GP2 2011 silly season.

[Rf1 Fan]

I think that Charles Pic is in good position to get a seat at addax team.

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by META4

List of drivers for Tuesday from Italiaracing

Esteban Gutierrez – ART
Jan Charouz – ART
Josef Kral – Addax
Charles Pic – Addax
Jake Rosenzweig – Super Nova
Marcus Ericsson – Super Nova
Andrea Caldarelli – Racing Engineering.
Rodolfo Gonzales – Racing Engineering
Robert Wickens – iSport
Jolyon Palmer – iSport
Nathanael Berthon – DAMS
Ivan Samarin – DAMS
Fabio Leimer – Rapax
Armaan Ebraim – Rapax
Roberto Merhi – Arden.
Simon Trummer – Arden
Nicolas Marroc – Ocean
Sam Bird – Ocean
James Jakes – Coloni
Kevin Ceccon – Coloni
Stefano Coletti – Trident.
Julian Leal – Trident
Michael Herck – DPR
Camilo Zorcher - DPR

How in the Jesus does Rosenzweig keep that Geek Squad sponsorship? He's a sportscar driver at best, but there are guys like Newgarden and Edwards that could do better with it.

[bella]

he hasn't carried that sponsorship on his car this year, so i'm not sure what your point is.

[Mak]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

How in the Jesus does Rosenzweig keep that Geek Squad sponsorship? He's a sportscar driver at best, but there are guys like Newgarden and Edwards that could do better with it.

Its probably not a big sponsorship deal. Maybe they service his computor. He has other means..

[bella]

you could isolate anyone who wasn't in the top 10 of any series and say they're not worthy of their sponsorship. it depends what the sponsor is looking for and who they're related to.

[runshaw]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

How in the Jesus does Rosenzweig keep that Geek Squad sponsorship? He's a sportscar driver at best, but there are guys like Newgarden and Edwards that could do better with it.

If Rosenweig actually stayed in a series for more than one season then I reckon he could do alright. He's shown flashes of speed in his 3 seasons to date and stacked up surprisngly well against his team mate Brendon Hartley in the F3 Euroseries in 09, he only lost out something like 6-4 in qualifying, and this was while Hartley was the reserve driver for Red Bull and Toro Rosso. And Jake did get a pole at Spa in the World Series this year. True, he ain't a world beater and isn't as good as Newgarden and Edwards as you say, but he could be ok with a bit of continuity. He should stay with Carlin in WSR next year and try and become a regular points scorer.

[Mach3]

Times now up:

Day 1 – morning session

1. Michael Herck DPR 1:48.447 (28)
2. James Jakes - Scuderia Coloni - 1:48.530 (21)
3. Robert Wickens - iSport International - 1:48.761 (19)
4. Andrea Caldarelli - Racing Engineering - 1:48.869 (25)
5. Josef Kral - Barwa Addax Team - 1:48.889 (27)
6. Esteban Gutierrez - ART Grand Prix - 1:48.955 (20)
7. Sam Bird - Ocean Racing Tech - 1:49.106 (18)
8. Stefano Coletti - Trident Racing - 1:49.137 (15)
9. Roberto Mehri - Arden International - 1:49.164 (19)
10. Rodolfo Gonzalez Racing Engineering 1:49.194 (25)
11. Marcus Ericsson Super Nova Racing 1:49.217 (19)
12. Charles Pic Barwa Addax Team 1:49.288 (13)
13. Joylon Palmer iSport International 1:49.764 (25)
14. Jan Charouz ART Grand Prix 1:49.970 (27)
15. Kevin Ceccon Scuderia Coloni 1:49.981 (30)
16. Fabio Leimer Rapax 1:50.112 (10)
17. Nathanael Berthon Dams 1:50.254 (25)
18. Ivan Samarin Dams 1:50.470 (30)
19. Julian Leal Trident Racing 1:50.684 (12)
20 Nicolas Marroc Ocean Racing Tech 1:50.757 (25)
21. Jake Rosenzweig Super Nova Racing 1:51.440 (20)
22. Simon Trummer Arden International 1:51.593 (20)
23. Armaan Ebrahim Rapax 1:53.914 (28)
24. Camilo Zurche r DPR 2:33.817 (1)

[Mach3]

