Rossi takes maiden GP2 victory as Leimer is crowned Champion
Alexander Rossi has made GP2 history around the Yas Marina Circuit by becoming the first driver from America to win a race in the Series, whilst Fabio Leimer made history of his own by becoming the first Swiss driver to clinch the coveted Drivers’ Championship. Fellow rival Sam Bird suffered a disastrous race, after stalling on the grid.
Initially the start of the race was delayed after both Gianmarco Raimondo, Nathaniel Berthon and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs stalled on the grid as the five red lights came on. This saw the rest of the field once again circulate the Yas Marina Circuit on a second formation lap, as the three cars in question where wheeled into the pit-lane to start the race. With tensions running high, the five red flights once again illuminated over the grid as pole man Alexander Rossi prepared to sprint into action.
At the start utter mayhem ensued as Championship contender Sam Bird stalled on the grid, with the rest of the field including his main Championship rival Fabio Leimer miraculously avoiding the stranded Russian Time machine. As Sam Bird was wheeled back into the pits to restart his car and take to the track, carnage ensued at Turns 5 and 6 as Jon Lancaster was perilously launched into the air and onto the top of Tom Dillmann’s car. Luckily the front of the Briton’s machine only just missed the head of Tom Dillmann, as the rest of the field strove to avoid the melee.
Sam Bird is disconsolately wheeled back into the pits after stalling at the start.
This incident understandably saw the safety car deployed, which greatly assisted Sam Bird who managed to return to the action after stalling on the grid and not fall a lap down. At the front Jolyon Palmer managed to take the lead ahead of the Caterham of Alexander Rossi, with Championship leader Fabio Leimer a strong 3rd. As the marshals cleared away the stricken cars’ of Jon Lancaster and Tom Dillmann, Stephane Richelmi became the next retirement in his DAMS after returning to the pits. A replay of the Turn 5 incident showed the Monegasque driver also bouncing over the sharp kerbs behind the Lancaster and Dillmann incident, which could well have been a factor in his retirement.
After only a short period of time behind the safety car, the race was resumed with Jolyon Palmer in a dominant lead ahead of Alexander Rossi and Fabio Leimer. Further down the order saw Sam Bird scything his way through the order in a bid to redeem himself after his torrid start. At Turns 8 and 9, the British sensation managed to pass both Nathaniel Berthon and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, before the first few scheduled pit-stops ensued. After enduring a tough qualifying session in his Rapax, Stefano Coletti’s race failed to improve, as the Monegasque driver lightly collided with the ART Grand Prix of James Calado before pitting a lap later.
On Lap 7 yellow flags began appearing in the first few corners, after bollard was knocked loose and onto the circuit. Luckily it was residing off of the racing line, allowing it to be retrieved without the necessity for a safety car intervention. A lap later Sam Bird returned to the pits for a new set of tyres along with Indonesian star Rio Haryanto, whilst race leader Jolyon Palmer continued to produce fastest laps in the lead of the race. Several laps later the other Championship contender of Fabio Leimer pitted along with Felipe Nasr, Sergio Canamasas and Dani Clos, whilst James Calado’s miserable weekend continued as was heard complaining of no power. A replay indicated that the Briton’s bargeboard had worked its way loose and had become stuck in his air intake.
After making his mandatory pit-stop, Championship leader Fabio Leimer began scything his way through the field with half of the drivers ahead of him still yet to stop. This saw the Swiss sensation breeze around Gianmarco Raimondo, who strove to make his car as wide as possible in his defense. Meanwhile further freneticism ensued further back, as Simon Trummer and Jake Rosenzweig collided at Turns 8 and 9. This saw both drivers come under investigation, with Simon Trummer eventually struck with a drive-thru penalty.
As the final feature race of the season continued, Vittorio Ghirelli became the latest retirement after returning to the pits. Meanwhile out on track Stefano Coletti continued to make minor mistakes, as the 24-year-old lightly tapped the rear of Gianmarco Raimondo’s Trident Racing. After loosing the lead at the start to Jolyon Palmer, Alexander Rossi eventually made his stop on Lap 18. In a bid to overtake the Briton when he made his pit-stop, the Caterham mechanics elected to only change the rear tyres.
Alexander Rossi made GP2 history for America.
This tactic proved sensational, as Jolyon Palmer pitted for his stop a lap later and returned to the track frustratingly behind the bright green Caterham of Alexander Rossi. However, the British driver had super-soft tyres bolted to his Carlin, which would give him a slight advantage for several laps before tyre wear intervened. Although Alexander Rossi was now in a net 1st place after rising ahead of Jolyon Palmer, Marcus Ericsson had in fact assumed the lead as he had yet to make his mandatory stop. Eventually the top three of Marcus Ericsson, Mitch Evans and James Calado all peeled off into the pits several laps later, thus allowing Daniel Abt to lead his first laps of the season.
Eventually the final two drivers of Daniel de Jong and Daniel Abt pitted on Lap 22, which released Alexander Rossi into the lead of the race ahead of the hard-charging Jolyon Palmer. With the race drawing to a climactic conclusion with Fabio Leimer on course to securing the Drivers’ Championship, the safety car was deployed for a second time after Mitch Evans collided with the Caterham of Sergio Canamasas at Turn 21. This saw the reigning GP3 Champion forced into retirement, as the field bunched up with Alexander Rossi still at the front.
As absolute confusion ensued in the Rapax pits as both Stefano Coletti and Simon Trummer pitted together without informing the team, Sam Bird had managed to rise up to 10th and a points-paying position. With Fabio Leimer running in 3rd position, all Bird required was a 7th place finish or higher to keep his Championship hopes alive. At the restart Alexander Rossi catapulted himself into a commanding lead, as Marcus Ericsson brought the Championship tension to breaking-point by overtaking Fabio Leimer for 3rd.
