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Manning to join Britain full time

A1 Team Great Britain boss John Surtees has confirmed to autosport.com that former IRL IndyCar racer Darren Manning will join the team full time next season

After lead driver Robbie Kerr had other commitments, Manning raced for the team in the final race of the inaugural season in Shanghai, China, and impressed, finishing second in his maiden race.

Now Manning will join the team full time next year, and will join Kerr in alternating driving duties in the British squad.

"Darren came in China and did just the one drive and that was impressive," Surtees told autosport.com. "It was especially a good debut by people associated with American racing and what I think a lot of them thought was going to be a push over.

"Darren will play a part next season. How big a part we're not sure yet."

With Kerr again unavailable for the maiden round of the second season in Zandvoort, Surtees confirmed that Manning will race the car at the Dutch track. The team will then evaluate driver choice as the season progresses.

Manning was present at the A1 Grand Prix street parade in Manchester last weekend and says he is looking forward to returning next season.

"I was pleased to be involved in China and I was impressed with the way everything  went," Manning said. "I wanted to be involved even more this year.

"I hadn't driven China and I did rather well, so learning tracks isn't a problem really. Hopefully we can get the car set up well and get it going a bit better."

Surtees also confirmed that McLaren Autosport Award winner Oliver Jarvis will join the team as third driver next year, to take advantage of the special practice session reserved exclusively for rookie drivers.

"Oliver Jarvis will play a part," Surtees said. "We're not talking about a programme which is for just one season. A1 should be thought of a five year plan, particularly in the way drivers have been restricted to us in the passed, and we need to think about the younger generation."

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