And the afternoon -


Day 1 – Afternoon session

1. James Jakes Scuderia Coloni 1:47.790 (19)
2. Esteban Gutierrez ART Grand Prix 1:48.209 (27)
3. Charles Pic Barwa Addax Team 1:48.302 (36)
4. Rodolfo Gonzalez Racing Engineering 1:48.302 (20)
5. Robert Wickens iSport International 1:48.408 (20)
6. Stefano Coletti Trident Racing 1:48.413 (27)
7. Josef Kral Barwa Addax Team 1:48.426 (24)
8. Michael Herck DPR 1:48.555 (19)
9. Andrea Caldarelli Racing Engineering 1:48.635 (26)
10. Marcus Ericsson Super Nova Racing 1:48.657 (16)
11. Joylon Palmer iSport International 1:48.836 (21)
12. Sam Bird Ocean Racing Tech 1:48.849 (19)
13. Kevin Ceccon Scuderia Coloni 1:48.870 (13)
14. Roberto Merhi Arden International 1:48.947 (27)
15. Jan Charouz ART Grand Prix 1:49.575 (28)
16. Nathanael Berthon Dams 1:49.767 (31)
17. Ivan Samarin Dams 1:49.950 (25)
18. Julian Leal Trident Racing 1:50.050 (8)
19. Simon Trummer Arden International 1:50.056 (29)
20 Nicolas Marroc Ocean Racing Tech 1:50.651 (15)
21. Armaan Ebrahim Rapax 1:51.073 (23)
22. Jake Rosenzweig Super Nova Racing 1:51.419 (8)
23. Fabio Leimer Rapax 1:51.605 (3)
24. Camilo Zurcher DPR — (—)

[alias99]

Bottas will be competing in GP3 next year, very odd decision but its almost safe to say that he will seal the title in 2011. Interesting how gutierez who made the switch a year earlier has now leaped ahead of him and moved into GP2. Id also assume that funding played a part in this decision.

Esteban - 4 years in car racing and 84 races - GP2
Bottas - 4 years in car racing and 94 races - GP3

[alias99]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

These are the last tests, that's why DPR are still running and it will be Bridgestone rubber.
Then in February for GP2 Asia...

Pictures show the new spec cars running with Pirelli rubber today in Abu Dhabi

[Mak]

Originally Posted by alias99

Bottas will be competing in GP3 next year, very odd decision but its almost safe to say that he will seal the title in 2011. Interesting how gutierez who made the switch a year earlier has now leaped ahead of him and moved into GP2. Id also assume that funding played a part in this decision.

Esteban - 4 years in car racing and 84 races - GP2
Bottas - 4 years in car racing and 94 races - GP3

Rather big call. Is anything safe to say, and even before the drivers have been registered.

[medler]

Originally Posted by alias99

Pictures show the new spec cars running with Pirelli rubber today in Abu Dhabi

I think you'll find they are pictures from the Shakedown last week at Paul Ricard.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by alias99

Bottas will be competing in GP3 next year, very odd decision.

Groan, another decent driver having resorted to that rubbish because he can't get the money to be where he should be.

IMO his big rival really is Ricciardo (not Guttierez, although your brief stats are telling), and to a lesser extent Merhi as they were the big contenders in Eurocup FR2.0 3 years ago.

Look at where Ricciardo is on the verge of compared to Bottas and both having supposed support from F1 teams!!

I guess Williams think it's better from him to be racing (in front of them) in an ox-cart than a serious single seater like FR3.5 or GP2.

[Mak]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Groan, another decent driver having resorted to that rubbish because he can't get the money to be where he should be.

IMO his big rival really is Ricciardo (not Guttierez, although your brief stats are telling), and to a lesser extent Merhi as they were the big contenders in Eurocup FR2.0 3 years ago.

Look at where Ricciardo is on the verge of compared to Bottas and both having supposed support from F1 teams!!

I guess Williams think it's better from him to be racing (in front of them) in an ox-cart than a serious single seater like FR3.5 or GP2.

Love em or hate em, the fact is that the only commercial supporters putting their money where their mouth is are Red Bull.

[alias99]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Groan, another decent driver having resorted to that rubbish because he can't get the money to be where he should be.

IMO his big rival really is Ricciardo (not Guttierez, although your brief stats are telling), and to a lesser extent Merhi as they were the big contenders in Eurocup FR2.0 3 years ago.

Look at where Ricciardo is on the verge of compared to Bottas and both having supposed support from F1 teams!!

I guess Williams think it's better from him to be racing (in front of them) in an ox-cart than a serious single seater like FR3.5 or GP2.

I agree Ricciardo is someone who he should be compared with. I was just brining up the fact that a younger driver who started later than he did has ended up ahead of him. Both were part of ART in f3 etc and it just goes to show how good backing and management is key to success.

My mistake r.e. tires pictures deceived me!

[ivanalesi]

May be next year Herck will start winning regularly? If drivers like Bottas and Turvey can't afford it, then it won't surprise me! What about Herck vs Jakes for the championship?