Now all Sam Bird required was a 9th place finish, as he lay in 10th position stuck behind the ART Grand Prix of Daniel Abt. As Nathaniel Berthon retired in a plume of smoke after his engine expired, Alexander Rossi crossed the line to take his and America’s maiden victory in the GP2 Series. Despite his jubilation, all eyes were focused on the Racing Engineering of Fabio Leimer and Russian Time of Sam Bird, whose positions remained unchanged as they crossed the line. This meant Fabio Leimer had secured the coveted GP2 title in nail-biting fashion, with Sam Bird 10th and only just unable to make the move for 9th.
On the last lap Stefano Coletti’s incident-filled race continued after he collided with the MP Motorsport of Daniel de Jong, which forced both drivers into retirement. Despite the Championship celebrations down in the Racing Engineering garages, tomorrow’s final sprint race still awaits the GP2 fraternity. Johnny Cecotto has managed to secure the reverse grid pole for Arden International, and will start the race alongside Felipe Nasr.
Results - 29 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Alexander Rossi Caterham 1h00m16.414s
2. Jolyon Palmer Carlin +2.130s
3. Marcus Ericsson DAMS +3.075s
4. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering +4.687s
5. Dani Clos MP +5.218s
6. James Calado ART +6.370s
7. Felipe Nasr Carlin +8.873s
8. Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden +12.142s
9. Daniel Abt ART +13.102s
10. Sam Bird Russian Time +13.568s
11. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Hilmer +14.852s
12. Sergio Canamasas Caterham +15.896s
13. Simon Trummer Rapax +15.919s
14. Rio Haryanto Addax +19.021s
15. Rene Binder Lazarus +19.229s
16. Julian Leal Racing Engineering +21.039s
17. Gianmarco Raimondo Trident +23.308s
18. Nathanael Berthon Trident +1 lap*
19. Stefano Coletti Rapax +1 lap*
20. Daniel de Jong MP +1 lap*
21. Jake Rosenzweig Addax +3 laps*
*Not running at finish
Retirements:
Mitch Evans Arden 22 laps
Vittorio Ghirelli Lazarus 9 laps
Stephane Richelmi DAMS 1 lap
Tom Dillmann Russian Time 0 laps
Jon Lancaster Hilmer 0 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © Sam Bloxham & Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Fabio Leimer resists Sam Bird to win GP2 feature race at Monza
Fabio Leimer has managed to resist the tremendous pace of Sam Bird to win a highly entertaining GP2 feature race around the legendary Autodromo di Monza, after a frenetic 30-lap race. The duo were followed by the other Russian Time machine of Tom Dillmann, after both Stefano Coletti and Felipe Nasr retired from proceedings.
At the start Fabio Leimer stormed into a comfortable lead into Turn 1, despite starting 2nd on the grid alongside Sam Bird. Amazingly the entire field managed to negotiate the first few corners relatively incident-free, despite some drivers skipping across the grass to avoid major contact. After the opening lap reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans collided with the Rapax of Simon Trummer, which subsequently forced both into retirement and also forced the majority of the field to take avoiding action through the retaining gravel trap.
The two stricken cars were cleared without a safety car interruption, despite partially blocking the track during the immediate aftermath. Daniel Abt returned to the pits after the second lap, after picking up a puncture which could well have been caused after running through the gravel to avoid colliding with either Simon Trummer or Mitch Evans. As Sam Bird continued to hunt down Fabio Leimer in the lead, Jake Rosenzweig became the next retirement after a minor collision with Tom Dillmann which broke the American’s front-left suspension.
As the race raged on, Alexander Rossi and Sergio Campana became the first drivers’ to complete scheduled pit-stops, before Championship leader Stefano Coletti did likewise. However, the Monegasque sensation locked-up heavily on the entry to the pit-lane, which saw him mistakingly speed in the pits and therefore incur a drive-thru penalty. Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr became the next drivers to pit from the front of the pack, as Fabio Leimer continued to lead Sam Bird.
After exiting the pit-lane Felipe Nasr became locked in a grueling battle for 16th with Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, however the Brazilian ace managed to fend off the advancing Briton with some masterful defensive driving. Carlin’s Jolyon Palmer pitted a lap later, and seemingly enjoyed a decent pit-stop. However, during his first lap back on the track his left-rear tyre worked its way loose and fell off, forcing the Briton into an embarrassing retirement. Meanwhile Sergio Canamasas and Johnny Cecotto became locked in a battle for track position, with the two incident-prone drivers unreservedly colliding with each other through Turn 1. This subsequently saw the stewards elect to investigate the duo.
Whilst the marshals cleared the stricken Carlin of Jolyon Palmer and hunted down his rogue wheel, race leader Fabio Leimer pitted on Lap 12 thus allowing Sam Bird to assume the lead of the race. Several laps later Marcus Ericsson became the next retirement for DAMS, after a left-rear puncture struck his car and forced him to pull over at the side of the track. After Stefano Coletti’s uncompetitive display during the race, Felipe Nasr looked set to reap the rewards and potentially leapfrog the Monegasque ace in the Championship. However, a mechanical issue on his car saw him grind to a halt at Turn 1 and into retirement.
On Lap 19 Sam Bird stormed into the pits for his scheduled pit-stop, ceding the lead of the race to team-mate Tom Dillmann. Despite a frustratingly slow stop, the Briton rejoined only just behind Fabio Leimer on the softer rubber. As Tom Dillmann also pitted and handed the lead to Stephane Richelmi, the battle for the eventual lead of the race raged on between Fabio Leimer and Sam Bird. On Lap 23 Richelmi finally became the last driver to make his mandatory pit-stop, allowing Fabio Leimer to return to the lead with Sam Bird quick on his heels.
With Felipe Nasr now out of the race, it seemed Stefano Coletti’s immediate Championship threat had disappeared. However, disaster struck the Rapax driver as he was forced into retirement on Lap 24. This then switched the emphasis on the Championship to Fabio Leimer and Sam Bird, who sat 3rd and 4th respectively in the Drivers’ Championship.
