Palmer heads a Carlin 1-2 after thrilling GP2 feature race at Singapore
Jolyon Palmer has continued his dominance around the streets of Singapore, after storming to a sensational victory during the GP2 feature race ahead of team-mate Felipe Nasr, despite enduring a torrid start off of the line. The Carlin duo were followed by the ART Grand Prix of James Calado, who just managed to remain ahead of Stephane Richelmi.
At the start poleman Jolyon Palmer endured a slow getaway off of the line, as team-mate Felipe Nasr and Championship leader Fabio Leimer stormed around the Briton on the run down to Turns 1 and 2. Despite the tight and twisty confines of the Marina Bay Street Circuit the 26-car field negotiated the opening lap without major incident, as various drivers jostled for position. After his poor start Palmer found himself down in 4th, however the Carlin driver soon managed to begin his resurgence with a passing maneuver around James Calado for 3rd.
Whilst Fabio Leimer set his sights on race leader Felipe Nasr, fellow Championship rival Sam Bird found himself way down in 13th position after starting only 10th. After the opening lap of the race, Felipe Nasr managed to open up a strong lead ahead of Fabio Leimer and team-mate Jolyon Palmer which consisted of a continuous string of fastest laps at the front. Despite the Brazilian ace’s strong pace at the front, Jolyon Palmer was soon up to 2nd position after overtaking Fabio Leimer, with his sights firmly set on catching his Carlin team-mate.
As the 22-year-old Briton began producing fastest laps of the race, fellow countryman and Championship contender Sam Bird gradually started his rise through the order after an overtaking maneuver on the Caterham of Sergio Canamasas and then Stefano Coletti soon afterwards at Turn 7. As soon as the pit-stop window opened on Lap 6, many drivers immediately stormed into the pits to switch from the super-soft to the soft tyre compound, including Stefano Coletti, Sergio Canamasas, Julian Leal, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Rio Haryanto and Nathaniel Berthon.
A lap later further drivers elected to pit, including Fabio Leimer and Stephane Richelmi. Marcus Ericsson, Dani Clos and Sam Bird pitted on Lap 8, with the latter struggling with a slow rear-right tyre change which only added to his miserable feature race. Julian Leal and Nathaniel Berthon became the first retirements of the race on Lap 8, as the duo collided on the run down to Turn 13. Berthon failed to offer the Columbian sufficient room on the inside of the hairpin, which resulted in their race-ending collision.
Whilst the Singapore marshals immediately began clearing away the stricken Racing Engineering and Trident Racing machines, race leader Felipe Nasr pitted for Carlin along with James Calado and Alexander Rossi. This allowed Jolyon Palmer to assume the lead of the race, as Nasr endured a frustratingly slow stop due to a delay on the rear-left tyre. As Jolyon Palmer opened up a considerable lead at the front, Vittorio Ghirelli became the next retirement after returning to the pits. On Lap 11 Jolyon Palmer finally pitted from the lead of the race, changing only his rear tyres in a slick pit-stop from the Carlin mechanics as Tom Dillmann took the lead of the race for Russian Time. The Frenchman had yet to pit for fresh tyres, and was therefore an easy target for Felipe Nasr who quickly retook the lead at Turn 7.
As Felipe Nasr strove to open up yet another gap at the front, Tom Dillmann eventually made his mandatory pit-stop on Lap 15 and therefore released the now hard-charging Jolyon Palmer into 2nd position. Further down the order Johnny Cecotto was once again at the centre of attention, with the Venezuelan driver proving a to be a tricky target to overtake. Eventually James Calado managed to do so, however his German team-mate Daniel Abt struggled and lost part of his front-wing during the nail-biting process. Eventually both Daniel Abt and Fabio Leimer managed to muscle their way around Johnny Cecotto, although the Championship leader in particular had already lost valuable time to James Calado in 3rd.
After enduring a tough start to the race, Jolyon Palmer’s true pace became apparent as the Briton began reeling in team-mate and race leader Felipe Nasr at a phenomenal rate, over a second faster than the Brazilian. Under the pressure of his charging team-mate, Felipe Nasr began making several errors under braking around the circuit, only allowing Jolyon Palmer the luxury of closing the gap even more. Whilst the Carlin duo became locked in a grueling battle for the lead of the race, Alexander Rossi’s feature race drew to a miserable conclusion as the American star ran straight on at Turn 18. Although the Caterham driver was able to continue circulating he soon returned to the pits, and eventually into retirement.
