06/07/2008
NEWS STORY
iSport International - Bruno Senna (Winner) Karun Chandhok (DNF)
iSport racer Bruno Senna scored a textbook victory in this morning's rain-hit GP2 Series sprint at Silverstone. From third on the grid, the Brazilian worked his way into the lead on the opening lap as he adapted quickly to the treacherous conditions. He didn't put a foot wrong throughout the 24 laps, even when rain became torrential halfway through the race. He went on to take a comfortable win, his second of the campaign, and closed the gap to championship leader Giorgio Pantano, who finished third.
There was disappointment for Senna's team-mate Karun Chandhok. Sixth on the grid after his stellar run to third place yesterday, he spun off at Club Corner before the first lap was complete and was unable to restart.
Bruno Senna: "Conditions were obviously quite difficult, but from where I was sitting everything felt reasonably straightforward. Once I'd got into the lead I took things fairly easy, although I started to push harder when Lucas di Grassi closed in a little. I was able to pull away from him without any problem and after that I just settled into a rhythm - I know Silverstone very well and there was no point pushing too hard when I didn't have to.
"There were all sorts of incidents going on - blue flags, yellow flags and so on - but none of them caused me any real worries. The team had done such a good job setting up the car that I was able to put it almost anywhere I wanted on the circuit."
Karun Chandhok: "I'm beginning to hate Sundays - this is the fifth successive sprint race in which I've failed to score. There isn't much to say, really. I was following Pantano and trying to pick out where the track went, which was very difficult in the spray. The next thing I knew I was going backwards and the engine stalled. Visibility was awful and I must have caught an outside kerb with my left-rear wheel."
Trident Racing - Mike Conway (4th) Ho Pin Tung (21st)
The second race of the GP2 Series' British weekend at Sliverstone was much better than the first one for Trident Racing, as Mike Conway recovered up to 4th place and took some extremely valuable points. The Briton managed to fight back in the initial stages and ended up in a consistent fashion, repaying the team's hard work after a disappointing Race 1, and boosting the staff's confidence for the second half of the season. Chinese driver Ho Pin Tung once again had one of his trademark great starts, but was forced to retire early after ending up off-track.
Mike Conway: "I was really concerned in the closing stages when my engine gradually lost power: I rounded the last lap completely flat-out to prevent it from stalling. Today's start wasn't one of my best ones, but I passed a lot of cars in the initial laps, climbing up to 4th. I even caught Pantano and hoped for a mistake by him, but I didn't have a true chance to dive in and pass. In the end, fourth place is good for points, and for our standing position".
Ho Pin Tung: "I really had a good start, and climbed back to 8th place after moving on several cars. I made a mistake at the beginning, due to the wet track, but I was able to keep my engine on and continue. Unfortunately, another error brought me to stall and ended my day for good".
Graziano Michelacci, Engineer - Mike Conway: "We opted for a full-wet set-up, without compromises, and we had the same great feedback of Magny-Cours. Mike improved his position and lapped on some extremely fast lap-times. Once in the slipstream of Giorgio Pantano, he waited for a mistake by the Italian that eventually didn't come. In the final laps we were concerned with Mike's engine, but he managed to come to the flag".
Daniele Rossi, Engineer - Ho Pin Tung: "Today's race was disputed on extremely tough conditions. From a technical standpoint, our choices turned out to be really positive, as the circuit stayed wet all-day long. Ho Pin made a great start and kept a good pace in the initial laps, but was latter penalized by a driving mistake that ended his day. We're keeping concentrated for Hockenheim: Ho Pin has a good knowledge of the venue, and that might be a good advantage in qualifying".
Racing Engineering - Giorgio Pantano (3rd) Javier Villa (16th)
Giorgio Pantano is looking more and more like the number one candidate for the GP2 series title after scoring another podium finish in today‘s Silverstone Sprint Race. The Racing Engineering driver was third in a very difficult rain-hit race, while his team mate Javier Villa was one of the many victims of the bad conditions, having to withdrawn after spinning near the end.
