Stephen Simpson all revved up for SA leg of the A1 Grand Prix

The postponement of the Indonesian leg of the A1 Grand Prix of Nations has left Cape Town's Stephen Simpson to ponder his chances.

The postponement of the Indonesian leg of the A1 Grand Prix of Nations has left Cape Town's Stephen Simpson to ponder his chances at the wheel of the South African entry during the team's "home" event in Durban on January 29. The Indonesian leg, scheduled for January 15, was postponed after the sudden death of the Emir of Dubai, the uncle of Sheik Maktoum, the founder, president and chairman of the A1 racing series.

Arguably the most talented driver from South Africa, Simpson was in top form in the most recent round of the World Cup of Motorsport, held in Dubai last month. So much so that he crossed the line in a highly creditable third place in the main event. The articulate 21-year-old is quick to point out that he might not have finished as well as he did had it not been for his team's quick thinking and slick pit work.

However, the fact that he made the lower step of the podium in a car obviously not as well set up as several of the other front runners, emphasised his potential. The French and Swiss entries for instance, first and second on the overall championship scoreboard, are in the care of the same professional pit crew and back-up team acknowledged as possibly the best in Europe.

Simpson won his first kart event at Killarney shortly after his eighth birthday, before capturing Western Province kart titles in two categories. He switched to single seaters and was only 16 when he clinched the South African Formula Ford title. Selected to represent his country in the 2000 Elf World Masters Karting Championship in France, he beat former Minardi and BAR/Honda Formula 1 driver Anthony Davidson, as well as petite Indianapolis 500 star Danica Patrick.

Educated at SA College Schools (Sacs), where sport occupied much of his extra-curricular activity, Stephen completed four Pick 'n Pay Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tours and still plays golf and squash. He also works out in the gym daily. When the chance of a (partially) sponsored drive in England materialised during his first few weeks in Grade 11, he moved north.

He ran his own Formula Ford team and fared well enough to be voted Motoring News's 2001 "British Race Ace of the Year". In 2002 he spent a year in Italy racing in the Formula Renault EuroCup for Benetton Durango, before being promoted to Formula 3000 in 2003.

Runner-up in the British Formula Renault title chase in 2004, he began 2005 with Team JLR in the Formula Renault 2000 championship before accepting an invitation to join the South African A1 team. Here he was joined by the more experienced Tomas Scheckter, son of Jody, the 1979 F1 world champion. Another former Killarney karter, Scheckter earned himself a stint as test driver for the Jaguar Formula 1 team before moving across the Atlantic in 2002, where he became the first South African to join the IRL Indycar Series.

The 24 national teams that make up the A1 circuit now move to Durban for the only "round-the-houses" race in the 12-event championship. And this one promises to sort out the true statesmen from the street-corner soapbox shouters. Instead of competing on sophisticated Grand Prix circuits where the drivers needed wide-angle eyesight to judge the width of the track, and where the run-off areas are as large and gently absorbent as the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, they are going to find themselves on a tight, unforgiving street circuit, with little or no room for error.

Built at a cost of over R90 million, the 3.28km track is set in a colourful atmosphere not unlike Monaco. However, drivers may find the humidity energy-sapping. Rain would be to Simpson's advantage, because the youngster has already provided ample proof of his prowess on a wet surface.

Source: Cape Argus / 25 Jan. 2005