On Lap 24 Jolyon Palmer finally mastered an overtaking maneuver on Felipe Nasr for the lead of the feature race at Turn 7, as the 21-year-old Brazilian suffered a massive lock-up in his desperate attempt at keeping his team-mate at bay. As the last laps ticked away, Felipe Nasr’s front-right tyre continued to prove troublesome, as Jolyon Palmer simply scampered into the distance. Further down the order Sam Bird managed to produce an important overtaking maneuver on Dani Clos for 8th and the reverse grid pole for Sunday’s sprint race, as James Calado, Fabio Leimer and Stephane Richelmi all battled for the final podium position.
Eventually it was ART Grand Prix’s James Calado who joined the Carlin duo on the podium as the checkered flag was unfurled, with Jolyon Palmer victorious 13 seconds ahead of Felipe Nasr. Despite only finishing 4th, Fabio Leimer has managed to extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship, with only three races remaining in what has become a highly unpredictable GP2 season.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Jolyon Palmer wins nail-biting Hungarian Grand Prix feature race
Jolyon Palmer has stormed to a sensational victory after a nail-biting GP2 feature race around Budapest’s Hungaroring, with the Briton being followed home by the DAMS of Marcus Ericsson and Carlin team-mate of Felipe Nasr. The race was relatively incident-free, with frenetic track action from the moment the five red lights went out.
Initially the start of the race was aborted, after Ricardo Teixeira stalled on the formation lap. This saw the field complete yet another formation lap, as the MP Motorsport duo of Daniel de Jong and Dani Clos both stalled and were forced to start from the pit-lane along with Ricardo Teixeira. Eventually the race got underway, with pole-man Tom Dillmann suffering from an abysmal getaway. This enabled Felipe Nasr to storm into the lead, with Fabio Leimer 2nd in the Racing Engineering machine.
By the end of the opening lap Tom Dillmann found himself way down in 6th position and battling with team-mate Sam Bird, whereas further down the order Rene Binder also stalled on the grid but eventually managed to get restarted. In traditional GP2 fashion utter mayhem ensued throughout the order during the opening lap, with Jon Lancaster and Daniel Abt coming together as Julian Leal lost his front-wing the ensuring carnage. Stefano Coletti was one of the many drivers who returned to the pits after the opening lap to fix damage sustained during the frenetic opening lap.
At Turn 1, Marcus Ericsson stormed up the inside of Jolyon Palmer for 3rd position, with the Swede’s team-mate Stephane Richelmi also eager to make a move. Already Felipe Nasr had opened up a two second lead, as Tom Dillmann became one of the first drivers to make a scheduled pit-stop along with James Calado, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Sergio Canamasas. Marcus Ericsson pitted a lap later along with Alexander Rossi, Sam Bird and Nathaniel Berthon. After making their mandatory pit-stops, James Calado managed to barge his way around Alexander Rossi for 18th after a superb overtaking maneuver.
On Lap 9, Felipe Nasr and Fabio Leimer pitted from the lead of the race, handing the lead down to Jolyon Palmer. As Nasr and Leimer exited the pit-lane, Marcus Ericsson wasted no time in overtaking the duo to rise up to 2nd position, with an excellent maneuver at Turn 2 on Felipe Nasr. Further down the order Jon Lancaster and Sergio Canamasas collide at Turn 12, with both suffering damage which ultimately saw the Caterham driver forced into retirement.
By Lap 17, Jolyon Palmer carried out his mandatory pit-stop. The Carlin mechanics mastered a sensationally quick stop, however Marcus Ericsson still managed to overtake the Briton upon exiting the pit-lane as Johnny Cecotto assumed the lead of the race for Arden International. The Venezuelan driver’s lead was short-lived, as team-mate Mitch Evans soon overtook him at Turn 1. On Lap 19 Jolyon Palmer momentarily overtook Marcus Ericsson around the outside of Turn 2, however the Carlin driver ran extensively wide at Turn 3 and therefore lost his position.
