The French team has chosen its new driver!

The A1 Team France has today selected its new A1GP driver, replacing Loïc Duval, who is unavailable for the rest of the season. It will be Jonathan Cochet.

Olivier Panis, the sporting director of the team in the Nations Cup, has chosen to rely on experience for the upcoming weekend in Mexico. He had the choice between Nicolas Prost, still young, and Jonathan Cochet, much more experienced at 31 years of age.

The Frenchman had already participated in the two free practice sessions reserved for rookie drivers in South Africa and New Zealand, and will therefore replace Loic Duval, who is now in Japan for Formula Nippon. He had indeed signed a contract for this championship well before the A1GP and could not race for both disciplines simultaneously.

With this new team, Panis’ goals remain the same: to make up the 10 points separating the French team from the current leader in the standings, Switzerland.

« After a difficult choice, we decided to entrust the wheel to Jonathan [Cochet] », confirms the former Toyota F1 driver. « He has already attended two weekends with us, and we will benefit from his experience. »

« On the strategic side, succeeding at the Mexican rendezvous is essential given the small gaps in the championship. But we are not going to put pressure on Cochet, and our job will be to provide him with the best equipment! »

The 31-year-old Frenchman has already accumulated a lot of experience in various championships, including Formula Three, the World Series by Renault, Formula Nippon, and F3000. He has also been an endurance driver in the Le Mans Series for two years and participated last year in a Road Show day with the Renault F1 Team.