07/09/2008
NEWS STORY
DAMS - Jerome d'Ambrosio (2nd) Kamui Kobayashi (14th)
Today, the second race of the 9th round of the 2008 GP2 Series Championship, part of the Belgian F1 Grand Prix meeting, took place on the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes. After yesterday's frenetic event DAMS drivers Jerome d'Ambrosio and Kamui Kobayashi started from pole and 9th place on the grid. Once again the weather conditions were very changeable and all the cars started on slicks on a damp track.
Jerome made a perfect getaway and came out of the first corner in the lead. Despite the treacherous track and a safety car period the Belgian held on to his place until the final lap. Unfortunately, he was overtaken in the closing metres, and finished the race in 2nd place scoring 5 points that bring his total to 18. He is now 12th in the drivers. ratings.
Kamui got the best out of the race incidents to move up the time sheets and crossed the finishing line in 6th place. But a penalty imposed by the stewards after the race depr ived him of the final point.
Today, DAMS has moved up a place in the teams. classification to 8th with 27 points. The final round of the 2008 GP2 Series Championship will take place on the Monza circuit in Italy in a week's time.
Eric Boullier, team manager: We were very disappointed after Friday's qualifying but we've really made up for it. During yesterday's race Jerome's consistency and aggressiveness gave him a point and pole for today's event. He wasn't intimidated by the difficult weather conditions and his rostrum finish is thoroughly deserved. Kamui who made a good comeback was less lucky. We thought that he too would score some points today but a penalty decided otherwise. Our aim now is to prepare for the Monza event in the best possible manner and finish our season on a high note
Jerome d'Ambrosio: Two rostrum finishes in two races is an excellent result that is a big reward for the whole team and all the effort they've put in over the past few weeks. I'm happy to have shone in front of my home crowd, as it's a very special feeling. The conditions were difficult and the slightest error could have proved fatal. I'm satisfied not to have made any mistakes. In addition, I've scored points for the fourth time on the trot! Things are getting better and better after an unlucky and difficult start to the season, so I'm very optimistic about the final weekend of the championship.
Kamui Kobayashi: I got back up to sixth place and I thought I scored a point until I was called to see the stewards. I accept their decision but overall I'm disappointed with my weekend. I hope I'll be able to show our potential at Monza and finish the championship with a flourish.
Durango - Davide Valsecchi (6th) Alberto Valerio (21st)
After a night of hard work, the team has been able to give back a competitive car to Davide Valsecchi with which the driver from Eupilio, started from the back of race 2 grid, recovered seventeen position taking the flag at P6 and gaining a point morally worthy as a victory. Alberto Valerio, on the contrary, made a mistake during the sixth lap crashing into the barriers.
Ivone Pinton, Durango team principal, worked all night long with the mechanics and after the race commented: "Giving back to their driver a winning car our personnel performed an outstanding effort, demonstrating to be a team made of professionals but of real men too. Davide put on track his talent and his pride, the result is a sixth place which pays us back of yesterday disappointment and last night fatigue. Once more we demonstrated that our classification standing does not correspond to our real value. Let’s hope to take in Monza that satisfaction which has been slipping away from our hands during the whole championship".
iSport International - Karun Chandhok (7th) Bruno Senna (DNF)
Both iSport drivers were in the wars during the GP2 Series sprint at Spa. Karun Chandhok was barged off the track at La Source on lap one and spent the balance of the 18-lap race fighting his way through the field. His dogged efforts were rewarded with eighth place, but no points.
Team-mate Bruno Senna made good early progress on a track rendered slippery by a pre-race shower. From 11th on the grid, he had worked his way into a points-scoring position when rival Sébastien Buemi tipped the Brazilian into a spin at the final chicane. Senna was obliged to retire to the pits, but he remains in the thick of the GP2 title fight: there are 20 points at stake at Monza next weekend and Senna trails series leader Giorgio Pantano by 11.
Karun Chandhok: "My race was ruined at the first corner. The track was damp and I was taking things easily, trying to keep my nose clean, when Sakon Yamamoto banged into me and spun me around. After that I just put my head down and recovered as many places as I could. The fact I finished eighth underlined that I could have scored a really good result today. The car was great, but that doesn't help much when somebody shoves to the back of the field…"
Bruno Senna: "Conditions were very slippery at the start, so I just tried to be patient and took my opportunities as they came. After the restart I was following Buemi and Romain Grosjean very closely and they ran side by side through Blanchimont, which isn't really a passing place. They both lost momentum as a result and I was able to draft past Grosjean. Buemi then took the inside line to defend his position into the final chicane, but he subsequently moved across and I was already there…
"It was a disappointing way to end what had been a good race, but the title fight is still alive. I have quite a bit of ground to make up at Monza, but I was very quick when we tested in low-downforce configuration earlier this year and I'm confident we can end the year with a flourish."
Racing Engineering - Javier Villa (8th)
Following Giorgio Pantano's exclusion from today's Sprint Race following his accident with di Grassi in Saturday's Feature Race, Javier Villa drove the only Racing Engineering entry in today's event.