Johnny Cecotto eventually pitted on Lap 20, leaving only Vittorio Ghirelli, Simon Trummer and Mitch Evans out in front without making their mandatory pit-stops. Once again Jolyon Palmer lunged up the inside of Marcus Ericsson, failing to make the move stick after out-braking himself and running wide. The Briton continued to struggle to make the move stick at Turn 1 for several laps, as Ghirelli pitted from 3rd. Simon Trummer assumed the lead of the race a lap later when Mitch Evans pitted, before Jolyon Palmer finally perfected an overtaking maneuver on Marcus Ericsson for 2nd.
Further down the order utter mayhem continued, as Johnny Cecotto slammed into the rear of Tom Dillmann as the Frenchman slowed whilst battling for position. This saw Dillmann plummet through the order, as Cecotto continued to circulate despite a ruined front-wing. This eventually saw the Venezuelan driver struck with a black and orange flag, forcing him to pit for a new nose before being issued with a drive-thru penalty for causing the collision. Meanwhile Simon Trummer finally became the last driver to complete his mandatory pit-stop, allowing Jolyon Palmer to assume a well deserved lead in his Carlin.
After a lengthy battle for position with Jolyon Palmer, Marcus Ericsson now became locked in a grueling battle for 2nd with the other Carlin of Felipe Nasr. The duo banged wheels into Turn 13, before Johnny Cecotto threw the spanner in the works by un-lapping himself on Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson and completely diluting a sensational battle for position. Amid all of the confusion up and down the order, Jake Rosenzweig and Daniel Abt had retired during the closing stages of the race, as Jolyon Palmer secured his second victory in the GP2 Series ahead of Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr. Championship leader Stefano Coletti could only manage 16th, after a tough feature race.
Frenchman Nathaniel Berthon managed to secure the reverse grid pole for Trident Racing, and will start alongside reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans in what will surely be a terrific sprint race tomorrow morning.
Results - 36 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Jolyon Palmer Carlin 57m14.477s
2. Marcus Ericsson DAMS +15.407s
3. Felipe Nasr Carlin +15.794s
4. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering +19.433s
5. Stephane Richelmi DAMS +19.740s
6. Simon Trummer Rapax +21.499s
7. Mitch Evans Arden +22.584s
8. Nathanel Berthon Trident +36.439s
9. James Calado ART +38.203s
10. Sam Bird Russian Time +44.671s
11. Rio Haryanto Addax +51.951s
12. Daniel de Jong MP +52.520s
13. Alexander Rossi Caterham +54.815s
14. Dani Clos MP +55.990s
15. Julian Leal Racing Engineering +56.302s
16. Stefano Coletti Rapax +57.202s
17. Vittorio Ghirelli Lazarus +58.621s
18. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Hilmer +1m05.995s
19. Ricardo Teixeira Trident +1m16.133s
20. Tom Dillmann Russian Time +1m33.788s
21. Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden +1 lap
22. Rene Binder Lazarus +1 lap
23. Jon Lancaster Hilmer +1 lap
Retirements:
Daniel Abt ART 34 laps
Jake Rosenzweig Addax 32 laps
Sergio Canamasas Caterham 17 laps
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Stefano Coletti Dominates GP2 Sprint Race At Spain
Stefano Coletti has increased his lead in the Championship standings after utterly dominating the GP2 sprint race around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, finishing ahead of feature race winner Robin Frijns with the Carlin of Felipe Nasr a distant 3rd. During the closing stages of the race, Johnny Cecotto jr. once again displayed questionable driving.
At the start Tom Dillmann stalled on the grid, however everyone luckily managed to avoid his stricken Russian Time machine on their run down to the opening two corners. Despite securing the reverse grid pole, Kevin Ceccon dropped through the order as Stefano Coletti scythed through from 4th on the grid into the lead by Turn 1. Further back feature race winner Robin Frijns enjoyed an equally competitive start, rising from 8th to 2nd by the end of the opening lap for Hilmer Motorsport.
After a strong display of driving during the feature race, Felipe Nasr also enjoyed a competitive start for Carlin. After starting from 7th position, the Brazilian ace rose steadily up to 3rd by the end of the opening lap. Despite stalling at the start, Tom Dillmann managed to restart his car and continue racing at the back of the pack, albeit on extremely worn tyres. By Lap 8, Stefano Coletti had opened up a four second lead to Robin Frijns, in what was quickly becoming another of his scintillating drives at the front.