Although Sam Bird managed to close the gap to Fabio Leimer to under a second, the Briton was unable to thwart to Swiss master, who stormed across the line to secure his 5th victory in the Series and the lead in the Drivers’ Championship. Tom Dillmann managed to follow the leading duo home in 3rd, with American sensation Alexander Rossi securing the reverse grid pole in 8th. He will start tomorrow’s sprint race alongside Adrian Quaife-Hobbs on the front row of the grid.
Picture Copyright © Charles Coates/GP2 Series Media Service
Aaro Vainio storms to GP3 victory after lights-to-flag drive at Budapest
Aaro Vainio has stormed to his third GP3 victory around the Hungaroring, after a masterful lights-to-flag drive from the Finn who managed to fend off the charging Conor Daly during the closing laps. The leading duo were followed by Russian ace Daniil Kvyat in the MW Arden, with Jack Harvey 4th.
At the start Aaro Vainio stormed into a commanding lead over Conor Daly, as the 27-car field negotiated the tricky first few corners without incident. During the opening few laps Championship leader Tio Ellinas plummeted through the order, after first Patric Niederhauser and then Alex Fontana and Dino Zamparelli all overtook the struggling Cypriot. Whilst the field began to evenly spread themselves out around the tight and twisty confines of the Hungaroring, Aaro Vainio managed to open up a comfortable two second lead over the American ace of Conor Daly.
By Lap 9 Tio Ellinas managed to recover after his highly uncompetitive start to the race, with the Marussia Manor Racing driver managing to overtake Dino Zamparelli down the start/finish straight. As the race progressed numerous battles raged on up and down the order, with the likes of Patric Niederhauser, Giovanni Venturini and Tio Ellinas all battling hard for position. The latter began pushing beyond the limits in the closing stages of the race, as he dipped a wheel onto the grass and run extensively wide on the exit of Turn 4 but managed to rejoin.
The flow of the race was disrupted on Lap 12, after a big shunt between Luis Sa Silva and Emanuele Zonzini, with Samin Gomez also involved but miraculously able to continue. As Sa Silva, Zonzini and Gomez negotiated Turn 1, utter disaster struck when Gomez collided with Sa Silva and the unsuspecting Trident of Zonzini barrel-rolled over the Angolan driver. This incident naturally brought out the safety car, as the efficient marshals cleared the two stricken cars and debris.
After only several laps behind the safety car the race was resumed, with Conor Daly pressurizing race leader Aaro Vainio. The ART Grand Prix driver was frustratingly denied the luxury of overtaking the race leader, as the duo negotiated Turn 2 practically side-by-side. Further back the traditional GP3 mayhem ensued, as Lewis Williamson suffered a spectacular spin in a cloud of tyre smoke. Melville McKee endured a frustrating end to the race, as he dropped through the order whilst running wide with Jimmy Eriksson between Turns 4 and 5.
Despite the crazy end to the race, Aaro Vainio managed to keep his composure and secure a masterful victory after a mature drive from the Koiranen GP driver. The leading duo were separated by just +0.6 seconds across the line, with Daniil Kvyat just under five seconds behind for MW Arden. Robert Visoiu managed to finish 8th, therefore securing him the reverse grid pole for tomorrow’s second race. The Romanian driver will start alongside Kevin Korjus.
Results - 17 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Aaro Vainio Koiranen 29m17.213s
2. Conor Daly ART +0.691s
3. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden +4.853s
4. Jack Harvey ART +7.061s
5. Carlos Sainz Jr MW Arden +7.262s
6. Facu Regalia ART +7.507s
7. Kevin Korjus Koiranen +8.588s
8. Robert Visoiu MW Arden +9.307s
9. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer +10.295s
10. Giovanni Venturini Trident +11.550s
11. Alex Fontana Jenzer +12.736s
12. Tio Ellinas Manor +13.175s
13. Dino Zamparelli Manor +14.139s
14. Jimmy Eriksson Status +16.751s
15. Patrick Kujala Koiranen +18.645s
16. Nick Yelloly Carlin +18.793s
17. David Fumanelli Trident +19.245s
18. Melville McKee Bamboo +21.309s
19. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin +21.428s
20. Samin Gomez Jenzer +21.725s
21. Adderly Fong Status +22.012s
22. Josh Webster Status +22.372s
23. Carmen Jorda Bamboo +22.793s
24. Lewis Williamson Bamboo +23.417s
Retirements:
Driver Team Laps
Luis Sa Silva Carlin 12
Emanuele Zonzini Trident 12
Josh Webster Status 6
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
Facu Regalia Takes Dominant Lights To Flag Victory In GP3 At Germany
Facu Regalia has stormed to his maiden GP3 race victory around the iconic Nurburgring, after a dominant lights to flag victory in the first race of the weekend. The Argentinean star was followed at the front by Championship leader Tio Ellinas, with team-mate Jack Harvey 3rd.
At the start Facu Regalia stormed into a sensational lead over Tio Ellinas, as the field negotiated the tight and twisty opening few corners. At Turn 4 Alex Fontana was tipped into a race-ending spin in his Jenzer Motorsport machine, as the entire field miraculously avoided colliding with the spinning Swiss driver. After stalling his machine he was restarted and on his way back to the pits his rear-wing became dislodged and fell off in spectacular fashion.
Throughout the opening lap of the race, numerous other incidents ensued, as Luis Sa Silva collided with his Carlin team-mate Eric Lichtenstein at Turn 7 after completely out-braking himself. The two were forced into retirement, as were the Status Grand Prix duo of Josh Webster and Jimmy Eriksson who collided at Turns 13 and 14, in what was an incident-strewn opening lap. MW Arden’s Daniil Kvyat stopped on the circuit during the opening lap, leaving his car abandoned at the side of the circuit and forcing the safety car to be deployed.
