2012 GP2 Series

Pupik · Mar 24, 2012

The GP2 Thread!

2012 GP Schedule[/b]

23-25 March // Kuala Lumpur
20-22 April // Sakhir
26-28 April // Sakhir *
11-13 May // Barcelona
24-26 May // Monte Carlo
22-24 June // Valencia
06-08 July // Silverstone
20-22 July // Hockenheim
27-29 July // Budapest
31 Aug – 02 September // Spa-Francorchamps
07-09 September // Monza
21-23 September // Singapore

* Yes, they will have back-to-back rounds at Bahrain. The second one is a standalone event.

All cars are Dallara chassis with Mechachrome engines.

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

Never taken much interest in the past but after watching qualifying yesterday I'm looking forward to seeing race 1 in a couple of hours. Rooting for Gutierrez and Lancaster, since he's from my neck of the woods, Leeds.

prisonermonkeys · Mar 24, 2012

I think the expansion of the series to include flyaway rounds will ultimately prove to be a good thing, because it will separate GP2 from GP3 a little more. As drivers step up to GP2, they will need to learn circuits that they may not have otherwise raced on before.

However, at the moment it is a problem because it has driven up costs, which means more pay-drivers have entered the sport. As I detailed in the other thread, sometimes these drivers are a necessary evil, because it allows the team to enter a better driver in their second seat that they might not otherwise be able to take. However, the net result is that the talent pool is perhaps as shallow as it has ever been, and it doesn't help that Formula Renault 3.5 has some very promising drivers like Korjus and Magnussen racing this year.

I also think the series made a mistake in its expanded roster. The two races in Bahrain are obviously there to boost Bahrain's public image, but if Bahrain is cancelled this year, then it's going to be pretty embarrasing for all involved. Sepang was a good choice because it's a good circuit, and one that the series is already familiar with, having raced there in GP2. And I don't mind Singapore, but I think the organisers could have made a better choice. If it were down to me, then I probably would have expanded the calendar out to include Suzuka, Buddh, and the Circuit of the Americas.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

prisonermonkeys
I also think the series made a mistake in its expanded roster. The two races in Bahrain are obviously there to boost Bahrain's public image, but if Bahrain is cancelled this year, then it's going to be pretty embarrasing for all involved. Sepang was a good choice because it's a good circuit, and one that the series is already familiar with, having raced there in GP2. And I don't mind Singapore, but I think the organisers could have made a better choice. If it were down to me, then I probably would have expanded the calendar out to include Suzuka, Buddh, and the Circuit of the Americas.

If Bahrain is cancelled it will simply be terrible. I agree that it was a very poor choice and I don't really understand it, unless there was somehow some big money involved? Buddh would probably have been the best choice you mentioned if the intention was indeed to see greater publicity for the host, since Suzuka doesn't really need that at all and America is still likely not to do much with it.

Valsecchi on pole today.

prisonermonkeys · Mar 24, 2012

There was money involved in Bahrain. The Bahrain government wants the Grand Prix to go ahead because they want to show the world that life has returned to normal after the uprising last year. They paid to have GP2 come to to the country because it would continue to demonstrate the way the country is experiencing order, and also because the second event is one week after the first, so all the teams and drivers will stay in Bahrain.

As for Suzuka and Buddh, I suggested them as better events because they're real drivers' circuits. Suzuka is a firm favourite among drivers and fans - even if the racing is not as exciting as at circuits like Montreal - because the circuit itself is so good. As for Buddh, the drivers were raving about it last year, and while that might be easy to write off as publicocrap (they did the same about Abu Dhabi), they did seem to enjoy driving there. It's another circuit with plenty of undulation to it. And having a support bill like GP2 would clean up the off-line of the circuit. As for the Circuit of the Americas, they need all the supprot events they can get, though the November 18 date might be a little late in the year for GP2. It's also a circuit with undulation, and it's made up of bits and pieces of other circuits, so it should be pretty unique.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if GP2 visits Canada and New Jersey next year. North America isn't as far away from Europe as Asia is, so it's cheaper for the teams to go there. They're in the middle of the Formula 1 season, so the teams and drivers are not under as much pressure to turn themselves around from one season to the next. Canada has a reputation for producing good racing, and GP2 has proven that even circuits like Abu Dhabi can be good, so combining Canada with GP2 sounds like a good idea. And the New Jersey circuit has received a lot of positive reactions, and the circuit does have a supprot paddock built into it.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

New Jersey and Canada on the schedule would be fantastic.

Option tires for many teams at the start. Should be more interesting to have pit strategy be a bigger factor this year.

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

Never seen so many yellow flags being waved at the same time in my life, about 20 stewards all stood next to each other waving the cars round for another formation lap.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

Right

Valsecchi with a horrendous start, down to 4th from pole.