On Lap 13, Tom Dillmann opted to pit for a fresh set of soft tyres after initially starting the race on a set of worn hard tyres. This gamble failed to pay off for the Frenchman, when he stalled on the grid. However, his sudden switch from the hard to the soft tyre enabled him to set the fastest lap of the race with a 01:33.337 a lap later. Jake Rosenzweig collided with the Venezuelan GP Lazarus of Rene Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 17, which tipped Binder into a spin and saw Rosenzweig issued with a drive-thru penalty.
After many laps struggling to find a way to overtake Johnny Cecotto jr., Jolyon Palmer finally managed to make a move stick on Lap 20. In his urgency to retain his position, the Arden International driver lightly damaged his front wing and began to fall into the clutches of the likes of Alexander Rossi, Sergio Canamasas and Rio Haryanto. As Alexander Rossi tried to make an overtaking maneuver on Johnny Cecotto jr., the duo both out-broke themselves and ran wide at Turn 1, enabling both Sergio Canamasas, Rio Haryanto and Daniel Abt to close the gap through Turns 2 and 3.
Alexander Rossi suffered a tough end to his race, as he dropped from 6th to 8th in the ensuing battle for position. On the final lap, Johnny Cecotto jr. caused absolute carnage into Turns 13 and 14 as the Venezuelan driver barged across into the side of Sergio Canamasas to defend his position through Turn 13. This then saw the field bunch up through Turns 14 and 15, with many cutting the corner to avoid collision. Unfortunately Sergio Canamasas and Rio Haryanto weren’t so lucky, as the Indonesian driver slammed into the rear of the Spaniard and destroyed his rear-wing.
Whilst the midfield endured a scrappy end to the sprint race, with Julian Leal spinning at Turn 10 and Fabio Leimer banging wheels with Jon Lancaster, Stefano Coletti cruised to his second win of the season for Rapax. The Monegasque ace was followed home by feature race winner Robin Frijns, with Felipe Nasr 3rd for Carlin. Stefano Coletti now heads to his home race around the streets of Monte-Carlo leading the Championship, and naturally striving for victory around the Principality.
Results - 26 laps: Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Stefano Coletti Rapax 41m49.895s 2. Robin Frijns Hilmer + 0.691s 3. Felipe Nasr Carlin + 7.212s 4. Jolyon Palmer Carlin + 12.129s 5. Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden + 35.593s 6. Alexander Rossi Caterham + 36.991s 7. Kevin Ceccon Trident + 38.483s 8. Daniel Abt ART + 39.645s 9. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering + 40.664s 10. Jon Lancaster Hilmer + 41.353s 11. James Calado ART + 41.464s 12. Sam Bird Russian Time + 41.876s 13. Mitch Evans Arden + 42.520s 14. Sergio Canamasas Caterham + 44.190s 15. Stephane Richelmi DAMS + 44.277s 16. Simon Trummer Rapax + 44.487s 17. Kevin Giovesi Lazarus + 44.628s 18. Daniel de Jong MP + 45.041s 19. Rene Binder Lazarus + 48.132s 20. Marcus Ericsson DAMS + 53.650s 21. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP + 53.938s 22. Jake Rosenzweig Addax + 1m02.518s 23. Nathanael Berthon Trident + 1m06.632s 24. Rio Haryanto Addax + 1m25.590s 25. Julian Leal Racing Engineering + 1 lap 26. Tom Dillmann Russian Time + 1 lap
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
Marcus Ericsson Leads A DAMS Front-Row Lock-Out At Spain
Swedish ace Marcus Ericsson has stormed to his maiden GP2 pole around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya for tomorrow’s sprint race, leading a DAMS front-row lock-out alongside team-mate Stephane Richelmi. The second row will consist of the Carlin of Felipe Nasr and Russian Time of Sam Bird, with Stefano Coletti 5th.
Despite dark clouds looming overhead as the qualifying session got underway, the session miraculously remained dry allowing the 26-car field to opt for Pirelli’s slick tyres. Championship leader Stefano Coletti set the first timed lap of the day with a 01:29.426 early on for Rapax, before the ART Grand Prix of James Calado set a lap a tenth quicker to dispose of the Monegasque driver. However, Marcus Ericsson was quick to assert his authority over proceedings with a 01:29.095, which remained unbeaten for the majority of the session.