This ruined Facu Regalia’s extensive lead at the front, as the safety car assumed control of the field. After only several laps, the race was resumed allowing Facu Regalia to once again open up a considerable lead at the front ahead of the Marussia Manor Racing of Tio Ellinas. The 21-year-old Argentinean driver produced the fastest lap of the race at the front, as further down the order Carmen Jordan was issued with a drive-thru penalty for exceeding track limits.
However, the Spaniard failed to adhere to her penalty and was therefore shown the black flag and was disqualified from proceedings. Kevin Korjus was also struck with a drive-thru penalty, which the Estonian driver served immediately. However, the Koiranen GP driver’s race soon ended in retirement, after he returned to the pits for a second time. Further up the order saw Facu Regalia simply cruise to his maiden victory by just over seven seconds to Tio Ellinas, after a tremendous performance at the front. The ART Grand Prix driver was followed by Tio Ellinas in 2nd, with the Cypriot closely followed by British driver Jack Harvey.
After finishing the race in 8th position, British returnee Alexander Sims will start tomorrow’s race from the reverse grid pole. The Status Grand Prix driver will be joined on the front-row of the grid by fellow countryman Melville McKee, in what promises to be another entertaining race around the iconic Nurburgring.
Results - 15 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Facu Regalia ART 28m27.022s
2. Tio Ellinas Manor + 7.160s
3. Jack Harvey ART + 7.658s
4. Lewis Williamson Bamboo + 11.851s
5. Nick Yelloly Carlin + 12.586s
6. Carlos Sainz Jr MW Arden + 16.503s
7. Melville McKee Bamboo + 17.495s
8. Alexander Sims Status + 18.449s
9. Dino Zamparelli Manor + 19.481s
10. Conor Daly ART + 19.886s
11. Robert Visoiu MW Arden + 21.799s
12. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer + 22.381s
13. Patrick Kujala Koiranen + 28.568s
14. Aaro Vainio Koiranen + 31.250s
15. Emanuele Zonzini Trident + 31.919s
16. Giovanni Venturini Trident + 33.262s
17. David Fumanelli Trident + 33.630s
18. Samin Gomez Jenzer + 35.102s
19. Ryan Cullen Manor + 36.914s
20. Kevin Korjus Koiranen + 43.885s
Retirements:
Driver Team Laps
Carmen Jorda Bamboo 10
Alex Fontana Jenzer 2
Josh Webster Status 1
Jimmy Eriksson Status 1
Daniil Kvyat MW Arden 0
Eric Lichtenstein Carlin 0
Luis Sa Silva Carlin 0
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
Marcus Ericsson Takes Masterful Feature Race Victory In Germany
Marcus Ericsson stormed to his first GP2 victory of the season and his first for DAMS after a masterful drive around the Nurburgring, eventually finishing ahead of British ace James Calado and Championship leader Stefano Coletti in 3rd after a frenetic battle for the final podium position.
At the start total carnage ensued at the back, as Kevin Ceccon collided with Daniel Abt and was tipped into a perilous barrel-roll along the start finish straight. The Italian’s car eventually came to rest the correct way up, after tapping the rear of Adrian Quaife-Hobbs who had stalled in his MP Motorsport machine. The safety car was immediately deployed, as at the front equal mayhem ensued as Mitch Evans momentarily took the lead but ran too deep at Turn 1 and therefore lost the lead to Marcus Ericsson with initial pole man Stephane Richelmi 2nd.
The safety car assumed control of the race for the opening four laps, leading the field through the pit-lane as the stricken cars were cleared from the start/finish straight. At the restart Marcus Ericsson stormed into a commanding lead ahead of team-mate Stephane Richelmi, as Julian Leal ran extensively wide at Turn 9 and spun before rejoining further down the order. After only six laps, Felipe Nasr and Rene Binder elected to make the first scheduled pit-stops. In comparison to the Brazilian’s quick stop, the Venezuelan GP Lazarus mechanics provided Rene Binder with a frustratingly slow stop.
As the feature race progressed, many other drivers elected to pit as well, including Robin Frijns, James Calado and Alexander Rossi. The ART Grand Prix driver managed to leap-frog Robin Frijns in the pits, as race leader Marcus Ericsson made his mandatory pit-stop and therefore handed the lead down to team-mate Stephane Richelmi. Jake Rosenzweig was struck with a drive-thru penalty for speeding in the pits on Lap 10, as Fabio Leimer and Jolyon Palmer both pitted. Stephane Richelmi pitted on Lap 13, gifting the lead to Frenchman Tom Dillmann as the DAMS driver suffered a slow stop.
Tom Dillmann’s lead lasted for only three laps, before the Russian Time driver was forced to pit. This allowed Championship leader Stefano Coletti to assume the lead for Rapax, before both he and Sam Bird pitted several laps later and allowed reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans to assume the lead for Arden International ahead of team-mate Johnny Cecotto. Further down the order a frenetic battle for 10th ensued between Robin Frijns and Felipe Nasr, with the Dutchman eventually overtaking the Brazilian several laps later for 7th with Stephane Richelmi also striving to complete a maneuver on the Carlin driver.
After remaining in the lead of the race for several laps, Mitch Evans eventually pitted on Lap 23, handing the lead down to team-mate Johnny Cecotto. The Kiwi also suffered a frustratingly slow stop, as a fault with the front-jack occurred. Julian Leal was struck with a drive-thru penalty for exceeding track limits as the race progressed, just after the Colombian driver managed to produce the fastest lap of the race. Johnny Cecotto pitted on Lap 24, handing the lead down to Simon Trummer who remained the only driver yet to complete his mandatory pit-stop.
With the race now entering it’s closing stages, Stefano Coletti began scything his way through the order after overtaking both Stephane Richelmi and then Felipe Nasr around the outside of Turn 2. On Lap 28, Simon Trummer eventually completed his mandatory pit-stop, allowing Marcus Ericsson to resume his lead at the front ahead of James Calado and Robin Frijns. However, Stefano Coletti soon caught the Dutchman and began swarming all over the rear of his machine, bringing along with him both Stephane Richelmi and Fabio Leimer. Try as the Monegasque ace might, he was frustratingly unable to overtake Robin Frijns until the final corner of the final lap, as total mayhem ensued between the four drivers.
