A1 Team Malaysia has appointed a new Chief Engineer to spearhead their attack on the 2008/09 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.
Alan Mugglestone brings with him a wealth of engineering expertise ranging from Formula 3 to Formula One, and has been drafted in to this senior position in the technical team for the Malaysian nation.
Speaking about his new role, Mugglestone commented, “I’ve been watching A1GP on the TV and I know a few drivers and team members around the paddock, but this is an entirely new venture for me this year. I think coming in now with the new car is a good thing for me to get to grips with everything and start with a blank sheet of paper as with all of the other teams. In theory racing cars are all the same, they work in the same way, they all have the same elements: car, tyres, drivers, so this will not be new to me; I’m keen to see the Malaysian car on track and then we can start work.”
A1 Team Malaysia, debuted their new car at a shake down test at Donington Circuit in the UK last week, and are looking to build on the success they achieved during the 2006/07 season where they were frequent top ten runners. Mugglestone says, “the new car is great, the build quality is excellent and the attention to detail is second to none. We ran the new car at Donington and I’m really looking forward to my first opportunity to work alongside the team and the drivers in race conditions, I’m sure we can be challenging in the front half of the field at Zandvoort”
Mugglestone who originates from Gainsborough, South Yorkshire in the UK, has an illustrious career in the sport, taking drivers to win over thirty five British, European and World titles, over the past 25 years. He has spent much of his life in a racing environment, “I grew up in the bike world, but because it was dangerous my Dad encouraged me to go karting instead,” he explains. In 1982 I won the British Kart Grand Prix at Silverstone, and then in 1983 I did Formula Ford. After a season in Formula Ford I then progressed in to Formula 3 and other various formulae until I ran out of money and talent! In the meantime I completed my formal education and spent the next 20 years in motor racing, doing what I love for a living.
“I’ve worked in virtually every formula you can mention except A1GP, until now of course. I’ve done Formula One, F3000, I’ve set up various teams in Formula Renault and F3, and I’ve more recently worked in the Le Mans Series for the last few seasons. I’ve worked with A1 Team Malaysia’s Chief Executive Jack Cunningham in the past, and weve always kept in touch. Then this year at Le Mans he approached me with a mind to working with him on the A1GP project and, well, here I am and looking forward to the challenge.”
A1 Team Malaysia will be back out on track at the first round of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, in Zandvoort, the Netherlands 4-5 October 2008 with their new A1GP car Powered By Ferrari.