Despite the majority of the field returning to the pits for a fresh set of tyres, Marcus Ericsson’s time at the top still remained unbeaten until the final minutes when his team-mate Stephane Richelmi rose to the top with a 01:28.871. However, the 23-year-old’s reign of proceedings was short-lived when Marcus Ericsson denied his team-mate pole position with a blistering 01:28.706 to secure his maiden pole position of his GP2 career.
After an uncompetitive start to the new season for Marcus Ericsson, the 22-year-old Swede will naturally be eager to kick-start his season with a victory during tomorrow’s feature race. However, it’s undeniable that he will have strong competition from the likes of Stephane Richelmi, Felipe Nasr, Sam Bird and Stefano Coletti, all of whom are likely candidates for victory. Despite DAMS’s recent success in the GP2 Series, this is their first ever front-row lock-out, and they will understandably be hoping that one of their drivers can capitalize on such a competitive qualifying performance.
Picture Copyright © Malcolm Griffiths/GP2 Series Media Service
Felipe Nasr Fastest After GP2 Practice At Spain
Felipe Nasr has ended practice for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix fastest in the GP2 Series, after the one and only session in preparation for the weekend ahead. The Brazilian driver was followed home by the ART Grand Prix of James Calado, with Arden International’s Johnny Cecotto jr. a close 3rd.
After the damp conditions experienced during the opening practice session for Formula 1 earlier in the morning, the GP2 practice got underway on a dry track under clear skies around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Only one driver change occurred throughout the lengthy three week gap from Bahrain, with Jon Lancaster returning to the Series at Hilmer Motorsport in place of Norway’s Pal Varhaug. Sergio Canamasas quickly led out a long queue of awaiting drivers once the session began, with the local driver eventually setting the first timed lap of the day with a 01:44.963.
The Carlin of Felipe Nasr was quick to dispose of the Spaniard’s benchmark, as the GP2 field gradually took to the Circuit de Catalunya to complete their first laps of the weekend. Daniel de Jong’s session was brought to a premature conclusion early on, as the Dutch driver was forced to stop at the side of the track at Turn 7 after a mechanical issue struck his MP Motorsport machine. Fellow countryman Robin Frijns flew to the top of the timing sheets as the session progressed for Hilmer Motorsport, with the 21-year-old setting a 01:31.010 at the sharp end of the order.
However, Felipe Nasr silenced the opposition with a 01:30.103, a time which remained unbeaten as the session continued. The Brazilian driver has yet to secure a victory in the GP2 Series, and looks incredibly competitive this season with Carlin. Many drivers were prevented from improving greatly during the session, as Swiss driver Simon Trummer spun on the exit of Turn 12 and clattered into the advertising boards lining the circuit. As the marshals cleared his stricken machine, double-waved yellows prevented anyone from improving their times.
Eventually the checkered flag was flown to signal the end of the practice session, with Felipe Nasr finishing commandingly at the front ahead of James Calado and Johnny Cecotto jr. Championship leader Stefano Coletti finished in 6th, as he aims to strengthen his lead in the Championship this weekend. The GP2 fraternity will return to the circuit later in the day, for the all-important qualifying session for tomorrow’s feature race.
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 Secures Commanding GP2 Bahrain Pole
Fabio Leimer has obliterated the opposition on his way to pole position for the GP2 Bahrain feature race, in a qualifying session which saw the Swiss driver utterly out-shine the entire GP2 field. The Racing Engineering driver will start tomorrow’s race alongside the DAMS of Marcus Ericsson, with a second row consisting of Felipe Nasr and Stefano Coletti.
The qualifying session began in exactly the same way as the morning’s practice session, with Simon Trummer leading out a long queue of awaiting drivers all eager to battle for pole position. The Rapax driver set the initial benchmark at the front with a 01:40.892, before his Italian team-mate of Stefano Coletti bettered his time with a 01:40.841. The benchmark at the front continued to improve, as Series rookie Alexander Rossi and then Marcus Ericsson rose to the top with the latter setting a 01:40.420.
