, winning the chance to test drive a Formula 1 BMW-Sauber. In early January this year, he celebrated his debut in the A1GP series driving the black-red-and yellow German car in the rookie practice sessions for the New Zealand round in Taupo.
"The change between 140 and 520 hp is enormous. The A1 Grand Prix car is also physically very demanding because the muscles are put to work a great deal more. The steering in particular requires much more effort than a smaller formula race car. The shifting gear with the steering wheel mounted paddles is fantastic", explained the youngster who will celebrate his 18th birthday a week after the race.
"Nico has scored double wins in all of the last three race weekends, but we cannot expect Christian to match this immediately," said Weber. Team Germany enjoys a 30-points advantage over Team New Zealand with two more rounds to go, after Mexico.
Last year, Vietoris won the Formula BMW Germany (9 wins) and later beat 34 other competitors to the Formula BMW world finals meeting in Spain, winning the chance to test drive a Formula 1 BMW-Sauber. In early January this year, he celebrated his debut in the A1GP series driving the black-red-and yellow German car in the rookie practice sessions for the New Zealand round in Taupo.
"The change between 140 and 520 hp is enormous. The A1 Grand Prix car is also physically very demanding because the muscles are put to work a great deal more. The steering in particular requires much more effort than a smaller formula race car. The shifting gear with the steering wheel mounted paddles is fantastic", explained the youngster who will celebrate his 18th birthday a week after the race.
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