As predicted by most weather forecasts, it was raining this morning at Silverstone and the Sprint Race started on a very damp track. The first lap clearly showed that the track conditions were very difficult so the key was not to make any mistakes. Giorgio Pantano was one of the drivers who best understood this, gaining no less than five positions in the first lap and he was already lying third first time over the start/finish line after starting 8th due to the GP2 reversed grid system and his Saturday victory.
Ahead of Giorgio, the Brazilians Bruno Senna and Lucas Di Grassi gained some advantage thanks to the mistakes of several drivers following them producing quite a big gap between the two leaders and the rest of the group. Over the next few laps, Pantano was trying to catch them up, being around three seconds behind and setting the best lap time during this part of the race. However after a slight off-road moment on lap seven, that saw the Racing Engineering driver running for several meters over the grass before coming back to the asphalt still in third place, Giorgio realised that the risk was too high and continued the race thinking more about the Championship than today's race. Additionally, as he was now being followed by Mike Conway a driver with a very good knowledge of Silverstone, keeping third place wasn't easy either, but Giorgio focused on staying in his podium position and gaining the important points associated with third place to keep his series leadership.
It was mission accomplished for the driver of the Spanish team as after a very steady drive to complete the 24 laps Giorgio finished 3rd, even coming close to catching the second placed Di Grassi after closing on him in the final laps to cross the finish line separated by just one and a half seconds from the Brazilian.
Javi's race wasn't so successful, starting in the middle of the group after yesterday's 13th position, the Spaniard barely had any chance to drive in clear traffic and visibility conditions to enable him to show his potential. After several laps behind Valles, eventually passing him on lap 12, Javi was then held up by Buurman for the ensuing laps, and, while trying to look for a gap to overtake him, he couldn't avoid a spin in the slow section of Silverstone, having to retire when he has running 11th.
With today's third place, Giorgio Pantano continues as the clear leader of the GP2 series, with an advantage of 11 points over Bruno Senna. Giorgio has scored more wins and podium finishes so far this season than any of his rivals, a good display of both his driving skills and the excellent preparation of the Racing Engineering cars that keep their enviable reliability record.
Alfonso de Orleans Borbón (team principal): "Another great result for Giorgio and the team. Everyone did a great job during the whole weekend. Conditions were not easy, but everyone was up to the task. Congratulations to the whole team."
Javier Villa: "It was a difficult race and I didn't feel confident during the race. It was very difficult for me as I haven't done many races in the wet in general. The first part of the race I lost a bit and towards the end I was a bit quicker, but I need more."
Giorgio Pantano: "Well, from 8th to 3rd was quite good for me under these conditions. I just decided to keep my place and not take a risk, especially during the last 10 laps when it started raining again. So I finished 3rd. I have to thank the entire team as we had a great weekend."
DAMS - Kamui Kobayashi (7th) Jérôme d'Ambrosio (12th)
DAMS came away empty handed from the second GP2 Series Championship race this weekend, a curtain raiser to the British F1 Grand Prix. The team's aim was to score points in the short race despite difficult weather conditions. The track was soaking wet at the start and unfortunately, like yesterday neither Kamui Kobayashi nor Jérôme d'Ambrosio was able to add to his tally.
Kamui made a magnificent comeback. The Japanese driver started from 25th place and by half distance he had fought his way up to 6th. Then with just a few hundred metes to go to the finish he was unable to avoid another spinning car and hit it. He tried to make it to the line on 3 wheels but was overtaken and saw the flag just outside the points in 7th position.
Jérôme was 9th on the grid and then an off sent him tumbling down the field. He then fought his way up from 17th to 12 place.
To sum up, DAMS did not score points this weekend despite its drivers being among the quickest. Its aim at Hockenheim in 2 weeks time will be to unlock its potential and fight among the front-runners.
Eric Boullier, team manager: "It's been a very trying weekend as we were among the quickest teams, but we were unable to turn this into points. Once again Kamui drove an exceptional race today and he failed to score due to circumstances completely beyond his control. There's not a lot to be said except that we'll now concentrate on Hockenheim, and try and put our recent setbacks behind us."