After absolutely dominating the practice session earlier in the day, it was no surprise when the Racing Engineering of Fabio Leimer once again out-shined the opposition with a 01:40.044. The track action around the Bahrain International Circuit quietened down after the initial running from the field, as many of the drivers returned to the pits for new tyres. Simon Trummer tried desperately hard to improve upon his time, however the 23-year-old ran extensively wide through the final corner and skipped through the gravel trap. Luckily he managed to avoid the retaining tyre barrier and continue circulating, however his timed lap was utterly destroyed.
Reigning GP3 Series Champion Mitch Evans saw his qualifying session brought to a premature conclusion, as the Arden International driver ground to a halt with a suspected gearbox issue plaguing his machine. Whilst many drivers continued to circulate the circuit in a bid to improve upon their times, Fabio Leimer absolutely destroyed the opposition with one of the most dominant laps in the history of the Series with a 01:39.427. This time obliterated the previous GP2 lap record set by Luca Filippi in 2007, and secured Fabio Leimer his second pole position in GP2.
James Calado will incur a ten-place grid penalty for tomorrow’s feature race, after the Briton’s collision at the start of the Malaysian Grand Prix sprint race last time out. This will see the ART Grand Prix driver start the feature race from 21st position, in what has all of the ingredients to be another thrilling spectacle in the Bahraini desert. However, should Fabio Leimer display further uncatchable pace at the front, he will be but a speck in the distance to the remainder of the GP2 grid.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 1m41.361s 2. Sam Bird Russian Time 1m42.421s + 1.060s 3. Stefano Coletti Rapax 1m42.628s + 1.267s 4. Alexander Rossi Caterham 1m42.636s + 1.275s 5. Marcus Ericsson DAMS 1m42.666s + 1.305s 6. Felipe Nasr Carlin 1m42.687s + 1.326s 7. James Calado ART 1m42.718s + 1.357s 8. Tom Dillmann Russian Time 1m42.734s + 1.373s 9. Johnny Cecotto Arden 1m42.803s + 1.442s 10. Daniel Abt ART 1m42.943s + 1.582s 11. Stephane Richelmi DAMS 1m43.035s + 1.674s 12. Simon Trummer Rapax 1m43.054s + 1.693s 13. Mitch Evans Arden 1m43.063s + 1.702s 14. Sergio Canamasas Caterham 1m43.092s + 1.731s 15. Julian Leal Racing Engineering 1m43.156s + 1.795s 16. Jolyon Palmer Carlin 1m43.188s + 1.827s 17. Kevin Ceccon Trident 1m43.271s + 1.910s 18. Kevin Giovesi Lazarus 1m43.280s + 1.919s 19. Jake Rosenzweig Addax 1m43.310s + 1.949s 20. Rio Haryanto Addax 1m43.356s + 1.995s 21. Rene Binder Lazarus 1m43.620s + 2.259s 22. Nathanael Berthon Trident 1m43.670s + 2.309s 23. Robin Frijns Hilmer 1m43.875s + 2.514s 24. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP 1m44.002s + 2.641s 25. Daniel de Jong MP 1m44.200s + 2.839s 26. Pal Varhaug Hilmer 1m44.915s + 3.554s
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Stefano Coletti Holds Off Felipe Nasr To Secure Sprint Race Victory At Malaysia
Stefano Coletti held off the charging Carlin of Felipe Nasr to secure a sensational sprint race victory at Malaysia, after the Monegasque driver stormed through from 7th to dominate the thrilling 22-lap event. Reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans managed to finish an excellent 3rd, ahead of poleman Stephane Richelmi in 4th.
Prior to the start of the sprint race it was officially confirmed that Caterham’s Ma Qing Hua would not participate in the race after suffering from gastroenteritis throughout the weekend. This therefore only saw 25 cars take to the grid, however only 24 lined up after the formation lap after Jolyon Palmer stalled on the grid and was forced to start from the pits. At the start, Stefano Coletti enjoyed a sensational getaway and stormed into the lead around the outside of Stephane Richelmi at Turn 2. Further back down the order Kevin Ceccon stalled on the grid, however the Italian driver was able to return to the track a lap down a little later.
As the pack jostled for position on the run down to Turn 4, James Calado struck the rear of Fabio Leimer’s car, thus damaging his front wing. The Briton then ran straight across the grass and T-boned Leimer’s Racing Engineering team-mate of Julian Leal and the Russian Time of Sam Bird. Naturally all three cars were forced into retirement, with Sam Bird eventually coming to a frustrating halt towards the end of the opening lap.
