1- ALGARVE

Algarve turned recently from a beautiful natural place to a touristic area.

Now a great autodrome also takes place close to city Portimao.

2 – QUALIFYING SESSIONS

Last october, Parasite guys attended the first GP of 2008-2009 season. Loïc Duval won that race for France.
Now Loïc focuses in 2 competitions in Japan, and formarly rookie Nicolas Prost has been promoted main pilot.

Algarve’s qualifying sessions have been very unlucky for France, and morever Nicolas Prost does not benefit from the same experience as Loïc Duval did. France had to start last line on the grid.

3 – INTERVIEW WITH NICOLAS PROST

Then Nicolas Prost joined us for an interview. He told us about his story.

Nicolas Prost started his carreer very late, because his father refused him to try racing. Alain Prost was upset by Gilles Villeuneuve and Ayrton Senna’s accidents and was conscious that racing can be very dangerous.
When Nicolas tried it for the first time, he did very well, and his father accepted him to be a pilot.

Knowing about the Prost family’s story makes you feel a tough passion for racing, that can often be delighting and sometimes very cruel. You can see this in the eyes of Alain and Nicolas Prost.

4 – PARASITE & A1GP = SPORT + FASHION

A1GP is a mix of sport, technology and fashion, and that is also what Parasite products are.

5 – THE RACES

No way to get points on “Sprint Race”: Considering the grid’s position Team France’s goal was to reach the finish line without damaging the car.

On “Feature Race” Nicolas Prost did a good drive. Many pilots went to fault. Half nations got off. France finished at 6th position, and is now ranked 5th in the championship.

6 – MERCIS

Thank you all at A1Team.France who is very welcoming. Thank you Nicolas Prost for caming to answer our questions. And thank you Yan Lefort, DONA BARCA restaurant in Portimao was so good !

We are happy to show you some photos of Sébastien in his everyday life: American Football.

Parasite was in Zandvoort, and attended the grand prix, to launch a partnership with A1GP TEAM FRANCE. And this partnership feels good !
– Contacts with Team France have been excellent.
– Partenariat between Team France and Parasite start on good bases.
– We discovered from the inside the world of automobile racing.
– Team France has been good and reaches victory. France shares first place with same number of points as Malaysia

Mission accomplished in Zandvoort !

We’ll soon give more details aout the partnership, in a common release with A1GP TEAM FRANCE.

Previous article (below) is a summary of our journey in Zandvoort.
NOTE BY PALMITO : This text is long : Let you be guided by photos, read just what seems interesting for you.

Here is a summary of our journey…

We are invited by A1GP Team France
We meet our hosts in the paddocks
Visit of the garage, Team France is one of the last to receive the car.
Mecanos have just discovered it, and work to prepare it.

Will they succeed in making it start before the end of the trials?
Qualifiing session is about to start!

Moulding of the seat: Pilot sits on an expandable foam, that adapts to his morphology before coagulating. Then Foam is cut to optimize sitting.

Saturday noon
Pluie
Parasite Eyewear trial session at Team France Hospitality Space.
Meeting with the members of the team: Jean-Paul Driot (Seat Holder) Éric Boullier (Team Manager) Claire Magnant (Team Coordinator) Loïc Duval (first pilot) Nicolas Prost (second pilot) Gaëlle (Loïc Duval’s girlfriend) Loïc Duval crushes for Parasite sunglasses, and immediately adopts them. Photo session at Team France Zone!

Saturday Afternoon
Rain
Birth of the motor : first start
Mecanos reach launching of the car

We welcome Anouk, our local guest.
Big lunch at crew catering, a place dedicated to the teams.
We visit pangaea, the official space for VIP + A1GP partners
We watch GT races while having a local beer..
Jerome continues Eyewear trying session with mecanos.
Each member of Team France will hav its own Parasite eyewear.

Loïc Duval drives his first 10 laps with the car and reaches 11th rank during qualification time. In the last minutes, he gets a very good time in the first 2 sectors of the circuit, but he comes back to the pitstop area without stopping !!?? He will not do better before the end of the session.

There is an advert for an eyewear brand that appears in all the TV screens of the Mirage club.
It is Active Holding eyewear… A brand that we did not know before.
In the club, we meet the male model who we can see on the video, wearing these glasses… He makes us meet the founder of the brand. We have good contact, we mutualy make one another try our glasses, and take photos.

Here is Blades creator (above). He may remind you someone, may not he ? (see below)

Next DJ is not as good as Benny Rodrigues, so we go back to the hotel to have a good sleep..

Sunday morning
Rain and wind
Good news when arriving at the circuit: A1GP Team France is getting good feelings with he car. Loïc Duval has been authorized to run a special trial session, and he did good job.

11am – first race : 14 laps
Rain and wind – wet track
Many pilots go off the road
Loïc avoids collateral dammages, and gets up in ranking by overtaking cars beside of the track.
Local team started Pole Position, but Netherlands’ pilot is not as good on wet road. He is passed by Malaysia and New Zealand.

Loïc goes on, he overtakes several cars, including Netherlands’. He is now third and looking for first positions. Malaysia put pressure on New Zealand to fault, and is going to win.
Loïc Duval is about to go second when the race is stopped. He does best lap of the race (which gives one bonus point). End of the short race : Podium!

Sunday Noon
Rain and wind
Mecanos work to set up he car.
We stay at Team France hospitality. We meet Loïc Duval’s father. We finish Eyewear trying sessions, and have some talks. We feel at ease, while Loïc is confident for next race.

Below:
– Nicolas Prost, France’s second pilot. He will run next Grand Prix.
-Gaelle, Loïc Duval’s girlfriend

Sunday Afternoon
I leave the padocks, to visit sponsors boothes near the circuit

3pm – Second race : long rush
Rain and wind – wet track

Bad weather is good for the show, many pilots go off road. First race arrival ranks are this one’s start ranks. Loïc Duval soon overtakes New Zealande and runs after Malaysia, a few seconds beyond him.

During first pitstop, Malaisian is one of the first to visit the paddocks. Loïc goes his way fast. He does best lap of the race, and then goes to pitstop. In the paddocks, Team France is ready, and does efficint job. Loïc Duval gets off paddocks ahead of Malaysia.

Loïc Duval remains first. During second pitstop session, he is 7 seconds ahead, the team has just to be secure. Loïc goes behind the USA, who did not stop yet. American pilot takes best lap in race, before going off the road and quit. Security car goes in and reduces the gaps between cars, but Loïc insures victory!

16h30 Podium
Rain and wind – wet track
As this first grand prix of this season ends, Team France shares first place with Malaysia. France started late in qualifying, but gets first place at least.

We celebrate victory with the team. Loïc wears the podium Michelin cap. In spite of rain, on top of the cap, one can see Parasite eyewear.

After podium, a short vacation time, a short briefing, and everyone is busy to prepare leaving

Sunday Evening
We stay quiet at the hotel: Mission accomplished in Zandvoort !