Formula Two

2014 GP2 Series Round 6: Hockenheim

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  • #266661
    R.J. O’Connell
    Participant

    It’s the halfway point in the season, and GP2 is probably saying goodbye to Hockenheim for a long time now that the Nurburgring has a five-year deal in place for the German GP.

    Johnny Cecotto Jr. won the last feature race here in 2012, this year, he’s having a career-best season where he’s matched his pre-2013 win total in the first 10 races of 2014, and the German-born Venezuelan would like to continue his phenomenal run on a circuit where his father starred for many years in the old DTM.

    Felipe Nasr has a series-leading 3 victories on the season, but two retirements leave him sitting 38 points back of points leader Jolyon Palmer, seeking to become the second British GP2 champion after Lewis Hamilton (2006). Former GP3 champion Mitch Evans won his first GP2 race at Silverstone, will this be the start of a torrid streak of success for the protege of Mark Webber?

    Meanwhile, top rookies Stoffel Vandoorne and Rafaelle Marciello look to turn their fortunes around – both sit in the top 10 in the standings in their rookie years, but Vandoorne has just one win to his name, while Marciello’s only points finishes came in Austria. American hopefuls Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly are also seeking better luck in what has been a miserable season for both young men. So too is the lone German national driver in the field, Daniel Abt – sitting one point away from a blank sheet in his 2014 campaign for Hilmer.

    Also, there’s a good chance one of the midfield teams has a vacant seat that’ll be filled less than 24 hours before first practice.

    It’s GP2. It’s Hockenheim. We don’t know what it’s gonna be, but it’ll be something.

    #266694
    Araqiel
    Participant

    Alex Rossi has parted company with Caterham, and will not be racing for them in GP2 at Hockenheim. The statement from him is rather positive, talking about considerable experience in F1 machinery during his time at Caterham meaning he is now ready for ‘the next step’. While that might seem a little dubious, the mention of Haas in the last lines of the statement is surely more than a small hint at why he feels leaving Caterham now is the thing to do. Fernandes still owns the GP2 team, so the sale of the F1 team shouldn’t affect that in theory.

    #266712
    wsrgo
    Participant

    GP2 supersub Tom Dillmann steps in for Rossi at Hockenheim. Should be fun.

    #266713
    Saints
    Participant

    Looking forward to it, I hope Marciello wins!

    #266714
    Araqiel
    Participant

    GP2 supersub Tom Dillmann steps in for Rossi at Hockenheim. Should be fun.

    Indeed. ^_^

    #266717

    Meanwhile Rossi pops up at Campos in place of Sato:

    Alexander Rossi will join Campos Racing this weekend for the sixth round of the 2014 GP2 Series Championship. Following his decision announced earlier today to part ways with Caterham F1 Team, and subsequent EQ8 Caterham Racing seat, Alexander will take the place of Kimiya Sato and partner the Spanish racing team for one weekend.

    Adrián Campos: “We are very pleased to welcome a driver of Alexander’s speed and experience into our GP2 team and we’re looking forward to a good weekend in Hockenheim. It’s a great opportunity for both us and Alexander and we’re confident that he will settle into the car very quickly and we will work together to get the absolute maximum out of the weekend. He will replace Kimiya Sato who is currently leading the Auto GP Championship and, due to a clash of races this weekend, the decision was made for him to focus on that series. Alexander has clearly shown his talent, speed and skill by winning races and bringing home several podium positions, so we are very much looking forward to working with him.”

    Alexander Rossi: “I’m very much looking forward to joining the Campos GP2 team this weekend in Germany. I had a chance to work with the team’s Technical Director Philippe Gautheron during the latter part of the 2013 season, including my win in Abu Dhabi. I feel we have a very good opportunity for a strong race weekend in Hockenheim.”

    #266721
    R.J. O’Connell
    Participant

    I certainly wasn’t expecting this news in the morning, but wow! Hopefully Rossi can turn it around at Campos, Arthur Pic has been a consistent scorer for them and with a driver like Rossi, they can start challenging for wins and podiums. And he’ll be fired up to prove that he’s still F1 material after an awful first 10 races to the season with a team that, despite being quicker than their F1 overlords at some circuits, has little to nothing to show for it in GP2.

    As for Sato…he’s shown shades of his manager in GP2. Which is to say, it’s not been a good 10 races. I’m hoping that next year some team signs Ryo Hirakawa to a GP2 race seat – he has to be *the* most promising young open-wheel racer from Japan – 20 years old, now a title contender in an extremely difficult Super Formula category, and he already has an F3 title, a Porsche Carrera Cup title, two Super GT starts, and an IndyCar test to his credit as well.

    #266722
    Nick
    Participant

    If the drivers market is a round of musical chairs, the CD at GP2 seems to skip an awful lot.. I do find it rather interesting Rossi has gone for a one race deal, but good on him. Hopefully he’ll find a seat with more guarantees soon, though. He’s no Vettel/Alonso/Hamilton, but would be nice to have an American near F1 for the time being.

    #266728
    Araqiel
    Participant

    Really wasn’t expecting to see Rossi at another team this weekend, but I guess that more or less seals it as to whether he jumped or was pushed. If this effectively means Dillmann replaces Sato though then I’m all for it. Now what can we do about Izawa, Binder and De Jong… Also LOL at the tags on this thread.

    #266760
    Iestyn Davies
    Participant

    Sato and Negrao out, Sorensen and Dillmann in, and Rossi staying till season end would be a good development. But the former drivers bring the budget, while the latter drivers probably are relying on talent to stay as long as possible. Sorensen and Dillmann stepping in the car and getting top tens are noticeable.. Rossi must be hoping to at least match Pic this weekend.

    Sorensen at least has FR3.5, which costs less than GP2, and hence Negrao moved over from FR3.5 for progression. But results this year seem to indicate that Sorensen would do well in GP2, while Negrao needs more time back in FR3.5.

    Sato will do well to win the Auto GP title and try again next year. In related news.. the last AutoGP winner, racing latecomer Michela Cerruti, has also signed for Trulli GP in Formula E.. so there’ll be two women on the inaugural Formula E grid, and both race winners at that.

    #266812
    Araqiel
    Participant

    If only Sorensen had replaced De Jong instead of Ellinas, eh?

    #266824
    SP
    Participant

    If GP2 offered some kind of prize money or TV money, then there would be incentive for the teams to prioritise talent over funding.

    #266886
    R.J. O’Connell
    Participant

    Prize money AND a second qualifying session for race 2 instead of the feature/sprint with reverse grid top 8s would do wonders.

    What also would help is if they can develop a new car based around the Dallara SF14 being used in Japan and their 2-liter turbo 4-cyl engine formula that would be closer in line to the 2014-spec F1 cars.

    The talent level isn’t the problem.

    #266924
    wsrgo
    Participant

    Another session would be tough to accommodate in an F1 weekend. A grid based on second best qualifying laps would be good.

    #266937
    R.J. O’Connell
    Participant

    Qualifying results:
    1. Jolyon Palmer (championship leader)
    2. Stoffel Vandoorne
    3. Stefano Coletti
    4. Tom Dillmann (first appearance since Barcelona)
    5. Felipe Nasr (2nd in points)
    6. Arthur Pic
    7. Johnny Cecotto (defending feature race winner at Hockenheim)
    8. Raffaele Marciello (impeded on two flying laps)
    9. Alexander Rossi (first appearance at Campos)
    10. Simon Trummer
    14. Daniel Abt
    15. Mitch Evans

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