Shortly before the start of the race rain began to fall but it had stopped again as the cars lined up on the grid and, although the track was still very slippery in some areas, all the teams opted to use slick tyres. Javier was starting from 17th on the grid following the disqualification of Zuber from yesterday's results and the young Spaniard made a good start avoiding several cars that were slow away with too much wheelspin on the damp surface.
Over the opening laps Javier drove carefully as a number of cars ran wide and suffered brake-locking moments and by lap 3 he was in 15th place. Lap 5 saw Javier gain a place following a spin from Conway and on the same lap an accident to Valerio saw the deployment of the Safety Car and another accident, this time by Parente, as the Safety Car lined up the drivers saw the Racing Engineering car in its Repsol/Telefónica colours up to 12th.
As the Safety Car pulled into the pits two laps later both Filippi and Nunes, who were running just in front of Javier made contact as they accelerated on the damp track and the Racing Engineering driver, who was lucky to miss both cars, was now in 10th. Within another two laps Javier was up to 9th following Senna's retirement and he was now involved in a very close battle with Valsecchi and Chandhok.
Suddenly it began to rain again and Grosjean spun promoting Javier to 8th as he began to close on a big battle ahead between Buemi, Kobayashi and di Grassi. The track was getting more and more difficult with some areas such as La Source very wet but further round the track it was still relatively dry. Javier was finding it harder to keep up his pace as the conditions deteriorated and on lap 12 he lost a place to Valsecchi and two laps later he was down to 10th as Chandhok got past.
Over the remaining laps Javier concentrated on not making a mistake and making sure that the chasing Grosjean did not get any closer, he gained another place when Soucek crashed and he crossed the finishing line at the end of a difficult race in 9th position.
Racing Engineering will now be looking forward to Monza in a week's time where the Spanish team will be doing everything possible to ensure that Giorgio Pantano secures the 2008 GP2 Championship. Both Giorgio and Javier will be looking to secure the maximum amount of points as Racing Engineering continues to fight for the Team Championship.
Alfonso de Orleans Borbón (team principal): "The rain just before the race didn't help. In any case, with so many races on wet tracks, Javi is learning a lot this season. He had a very good start and was able to hold on to a top ten position throughout the race. It's a bit disappointing as points would have been possible for him today."
Javier Villa: "It was a complicated race with some rain again shortly before the race started, however, we were able to start on slicks. There was still a little rain on several places on the track. I was able to make up some positions at the start and in the end P9 is not too bad. I am looking forward to Monza, our last event of the season, where I can hopefully show where we really are."
ART Grand Prix - Romain Grosjean (9th) Sakon Yamamoto (DNF)
The penultimate round of the 2008 GP2 championship saw the ART Grand Prix team record another victory, courtesy of Romain Grosjean, the Frenchman the victor of the first rain affected race at the Spa Francorchamps circuit as well as securing the fastest race lap. Race two was held in changeable conditions and after starting eighth on the grid, Romain made a good start, but was forced to go wide at the hairpin. He was soon in the points but after a tough fight with Sébastien Buemi he put a wheel on the wet white line and spun, eventually crossing the line in tenth place.
Meanwhile, teammate Sakon Yamamoto suffered in the wet conditions for qualifying as he attempted to learn his way around on a wet track making good progress despite an accident which forced him to start race one from 23rd on the grid. Despite a trip through the gravel, he made his way to 18th, recording the fastest lap in the wet, but unfortunately, being that far back for race two saw him involved in first lap contact that ended his day.
Currently equal third in the championship behind Pantano and Senna, Romain can still mathematically be crowned champion in Italy next weekend even though closing the gap of 18 points with only 19 on offer will depend on more than just his and the team's performance. Sakon Yamamoto: "I was confident after the practice session on this circuit that I love but the rain came just before the qualifying session started and we suddenly had to change to rain tyres. It was the first time I had run on a wet track in this car and I was cautious at first. Once I got to grips I started to push, but it was a bit too much as I crashed in turn 8. In race 1, a car spun right in front of me and I had no choice but to go through the entire gravel trap. After that my aim was to finish the race in order to be not too far back on the starting grid of the second race. The positive aspect is that I was the fastest on rain tyres. I had a good start in race 2 but it was difficult to avoid all the cars at the hairpin. I had contact with another car and my race was over. Heading to Monza, I am confident because I know the team will give me a well balanced car. It will be up to me to make the best use of it and not to push too hard. I would really like to reward the team with some points!"