Kamui Kobayashi: "This weekend I could have been on the podium twice but due to electrical problems yesterday and a driver who harpooned me today I'll leave here empty handed. It's very frustrating but what can you do? I'm not the kind of guy who dwells on setbacks; I prefer to look ahead and really concentrate on throwing all my strength into the battle at Hockenheim."
Jérôme d'Ambrosio: "I made a good start and I reckoned I could score points. Unfortunately, I was hit on lap one and that spoiled all my chances. I did my best to bring the car home to the finish, but it was impossible to make up for lost time and score some points."
Super Nova Racing - Andy Soucek (DNF) Alvaro Parente (DNF)
Weather proved to be a crucial factor in the GP2 sprint race at Silverstone this morning. Heavy rain drenched the track and dampened any hope the Super Nova team had of scoring some precious championship points this weekend.
Poor visibility and slippery conditions forced a total of 11 cars off the track and out of the race, which sadly included the Super Nova pair. Alvaro Parente barely got off the grid before his path was blocked and his front wing got clipped, causing damage. He continued on, but exited onto the gravel avoiding another car as it spun ahead of him, where he got stuck & ending his race early.
Andy Soucek began confidently, making up seven positions from his 12th place grid position, within the first few laps. As the track began to dry, Andy settled into the race running 5th, behind Mike Conway (ART). As the heavens opened again, Andy fiercely defending his position from Vitaly Petrov (Barwa Intl Campos) but was forced wide onto the curb and lost control, slamming into the barriers, and sadly ending his race.
Team Principal David Sears "After a terrible race on Saturday Super Nova team had an atrocious race in the rain, with both cars crashing out. No points & no prizes. Alvaro Parente went out early in the race, & sadly Andy Soucek went off with a big accident while dicing with Petrov while he was in 5th place. The rain conditions were awful for everybody. Bruno Senna wins another race in convincing style, emulating his famous uncle in similar conditions."
Alvaro Parente: "What can I say. It's so disappointing, but before I knew it two cars spun in front of me and I had no where to go. The conditions were terrible today. It's a weekend to forget and look ahead towards Hockenheim."
Andy Soucek: "My start was ok and I passed a few and gained a few places as cars spun off. As the track dried the car felt really good, but as it began to rain down hard, it was just impossible to control. Petrov passed cleanly, but I was then forced onto the curb and just lost it. Looking a head to Hockenheim, I hope we can do much better there. I have never driven there before, but I intend to study the track hard."
DPR - Diego Nunes (DNF) Michael Herck (DNF)
David Price Racing were ready for the second day of racing in the GP2 Series fifth round at Silverstone in the UK this morning, but it was very difficult weather and track conditions that greeted the team, with heavy rain and a greasy track. It was to prove a short day for the team at their home event after both drivers were out of the race at the start. Unfortunately Michael Herck, set to race in only his fourth event of the Series, was unable to take the green flag after a small error on his out lap ended with a slide into the tyres at Copse. It was a first lap incident that ended Diego Nunes' day, with the Brazilian driver slipping into the gravel and unable to rejoin the race.
Today's dramas began before the grid had formed, with fifth placed driver, Sebastien Buemi being caught out by the slippery track. Unfortunately Herck was another to fall foul of the track conditions, with a spin at Copse ending with the young driver slewing into the tyres, damaging his car and ending his day before it had begun.
Nunes lined up on the grid in 17th place, and after showing strong pace yesterday was hoping to improve on his start position over the course of the race. However, it was a first lap incident which finished the day for DPR. Nunes made a good start, but a first corner incident among the spray and melee of cars ended with Nunes off track and into retirement.
David Price, Team Principal, reflected on the disappointing day, "What can I say? Thirteen cars didn't take the chequered flag today, but unfortunately two of them were ours. It does show just how treacherous it was for these young drivers. Michael's lack of experience with the car in this type of weather put him out, which was unfortunate, while Diego was unlucky to be out at the start. When we're starting so far back there's more likelihood of being caught up in first lap incidents as was proved today."