A1 Team Malaysia mechanic Shanker Ramachandran took advantage of the end of year break in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport calendar to tie the knot with his fiancée Sukanthi. Ramachandran, an Indian-Malaysian who lives in Penang, celebrated his wedding with a traditional marriage ceremony and a colourful reception for his friends and family.

The wedding ceremony took place on 25 December with the traditional Indian wedding rituals held at a temple in Penang. The occasion was celebrated with a reception dinner at the Paradise Sandy Beach Hotel in Penang on 27 December. The venue was beautifully decorated and guests enjoyed an evening of Tamil tunes.

The reception dinner began with a wine pouring ceremony. Family members gathered on the stage to watch the newly wed couple pour wine into a fountain of stacked wineglasses. A lavish Indian dinner was served before guests were entertained by famous local Indian artistes. Commemorative photographs of the occasion with family and friends concluded the event.

The team’s very first recruit and one of the series’ most popular mechanics and his new wife head off to Bali next week to enjoy a honeymoon break before the A1GP Series returns to racing action in Taupo, New Zealand, later in January.

Jack Cunningham, Chief Executive, A1 Team Malaysia, wished the couple well for the future, saying, “On behalf of everyone at A1 Team Malaysia we offer Shanker and Sukanthi our warmest congratulations on their wedding. We wish the couple much happiness for the future. “

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has completed three of ten rounds of the 2008/09 Series, with the most recent event taking place in Sepang, Malaysia at the end of November. Competition resumes in New Zealand on 23-25 January 2009.