Romain Grosjean: "A win at last, it feels really good after all the races we should have won this season! Yet, all was not that great at the beginning of the weekend as I was not happy with my drive after the practice session. We worked on the data with my engineer and came to the conclusion we needed to remove some downforce. It was much better after that, especially in sector 1 and 3. But another complication waited for us in qualifying with mixed conditions and a bunch of yellow and red flags. I think the pole position was within our grasp but I lost a lot of time by slowing too much in a corner under yellows. Anyway, the 3rd spot on the starting grid was good. My pace was inconsistent in race 1 because I was faster under the rain and I lost 2 positions when I did not chose the right time to change my tyres. But after the safety car came in I was P3 virtually and I had saved my tyres. I could push hard and I overtook Zuber as the soon as we arrived at Les Combes. A few laps later Parente made his only mistake of the race and I seized the opportunity to take the lead and keep it. The day after, I stayed calm despite a restless start where Maldonado forced me to go wide. I was pushing without giving my best when I put a wheel onto the white paint. I immediately lost the rear. The overtaking manoeuvre on Buemi in Blanchimont? It was fun, I love to try new things! In Monza my aim will be to win the first race of the finale and to end the season on a high in order to reward the team for its excellent work."
Frédéric Vasseur: "It feels great! We missed 4 wins this season but Romain worked hard to secure this one even though it was not that well engaged in the first place. It is a very good operation for the championship because we can aim for the 2nd place and even the 1st one with special circumstances. Nothing's over, it is a positive momentum we'll have to use in Monza."
Trident Racing - Ho Pin Tung (10th) Mike Conway (22nd)
Trident Racing suffered a tough break in the second Race of the Belgian GP2 Series Weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, in the penultimate round of the 2008 season. Mike Conway ended his day as soon as lap 6 due to a spin, while Ho Pin Tung, who got his car stalled at the start, recovered until 11th place. On the record, the exclusion of one driver from yesterdays Race 1 that brought Mike to 7th place, allowing him to stay on the front row today. Trident Racing will now focus on the last and decisive round of the season, starting next weekend at the team's home track, Monza.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Managing Director: "Unfortunately, the first and most positive thought goes to our staff today, including all the mechanics and technicians who worked really hard to provide our drivers with an extremely performing racecar, potentially able to bring some much-needed points and improve our standing positions. After losing the second spot on-grid with a bad start, Conway ended up off-track after clocking the fastest lap of the race. It's tough to tell, since we once again lost a clear shot to podium with two mistakes. Ho Pin stalled his car at the start, then put together a great drive all the way down to checkered, resulting faster than Grosjean when he got at the Frenchman's shoulders in the final stages. Unfortunately, that great race doesn't add points to the team's toll. We'll have to discuss several things before Monza, in order to make clear how much it's vital, in a series like the GP2, to concretize the team's potential day-by-day, in addition to the work and keep the car at an high performance level. We'll have think about that, and do it together, before preparing for Monza and deciding our future strategy".
Mike Conway: "My race started in a bad way when a mistake at take-off cost me several positions. Then, at lap 6, I ended up spinning while exiting the last chicane ad entering the final straightaway, and everything ended up there. It's a pity, 'cause we had a clear possibility to score an important result".
Ho Pin Tung: "Today's race was really difficult. With the track's damp conditions, making a mistake was really easy. Unfortunately, I didn't have a good start as usuan, losing valuable positions. I tried make up during the whole race, and I managed to recover until 11th place thanks to a good pace and to an error-free run".
DPR - Michael Herck (11th) Diego Nunes (DNF)
David Price Racing (DPR) continued to show improvement in their performance today, with Michael Herck posting his best Sprint race finish of the season, a 12th place. Team mate Diego Nunes was less fortunate, being punted into a spin and out of the race from 11th place.
Nunes, after finishing 13th on track yesterday, benefited from other drivers' penalties, to be classified 12th, and team mate Herck was 14th, the positions they lined up in for the start of today's Sprint race.
The weather was kinder for the start of the 18 lap dash from lights to flag this morning and the field were able to start on dry tyres. The start of the race, with cold tyres and a damp track from earlier rain, saw the field jostling for position, with both Nunes and Herck losing places through the first corners, resulting in Nunes having dropped to 16th, with Herck in 24th by the end of the first lap.
Both Nunes and Herck recovered from the disappointing opening lap, with Nunes moving up to run in 14th position in the early stages, with Herck sitting in 19th. Nunes began trying to move forward, quickly taking 13th after four laps of racing. A slide into the barriers for Mike Conway promoted Nunes to 12th and Herck up into 18th place. Less than a lap later an incident for Alberto Valerio brought out the safety car.
With Nunes lying in 11th position and Herck in 16th place, the GP2 field was bunched up behind the safety car for the restart and the remaining 11 laps of the race. At the restart, the cars were backed up by the leader, and on the release, Luca Filippi slid off track and back into the side of Nunes, putting him into a spin and ending his race. Meanwhile Herck had avoided the chaotic restart to lie in 14th position, and was up to 13th at the midpoint of the race. As the laps counted down Herck maintained a steady pace, and while others around struggled, the young DPR driver continued to race on at the challenging Spa circuit. Crossing the finish line in 12th position, Herck celebrated his best Sprint race result this season.
David Price, Team Principal: Michael ran well today. The track, becoming more and more slippery as the race progressed, caught out quite a few of the drivers, but Michael coped well in difficult conditions, and gained valuable experience at this tough track, as well as posting his best finish. It was disappointing for Diego to be knocked out of the race. He was running well and could have had another top ten finish, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.