Eventually Stefano Coletti managed to barge his way around the Dutchman, with Fabio Leimer finishing side-by-side with Stephane Richelmi in 4th and 5th with Robin Frijns eventually finishing a lowly 6th. Throughout this incredible melee, Marcus Ericsson stormed across the line to secure his first victory of the season ahead of James Calado. Tom Dillmann secured the reverse grid pole by finishing 8th, and will start the race alongside Jon Lancaster in tomorrow’s sprint race.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Sam Bird Flies To Sensational Victory In Thrilling GP2 Feature Race
Sam Bird has flown to a sensational victory in what was a thrilling GP2 feature race around the legendary Silverstone circuit, which featured a frenetic battle for 3rd in the closing laps. The British star was joined on the podium by Stephane Richelmi and team-mate Tom Dillmann, after an unbelievably competitive 29 laps.
After securing his second pole position of the season, Marcus Ericsson stormed into the lead when the five red lights went out. Through the opening few corners, utter mayhem ensued as the Swede collided with the Carlin of Felipe Nasr. This allowed Sam Bird to slip through and into the lead by Turn 4, with Championship leader Stefano Coletti 2nd. Further down the order saw Sergio Canamasas stall on the grid in his Caterham, as Simon Trummer and Daniel de Jong pitted early on after receiving minor damage.
During the opening few laps, many battles ensued up and down the order. Marcus Ericsson set his sights upon catching Stefano Coletti for 2nd, despite being under investigation for his collision with Felipe Nasr at the start. Alexander Rossi collided with Kevin Ceccon at Turn 16 and tipped the Italian into a race-ending spin. After his earlier pit-stop, Dutchman Daniel de Jong was struck with a stop/go penalty for speeding in the pits. By Lap 6, both Stefano Coletti, Felipe Nasr and James Calado pitted from the front, a lap before race leader Sam Bird and Marcus Ericsson followed.
This allowed the DAMS of Stephane Richelmi to assume the lead at the front, as his team-mate Marcus Ericsson was struck with a drive-thru penalty for causing the incident with Felipe Nasr at the start. After the pit-stops, Sam Bird found himself further down the order and only several seconds ahead of Stefano Coletti. After opening up a considerable lead at the front, Stephane Richelmi eventually pitted on Lap 13, therefore allowing reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans to assume the lead for Arden International.
The Kiwi also pitted several laps later, returning to the circuit in 3rd position and right into the midst of a frenetic battle for 3rd between team-mate Johnny Cecotto jr., Stefano Coletti and Stephane Richelmi. At Turn 4, there was utter mayhem as Stefano Coletti muscled his way around the Arden International duo, therefore progressing to 3rd. However, Mitch Evans soon retook 3rd after a masterful overtaking maneuver around the Monegasque driver. Unfortunately the Arden International driver was found guilty of speeding in the pits, and was therefore struck with a stop/go penalty which naturally ruined his race.
As the race progressed, Jon Lancaster collided with fellow countryman James Calado at Turn 6, however both drivers managed to continue circulating. Despite qualifying a strong 3rd, Felipe Nasr endured a frustrating race which eventually culminated in retirement on Lap 18. After assuming the lead of the race when Mitch Evans pitted, Frenchman Tom Dillmann eventually pitted himself on Lap 18, therefore gifting the lead of the race back to team-mate Sam Bird. Stephane Richelmi then managed to overtake Stefano Coletti for 3rd, as Tom Dillmann began to scythe his way back through the order after making his compulsory pit-stop.
The 24-year-old Frenchman battled extremely hard for 3rd position with Stefano Coletti for several laps, before he finally perfected a maneuver on the Rapax driver on Lap 28 after Stefano Coletti ran wide at Turns 16 and 17. The Monegasque’s race was brought to a premature and frustrating conclusion several corners later, when the Racing Engineering of Fabio Leimer became overzealous and stormed up the inside at Turn 4. The two collided, with Coletti sustaining race-ending damage.
Further up the track saw Sam Bird storm to his third race victory of the season, only +2.4 seconds ahead of the charging DAMS of Stephane Richelmi. Tom Dillmann secured the final podium position in hard-fought fashion, after an absolutely mesmerizing 29-lap race around the legendary Silverstone circuit. Julian Leal will start tomorrow’s sprint race from the reverse grid pole after finishing in 8th, and will start alongside the Indonesian sensation of Rio Haryanto.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Bird Is The Word In Monaco After Incident-Filled GP2 Feature Race
Sam Bird has taken a memorable victory around the streets of Monte-Carlo after a frenetic incident-filled feature race, which included a lengthy delay after a monumental multi-car pile-up at Turn 1. The British sensation was followed home by Kevin Ceccon, with reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans 3rd after another wonderful drive.
The start of the feature was initially delayed by roughly 15 minutes, after a barrier was fixed following an incident during a previous qualifying session. Eventually the five red lights went out to unleash utter carnage at Turn 1, whereas Sergio Canamasas stalled on the grid. Heading into Turn 1, Mitch Evans stormed into the lead from 2nd on the grid, whereas his team-mate Johnny Cecotto jr. ran straight into the retaining tyre barrier with Fabio Leimer alongside.
This resulted in a monumental multi-car incident further behind, as the entire GP2 field simply had no space to avoid the ensuing melee. Marcus Ericsson was one of the many drivers involved in the incident, as Jolyon Palmer spun in his urge to avoid a collision, blocking the track and creating a rather expensive car park. In total Johnny Cecotto jr., Fabio Leimer, Jolyon Palmer, Robin Frijns, Marcus Ericsson, Alex Rossi, Nathaniel Berthon, Kevin Giovesi and Julian Leal were all eliminated from proceedings, as the race was unsurprisingly red flagged.