For the majority of the early stages of the race, Stefano Coletti controlled proceedings at the front roughly two seconds ahead of Felipe Nasr in the Carlin with Stephane Richelmi in 3rd. As the race began to draw to a conclusion, Pirelli’s tyres began to fade on all of the cars, therefore creating the usual excitement throughout the final laps. Nathaniel Berthon was forced to pit on Lap 14 due to extreme wear on his tyres, however the Frenchman then proceeded to set the fastest lap of the race on his new set of tyres. Further up the order saw Stephane Richelmi heavily out-brake himself into Turn 15, allowing Mitch Evans storm up the inside and into 3rd position.
After storming to a sensational victory during the feature race, Fabio Leimer’s sprint race went from bad to worse on Lap 17 when Swiss driver ran extensively wide at Turn 11. This saw him return back onto the track right into a battle between Jolyon Palmer and Tom Dillmann. As the trio jostled for position throughout the remainder of the lap, Marcus Ericsson, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Sergio Canamasas all fought relentlessly behind them as the laps continued to tick away.
As the leading duo began Lap 19, Felipe Nasr gradually began to reel in Stefano Coletti, despite the Monegasque ace having led the entire race. Further behind the leading duo, Fabio Leimer and Tom Dillmann made minor contact through Turn 2, as they continued to jostle for 11th position. Despite his late surge for the lead, Felipe Nasr was unable to catch and overtake Stefano Coletti for the lead, as the Rapax driver crossed the line to take his third race victory in GP2. Felipe Nasr was forced to settle for 2nd position, as Mitch Evans finished an amazing 3rd in only his second outing in the Series.
This victory for Stefano Coletti has seen him take the lead in the Drivers’ Championship, after a weekend a mature driving from the 23-year-old Rapax driver. The GP2 paddock will reconvene in several weeks time for the second round of the season at Sakhir for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Picture Copyright © Glenn Dunbar/GP2 Series Media Service
Stefano Coletti Secures GP2 Pole In Malaysia
Stefano Coletti has secured pole position for GP2’s Malaysian Grand Prix feature race, after an enthralling qualifying session around Kuala Lumpur’s Sepang International Circuit. The Monegasque driver finished only +0.004 seconds faster than James Calado, who will start alongside the Rapax driver for the race.
The 23-year-old driver led out a long queue of awaiting drivers once the qualifying session got underway, with the majority of the field understandably eager to take to the Sepang circuit. Påu Varhaug struggled to get underway in the pits, but finally managed to take to the track for Hilmer Motorsport. Stefano Coletti set the initial pace at the front of the order, with a 01:48.850 which the Monegasque driver was able to improve upon greatly with a 01:44.851. However, the time at the top of the timing sheets quickly began to tumble, as Marcus Ericsson and then Sam Bird rose to the top with the latter setting a 01:44.721.
Felipe Nasr managed to complete an impressive time to rise to the top for Carlin as the session progressed, as Julian Leal was lucky not to make contact with the retaining tyre barrier on the exit of Turn 15 after running wide. Nasr managed to improve at the top, before the Swiss ace of Fabio Leimer went fastest for Racing Engineering with a 01:44.463. As the session entered it’s closing stages, Stefano Coletti reasserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:44.280, only just ahead of Felipe Nasr who went 2nd fastest.
Whilst many drivers continued to battle for pole position for the feature race, the Arden International of Johnny Cecotto jr. carried out an utterly disgusting piece of driving against the Russian Time of Sam Bird. The Venezuelan driver simply barged into the side of the Briton, forcibly and knowingly doing so whilst looking directly at the 26-year-old. Sam Bird subsequently ran off the circuit, whilst utter disbelief spread throughout the GP2 fraternity at such tactics used by Johnny Cecotto jr.
As the checkered flag emerged signaling the end of the qualifying session, Stefano Coletti only just secured pole position by +0.004 seconds from James Calado who pipped Felipe Nasr for 2nd on the grid alongside the Monegasque driver. The second row of the grid consists of Felipe Nasr and Fabio Leimer, with a top 17 drivers all covered by only one second. This grid has all of the ingredients for what will surely be a thrilling opening feature race of the season, which takes place tomorrow morning prior to Formula 1’s final practice session.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
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