[bella]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

What about Herck vs Jakes for the championship?

that's the most depressing thing i've read in ages

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Did he test with Paul Jackson's lot last off season?

And did Marcus race for Barwa or was it ART last Asia series, can't quite remember.

He's surely someone who could challenge in the right team next year?

He raced with ART and tested with iSport last winter if I remember correctly.

I think he could challenge for the title and I really hope he ends up in a team that will allow him to.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

He raced with ART and tested with iSport last winter if I remember correctly.

I think he could challenge for the title and I really hope he ends up in a team that will allow him to.

Thanks, I thought it was something like that!

Has Marcus got access to the sort of funding that the current top teams require though? I find it quite difficult to say 'top team' as if David Sears outfit isn't anymore?! One of the most successful entrants at this level in the last 15 years.

Mad world when they can't be competitive, as with Dams, although the French team was much better in 2010 than in previous seasons it has to be said.

[ivanalesi]

Originally Posted by bella

that's the most depressing thing i've read in ages

I wrote it with a smile, but compare the cost, running time/km & value of exposure for 2x GP2 seasons with 1 season in F1 with say Virgin.

[runshaw]

Have the GP2 teams stayed in Abu Dhabi since the last round? If they haven't it must have been a logistical nightmare. They must have stayed there. Who pays for all of it?! All the team personnel staying in Abu Dhabi for a good 2 and a half weeks, it must cost a bomb.

[medler]

Originally Posted by runshaw

Have the GP2 teams stayed in Abu Dhabi since the last round? If they haven't it must have been a logistical nightmare. They must have stayed there. Who pays for all of it?! All the team personnel staying in Abu Dhabi for a good 2 and a half weeks, it must cost a bomb.

All the teams came home as they had to get to Paul Ricard for the Shakedown last week.
Can't see why it should be a logistical nightmare, getting 10-12 people on a plane in Abu Dhabi just under 2 weeks ago and then getting them back on a plane a week later, it's what they do all year for the European rounds.

[runshaw]

They usually have 2 weeks for European rounds without any testing in-between, so this 2 weeks certainly will have been harder logistically surely, bearing in mind the distance? They got to Abu Dhabi on the 10th or 11th of November for the final round, and leave on the 14th or 15th. Fly a longer distance than usual then test at Paul Ricard on the 18th with the new cars. Then presumably fly back to Abu Dhabi on the 21st or 22nd, test on the 23rd, 24th, 27th and 28th. Then fly back to Europe! There must be more logistics. It's not the same as when they raced at Silverstone back in July, then had a 2 week gap until Hockenheim. Much shorter flights, drive etc, and they could all go home in-between for over a week.

[bella]

nah, it's easier than having to get a truck full of stuff from barcelona to monaco for those back to back races in time to be fully set up and have the cars ready for thursday practice. the only pain in the butt would have been having to divide their tools to send one lot to abu dhabi and keep them there whilst having enough kit to go to paul ricard and build and rebuild the new cars...

[medler]

Originally Posted by runshaw

They usually have 2 weeks for European rounds without any testing in-between, so this 2 weeks certainly will have been harder logistically surely, bearing in mind the distance? They got to Abu Dhabi on the 10th or 11th of November for the final round, and leave on the 14th or 15th. Fly a longer distance than usual then test at Paul Ricard on the 18th with the new cars. Then presumably fly back to Abu Dhabi on the 21st or 22nd, test on the 23rd, 24th, 27th and 28th. Then fly back to Europe! There must be more logistics. It's not the same as when they raced at Silverstone back in July, then had a 2 week gap until Hockenheim. Much shorter flights, drive etc, and they could all go home in-between for over a week.

I agree the way GP2 have arranged the last race and testing will have meant the teams working a lot of hours and few days off, especially as they had to build a new car before they left. but the logistics aren't any worse than normal.

The flying longer distances doesn't really make a difference as teams tend to allow the Airlines pilots to worry about things like that.

A weekend between races doesn't mean the teams have 2 full weeks back at base and often with double headers the team will fly back home for a day or 2 and then fly to the next circuit.

For a normal race weekend teams arrive at a circuit on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning and leave on Sunday night or Monday morning

This means they get only 8 or 9 days back at base and that's only for those who are flying, the truck may take 2 or 3 days to get to and from base to circuit, this means between some races the team might only have 3 or 4 days to work on the cars before the truck has to leave for the next meeting.

Of course for the British teams Silverstone is easy for logistics Especially for Arden as they are close of enough for people to go home each night. So very few hotel rooms needed and no flights.

I'm sure the flight chaos caused by the ash cloud earlier this year caused a bigger logistics nightmare than they've had from this.