Many others were also caught up in the incident, however the likes of Rene Binder, Jake Rosenzweig and Daniel Abt were luckily able to restart their engines and return to the back of the grid for the restart. Eventually it was decided that the race was to be restarted behind the safety car in the order the field were in at Sector One, with the drivers who were involved in the incident at the back of the grid in the order of their qualifying result.
As the race was restarted from behind the safety car, Mitch Evans took the lead ahead of Sam Bird in the Russian Time machine. After only one lap behind the safety car, the race returned to green flag conditions with the Kiwi out in front. However, it quickly became apparent that Sam Bird was much quicker than Mitch Evans, however the frustratingly narrow characteristics of the Monte-Carlo street circuit prevented the Briton from perfecting an maneuver for the lead.
By Lap 7 the order began completing their first compulsory pit-stops, with local hero and Championship leader Stefano Coletti and Frenchman Tom Dillmann becoming the first to do so. Sergio Canamasas was one of the many drivers who pitted early, however the reason for his stop was due largely to his minor incident with Jake Rosenzweig at Turn 10 which damaged his front-wing. On Lap 11 Kevin Ceccon elected to carry out his pit-stop, with the Trident Racing mechanics perfecting a stellar stop to allow the Italian to eventually leapfrog Mitch Evans who stopped a lap later.
The Kiwi’s stop allowed Sam Bird to assume the lead of the race, a lead he would retain until the checkered flag. During the many pit-stops, Dutchman Daniel de Jong managed to rise to 2nd for MP Motorsport. However, his 2nd position was ceded to Rene Binder on Lap 15 when he also carried out his pit-stop. The Dutchman suffered a slow stop, and dipped a tyre over the yellow line at the pit exit which saw him struck with a drive-thru penalty.
Whilst Daniel de Jong suffered a frustrating pit-stop, race leader Sam Bird’s Russian Time mechanics managed to perfect a mesmerizing pit-stop to enable the Briton to retain his lead over Rene Binder, Kevin Ceccon and Mitch Evans. The race at the front managed to continue relatively incident-free, despite the earlier carnage. However, further down the order saw Daniel Abt sneak up the inside of Rio Haryanto at Turn 19 and barge the Indonesian ace into the retaining wall. This saw Abt also struck with a drive-thru penalty, as Haryanto was forced into retirement.
Eventually Rene Binder carried out his compulsory pit-stop on Lap 29, enabling Kevin Ceccon and Mitch Evans to rise through the order to 2nd and 3rd respectively. Despite a close battle for 2nd between Ceccon and Evans, the top three remained unchanged as Sam Bird glided across the line to secure his second victory of the season. British driver Adrian Quaife-Hobbs managed to secure the reverse grid pole for tomorrow’s sprint race, despite initially qualifying last on the grid. The MP Motorsport driver will start alongside Rene Binder on the reverse grid.
Results - 42 laps:
Pos Driver Team
1. Sam Bird Russian Time
2. Kevin Ceccon Trident + 22.0s
3. Mitch Evans Arden + 23.2s
4. Felipe Nasr Carlin + 23.4s
5. James Calado ART + 29.5s
6. Stefano Coletti Rapax + 1m00.5s
7. Rene Binder Lazarus + 1m02.4s
8. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP + 1m08.4s
9. Stephane Richelmi DAMS + 1m12.1s
10. Daniel de Jong MP + 1m22.4s
11. Tom Dillmann Russian Time + 1m29.3s
12. Jon Lancaster Hilmer + 1 lap
13. Simon Trummer Rapax + 1 lap
14. Jake Rosenzweig Addax + 1 lap
15. Sergio Canamasas Caterham + 1 lap
Retirements:
Daniel Abt ART 40 laps
Rio Haryanto Addax 26 laps
Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden 0 laps*
Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 0 laps*
Jolyon Palmer Carlin 0 laps*
Julian Leal Racing Engineering 0 laps*
Robin Frijns Hilmer 0 laps*
Marcus Ericsson DAMS 0 laps*
Alexander Rossi Caterham 0 laps*
Nathanael Berthon Trident 0 laps*
Kevin Giovesi Lazarus 0 laps*
* Did not take restart
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Robin Frijns Secures Maiden Victory In Thrilling GP2 Feature Race
Robin Frijns has secured his maiden victory in the GP2 Series after an utterly thrilling feature race around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, finishing ahead of the charging Carlin of Felipe Nasr with Jolyon Palmer 3rd. The race featured many spills and thrills, in yet another excellent display of entertainment from the GP2 Series.
At the start pole-man Marcus Ericsson stormed into a commanding lead, ahead of Championship leader Stefano Coletti who rose through the order as Fabio Leimer, Sam Bird and James Calado all touched. This resulted in a premature retirement for Calado after the first lap, with Fabio Leimer also forced to pit for a new front-wing. Further back a melee ensued through Turns 1 and 2, as James Calado and Fabio Leimer ran wide with many drivers skipping through the gravel.
As James Calado and Fabio Leimer pitted, many battles for position ensued throughout the order, with Jake Rosenzweig in particular forcing Sergio Canamasas off of the road down the start/finish straight as he strove to defend his position. Further up the order, Felipe Nasr wasted no time in storming up the inside of Stephane Richelmi, barging around the Monegasque driver.
On Lap 4 Nathaniel Berthon violently crashed out of the race at Turn 10, after slamming into the rear of Sergio Canamasas and Tom Dillmann. The Frenchman flew over the rear of Canamasas, destroying his car and forcing both into retirement. Luckily Tom Dillmann managed to continue circulating unscathed, as Robin Frijns, Jolyon Palmer and Alexander Rossi became the first drivers to carry out a scheduled pit stop.
