well aware of how much work there was still to do before he could feel satisfied with the result.

While all the thrills of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport continued on the track in Chengdu, China, there was also plenty of action going in the paddock and in the build up to the race last weekend.

The week kicked off with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. With many drivers and teams finding the time to visit the centre, none of them were left disappointed at getting the chance to see these much loved creatures up close.

The giant panda is an endangered species with the latest World Wide Fund for Nature survey estimating only 1,600 pandas living in the wild. Over 80 per centbehind glass,” Cheng commented. “To be given the opportunity to see them here and to hold one has been a phenomenal experience!”

Motorsport also met the world of football last week, kicking off with a selection of drivers taking on the Chengdu Blades in a friendly match. The Chengdu Blades is a professional football club competing in the Chinese Super League (equivalent of the British Premier League) and owned by British club, Sheffield United FC.

A selection of its star players including Li Tie, a former Everton F.C player and Ma Ming Lu, the former captain of the National Chinese football team, took time out to take part in a football skills training session and friendly match against the A1GP drivers this morning at the Sichuan University in Chengdu. The