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

Gutierrez is on fire, 7 spots up in 2 laps. He got a flying start, probably would have got further up off the line if he hadn't been boxed in; I think it was one of the DAMS that held him up on the right side of the straight.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

Yeah, Gutierrez is tearing it up! He's on the primes too.

prisonermonkeys · Mar 24, 2012

Argh, the GP2 series website is broken. They've got some good pictures of the action from Sepang, but when you click on them, nothing happens.

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

prisonermonkeys
Argh, the GP2 series website is broken. They've got some good pictures of the action from Sepang, but when you click on them, nothing happens.

The live timing page is stuck on the qualifying results but according to their twitter they're working on fixing that. Do you get coverage of GP2 in Australia?

prisonermonkeys · Mar 24, 2012

TomMcD
Do you get coverage of GP2 in Australia?

Nope. I usually just find the highlights on YouTube.

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

prisonermonkeys
Nope. I usually just find the highlights on YouTube.

Ah I see, I tend to do that with the V8's and any NASCAR races that aren't being streamed. We've got quite lucky with the new Sky F1 channel in the UK, we get live coverage of F1, GP2, GP3 and now it seems IndyCar as well. It's well worth the extra money.

Only_in_f1 · Mar 24, 2012

Points if you can name the drivers Rodolfo Gonzalez DIDN'T hit.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

Gutierrez... good grief.

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

Bye Ya
Gutierrez... good grief.

It neatly displayed the gap in general driving skill and composure between these guys and the drivers in F1. I can almost guarantee you he locked up in T1 due to the fact he was flustered after he overcooked his pit entry.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

Razia... 9 seconds!

prisonermonkeys · Mar 24, 2012

Okay, guys, we don't really need a running commentary here. Especially comments like the above that are only meaningful to people actually watching the race.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

Agree that the above posts that consist of about 4 words are useless to anybody not watching live but the others regarding coverage and Gutierrez are just general discussion right?

Anyway, watching this wrap up and then going to bed. Can't wait till F1 gets back round to Europe, it means I won't have to stay up unbelievably late. 4am, pfft.

ROAD_DOGG33J · Mar 24, 2012

Is Kimi commentating for Sky?

cgr-10 · Mar 24, 2012

ROAD_DOGG33J
Is Kimi commentating for Sky?

On this race it was Will Buxton (as per usual) and Jerome d'Ambrosio as a guest. Don't know whether Jerome will join him again for race 2.

Bye Ya · Mar 24, 2012

Results - Malaysia - Race 1

1. Razia
2. Valsecchi
3. Chilton
4. Leimer
5. Coletti
6. Nasr
7. Gutierrez
8. Calado

Razia, Nasr and Gutierrez were standouts to me. Gutierrez had a fantastic race going until his mistake running off into the grass on pit entry. Nasr was very impressive in his debut scoring 6th place points. Unlucky for Cecotto leaving the pits with his right rear unbolted. Looking forward to seeing what Nasr can do from the front of the grid in race 2.

prisonermonkeys · Mar 25, 2012

James Calado wins the sprint race ahead of Gutierrez and Nasr. Feature race pole-sitter Valsecchi flipped after making contact with Marcus Ericsson.

Bye Ya · Mar 25, 2012

Valsecchi prone to terrible luck all weekend. Gutierrez looked strong in the opening race apart from the one critical error, and Nasr showed solidly once again. Congrats to Calado. Nice 1/2 for Lotus in the 2nd round.

GTPorsche · Mar 25, 2012

What's with mobile-chicanerelli? 30 years old and in GP2....

I guess Venezuelan sponsor money will get you any race seat you want no matter how off the pace you are. coughMilkaDunocough

Definitely not a shot at all Venezuelan drivers. Most of them prove they deserve to be where they are, even if they get a bit reckless at times.

Ardius · Mar 25, 2012

It says it all when highly-rated rookies come in and score podiums and a win straight off the bat while the experienced drivers in top teams struggle. Valsecchi has it all setup to dominate Grosjean style but has continued his generally un-impressive form.
Drivers like Palmer and Chilton I kind of expect to be fighting near the front now using their experience - so the odd success for them isn't particularly notable though both have improved somewhat.

If Calado and Nasr can learn quickly enough and continue to score podiums, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them fight for the title.

Valsecchi, Razia, Gutierrez, Ericsson, Van der Garde, Coletti and Leimer all should be somewhere near the front most of the time just on experience alone.

Pezzarinho17 · Mar 26, 2012

Seems very close, and very difficult to overtake. Any attempt at overtaking usually involved losing a position instead.

Razia seems like he has a calm head which will see him gain regular and decent point hauls. Valsecchi needs to make more consistent use of his speed.

F1 fan · Mar 26, 2012

GTPorsche
What's with mobile-chicanerelli? 30 years old and in GP2....

There are a few drivers who, arguably, shouldn't be there. The kind of driver who, despite having vast sponsorship, will never make it to F1. Serenelli may be one of those, however Cecotto is a better example of a talentless pay driver, IMHO.

2012 GP2 Series

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Thin Lizzy fan.

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