Race leader Marcus Ericsson pitted from the lead on Lap 7, gifting the lead to Championship leader Stefano Coletti. Whilst the leaders pitted, Tom Dillmann was forced off of the track by Johnny Cecotto jr., in what was turning out to be a frenetic feature race. Eventually Stefano Coletti also elected to pit, handing the lead down to Kevin Ceccon. However, the Italian’s tyres soon began to wear off, which enabled Johnny Cecotto jr. to take the lead ahead of Tom Dillmann.
After securing his maiden pole position in the GP2 Series, Marcus Ericsson’s race was brought to a frustrating and premature conclusion on Lap 10 after a collision between himself, Kevin Giovesi and Sam Bird. This also forced Kevin Giovesi into retirement, as Sam Bird managed to continue racing. As the race wore on, Johnny Cecotto jr., Tom Dillmann and Mitch Evans remained at the front despite electing not to pit. Eventually on Lap 19, Tom Dillmann pitted from 2nd for Russian Time. The Frenchman rejoined way down the order, before Johnny Cecotto jr. did likewise and handed the lead down to Mitch Evans.
Whilst the leaders made their mandatory pit stop, Tom Dillmann’s surge back through the order was hampered after a collision with the DAMS of Stephane Richelmi. The duo were miraculously able to continue circulating, however the Monegasque driver was eventually issued with a penalty for causing the incident. When Mitch Evans finally pitted on Lap 28, Robin Frijns assumed the lead for Hilmer Motorsport ahead of Jolyon Palmer and Sam Bird.
As the race entered its closing stages, Felipe Nasr began to scythe through the order for Carlin, overtaking Stefano Coletti for 4th and then Sam Bird for 3rd. The Brazilian sensation didn’t stop there, as he caught team-mate Jolyon Palmer for 3rd. Through Turn 2, Nasr tapped the rear of Palmer and barged his way around his team-mate. The loss of momentum for Jolyon Palmer saw him come under immediate threat from Sam Bird, as Palmer forced his fellow countryman off of the track and into retirement on the exit of Turn 4.
This crazy turn of events saw Jon Lancaster rise up through the order to 4th, before Tom Dillmann pulled off several expert maneuvers around Turn 3 to continue his rise through the order. However, the Frenchman came unstuck on Lap 36, as he ran frustratingly wide at Turn 3 and dropped back to 5th. Whilst the mayhem ensued throughout the order, Robin Frijns simply glided to his maiden GP2 Series victory ahead of Felipe Nasr with Jolyon Palmer a close 3rd despite an impending stewards review for his incident with Sam Bird.
After finishing in 8th, Kevin Ceccon will start tomorrow’s sprint race from the reverse grid pole, alongside the Caterham of Alexander Rossi. Expect further fireworks throughout the 26-lap race, which will have to go some way to match the excitement witnessed during the feature race.
Results - 37 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Robin Frijns Hilmer 1hr00m38.896s
2. Felipe Nasr Carlin + 3.316s
3. Jolyon Palmer Carlin + 12.290s
4. Jon Lancaster Hilmer + 12.609s
5. Stefano Coletti Rapax + 13.329s
6. Tom Dillmann Russian Time + 14.325s
7. Alexander Rossi Caterham + 17.160s
8. Kevin Ceccon Trident + 17.504s
9. Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden + 24.013s
10. Rio Haryanto Addax + 32.024s
11. Daniel Abt ART + 32.823s
12. Mitch Evans Arden + 35.748s
13. Julian Leal Racing Engineering + 39.922s
14. Jake Rosenzweig Addax + 40.999s
15. Stefano Richelmi DAMS + 42.690s
16. Daniel de Jong MP Motorsport + 43.102s
17. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP Motorsport + 54.532s
18. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering + 56.946s
19. Simon Trummer Rapax + 57.935s
20. Rene Binder Lazarus + 1 lap
21. Sam Bird Russian Time + 4 laps
Retirements:
Driver Team Laps
Kevin Giovesi Lazarus 11
Marcus Ericsson DAMS 10
Sergio Canamasas Caterham 5
Nathanael Berthon Trident 4
James Calado ART 1
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Sam Bird Succeeds The Pecking Order In Exciting Bahrain Sprint Race
Sam Bird has exceeded the pecking order in what was one of the closest finishes in the history of the category, as the Briton crossed the line side-by-side with the Carlin of Felipe Nasr. Stefano Coletti finished a distant 3rd, in what was a frenetic conclusion to the 23-lap race.
After yesterday’s feature race, French driver Tom Dillmann started the race from the reverse grid pole alongside the MP Motorsport of Adrian Quaife-Hobbs. At the start Dillmann defended the lead against the Briton, as further back carnage ensued as Alexander Rossi collided with Jolyon Palmer and Rio Haryanto collided with Marcus Ericsson. Towards the end of the opening lap, Sam Bird managed to storm into the lead after starting from 3rd on the grid. However, the Russian Time duo continued to battle for the lead through Turns 1 and 2, as they banged wheels before Bird stormed into a confident lead as Dillmann dropped down the order behind Stefano Coletti.
Despite starting from pole position, Tom Dillmann continued to plummet through the order as Felipe Nasr rose up to 3rd for Carlin. After requiring a new rear-wing after his opening lap collision with Rio Haryanto, Marcus Ericsson was eventually forced into retirement on Lap 7. This ended another frustrating race weekend for the Swedish driver, who is racing for reigning Constructors’ Champions DAMS.
As the race wore on, Sam Bird opened up a considerable gap to Stefano Coletti at the front. Further down the order, a magnificent battle broke out between Simon Trummer, Sergio Canamasas and Jake Rosenzweig for 13th. Behind this trio, Robin Frijns fell through the order, as Stephane Richelmi, Mitch Evans and Julian Leal stormed around the Dutchman. Robin Frijns eventually finished 23rd after a tough debut in the Series for Hilmer Motorsport.
After taking a dominant victory in the feature race, Swiss ace Fabio Leimer struggled to repeat such successes during the sprint race. The Racing Engineering driver started the race from 8th, rose up to 6th during the opening laps before dropping back down the order to 9th towards the end of the race. Whilst Leimer struggled with his tyres, another close battle broke out for 5th between Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Jolyon Palmer, James Calado and Daniel Abt.
However, as the final laps ticked away Sam Bird’s lead at the front began to wane as both Stefano Coletti and Felipe Nasr closed down upon the Briton. At the final corner, Coletti ran extensively wide and allowed Felipe Nasr to rise up to 2nd position. This created one of the most enthralling final laps in the history of GP2, as Felipe Nasr closed the gap between himself and Sam Bird. Amazingly, the 26-year-old held on for an impressive race victory, only a mere +0.080 seconds ahead of the charging Felipe Nasr.
With Stefano Coletti recording another competitive result during this weekend’s Bahrain feature and sprint races, the Monegasque driver has now opened up a ten point lead in the Drivers’ Championship ahead of Fabio Leimer. The GP2 Series will reconvene in three weeks time around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, for the third round of what has already been a thrilling 2013 season.
Results - 23 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Sam Bird Russian Time 41m08.133s
2. Felipe Nasr Carlin + 0.080s
3. Stefano Coletti Rapax + 4.206s
4. Tom Dillmann Russian Time + 10.328s
5. James Calado ART + 19.713s
6. Jolyon Palmer Carlin + 21.773s
7. Daniel Abt ART + 24.108s
8. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP + 27.722s
9. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering + 27.894s
10. Kevin Ceccon Trident + 27.997s
11. Sergio Canamasas Caterham + 28.601s
12. Johnny Cecotto Arden + 35.477s
13. Stephane Richelmi DAMS + 35.858s
14. Simon Trummer Rapax + 36.346s
15. Mitch Evans Arden + 36.950s
16. Julian Leal Racing Engineering + 37.671s
17. Kevin Giovesi Lazarus + 41.248s
18. Daniel de Jong MP + 44.757s
19. Jake Rosenzweig Addax + 47.006s
20. Alexander Rossi Caterham + 52.044s
21. Paul Varhaug Hilmer + 54.740s
22. Nathanael Berthon Trident + 55.332s
23. Robin Frijns Hilmer + 1m02.964s
24. Ryo Haryanto Addax + 1m17.388s
25. Rene Binder Lazarus + 1 lap
Retirements:
Marcus Ericsson DAMS 5 laps
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Fabio Leimer Storms To GP2 Feature Race Victory At Malaysia
Fabio Leimer has started the new GP2 season in sensational fashion, after the Swiss driver stormed to victory in a frenetic feature race around the Sepang International Circuit. The Racing Engineering driver finished ahead of James Calado, with poleman Stefano Coletti a distant 3rd.
At the start Fabio Leimer enjoyed a tremendous getaway off of the line, scything his way through the pack from 4th to 2nd as Stefano Coletti remained in the lead. Reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans rose to 3rd, as James Calado and Felipe Nasr almost collected each other through Turn 4. Further down the order the usual mayhem ensued as the field jostled for position, however Championship favorite Marcus Ericsson prematurely ended his race whilst negotiating Turn 9 as he collided with the rear of Jolyon Palmer and was launched into retirement.
Indonesian ace Rio Haryanto was forced to pit after the opening lap of the race after sustaining damage and a puncture, as Mitch Evans began to fall back through the order from 3rd to 5th. The Caterham of Sergio Canamasas collided with the rear of Sam Bird through Turn 15, which saw the Spaniard half-spin onto the grass yet continue racing. Newcomers MP Motorsport suffered an embarrassing end to their debut race, as Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Daniel de Jong collided whilst negotiating Turn 15 and were forced into retirement.
By Lap 7 the tyres had already begun to seriously degrade, forcing race leader Stefano Coletti into the pits for his one and only stop. This handed the lead down to Fabio Leimer, as Kevin Ceccon frustratingly stalled in the pits during his stop. Series rookie Daniel Abt spun into retirement on Lap 10 at Turns 12 and 13, leaving only James Calado as the sole remaining ART Grand Prix driver in the race. Whilst the marshals retrieved the stricken ART Grand Prix machine, race leader Fabio Leimer pitted along with James Calado in 2nd position.
This saw Sam Bird take the lead of the race for newcomers Russian Time, as Fabio Leimer exited the pit-lane behind Stefano Coletti. Sam Bird’s return to the Series was struck an almighty blow on Lap 12, as the Briton was issued with a drive-thru penalty for overtaking under yellow flag conditions along with several other drivers including team-mate Tom Dillmann. This handed the lead over to Jolyon Palmer, who was ahead of Nathaniel Berthon with Stefano Coletti and Fabio Leimer a distant 3rd and 4th despite being theoretically regarded as the leading duo.
After eventually pitting from 2nd position, Nathaniel Berton was forced into a frustrating retirement after his car was struck with a mechanical issue. When Jolyon Palmer also pitted from the lead, Stefano Coletti resumed the lead ahead of Fabio Leimer and James Calado. Further back utter mayhem was ensuing for the reverse grid pole, as Mitch Evans and Stephane Richelmi fought relentlessly around Turn 1 whereas Sam Bird simply stormed around the battling duo.
Whilst the battle continued for the reverse grid pole, Fabio Leimer finally managed to storm into the lead, after mastering a superlative overtaking maneuver around the outside of Stefano Coletti at Turn 5. The Monegasque driver continued to fall back, as James Calado rose up to 2nd position after an equally stunning maneuver into Turn 1. As Stefano Coletti continued to struggle for grip with his fading tyres, Fabio Leimer crossed the line to secure the first win of the new season, and the third of his GP2 career.
Further back the DAMS of Stephane Richelmi secured the reverse grid pole for Sunday’s sprint race, whereas Arden International rookie Mitch Evans managed to secure a point on his debut with 10th position. The opening GP2 race of the season was another enthralling event, and shows that the 2013 season is set to be yet another close and intriguing season of racing.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
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