GP2 in 2013

[jens]

I don't know, how many people here are interested in GP2 and bothered to discuss. :)

But the season is nearing and the line-ups are gradually getting confirmed. I think the main players have already been confirmed, so perhaps it would be good to make the first preview of what to expect.

I think 2012 was largely a disappointment in terms of the depth of the driver field. „Dinosaur“ Valsecchi winning with no-one considering him to be even good enough to definitely deserve an F1 drive. Razia, Gutiérrez, Chilton, van der Garde moved to F1, but are viewed as nothing more than average paydrivers. With perhaps only Gutiérrez considered to have at least some potential to get somewhere.

So 2013 has everything to gain and nothing to lose any more really. We have a couple of interesting rookies (Abt, Evans), a few exciting young drivers, who are entering their second season (Calado, Nasr). We have a few more experienced challengers as well, but I think those four can still really prove themselves as proper future F1 caliber drivers.

Who are going to challenge for the championship?
For Ericsson it is quite frankly now or never. He is in the prime seat. DAMS has won the last two championships. Last year he was also in a top team – iSport – but disappointed. Now he has to make it happen, although I suspect his prospects as a future F1 hotshot have already faded.

Calado enters his second season in GP2 and everyone, who beat him last year, has moved on. It is hard to look past him as a major championship contender with now a little bit more experience under his belt. But the most critical part for him in terms of career progression isn't even the final result (as long as he is among frontrunners), but funding... and where could he possibly find it to propel into F1...

Leimer? Like Ericsson, the Swiss enters his fourth season. Last year he was pretty impressive and I think he was quite unlucky as well. In terms of qualifying results he was one of the best, but many races were ruined. If lady luck doesn't abandon him and he can retain and improve on his consistent form, he will have to be taken into account at the front of the field.

Nasr? His debut season reminded a bit of Gutiérrez. Mighty expectations, but didn't quite deliver on the promise. 2013 should be an obvious improvement to justify the hype. However, along with Cecotto Jr he is probably among the best-funded current GP2 drivers, so even with a slight deficiency in results he should be part of the F1 silly season next year.

Second tier. A championship may be a long shot, but should be contenders for occasional wins and top6 position in the final standings.

Two rookies. Evans and Abt, first and second in GP2. Past years have proven, how incredibly difficult it is for the rookies to come in and be instantly competitive. Replicating Hülkenberg's 2009 season might be a long shot. I think if Mitch and Daniel can finish in the top6 in the championship and/or roughly replicate Calado's debut season last year, they will have done very well indeed.

Palmer. Reminds a bit of his compatriot Chilton. Nothing more than average, but by gaining experience each year can finally reach a level, where he can get quite solid results. Don't expect a championship from Jolyon, but a top6 placing is possible.

Haryanto. The Indonesian is still one of the youngest drivers in the field as he enters his second season. I think his debut season was quite fine, he has joined a very high-profile team (Barwa) and should be quite competent. Even if not championship-material (yet).

Cecotto Jr. A rather erratic 2012 saw him getting a few race wins and many non-scores. However, the Venezuelan has some speed and with some additional maturity this year could find some more consistency and points to his overall tally.

Others? Richelmi, Rosenzweig, Coletti can perhaps have a few impressive weekends and compete for a top10 position in the championship. Especially Richelmi. After all, he is now in a top team. I was also thinking of adding him into the „second tier“ description.

And wonder, who else is going to be confirmed. Especially in iSport.

[djparky]

I follow GP2 as well- future stars from that series could be Nasr and Calado. I'm not sure what Mitch Evans and Daniel Abt are doing this year but they were the stars of GP3 last year

[Nikki Katz]

iSport are pulling out :( I guess it's not entirely surprising in that they haven't announced either driver, while most of the other large teams have both announced two. But still sad. I think that something needs to be done about the costs of this series, they seem to be getting out of control now that it's forced to follow F1 out of Europe and around the globe.

On the plus side, I think that the lineup that has been announced seems stronger than last year and stronger than WSR. Frijns is also rumoured to be joining now that his Sauber test seat seems to involve, well, nothing. That's good for the series, though I wish F1 could give test drivers a session a race or something instead of ignoring them in general and taking time from regular drivers in a few occasions. Though F1 seems to be having its own pay driver problems at the moment.

I think I'd tip Calado for the title at this stage.

[MikeD]

iSport are pulling out :( I guess it's not entirely surprising in that they haven't announced either driver, while most of the other large teams have both announced two. But still sad. I think that something needs to be done about the costs of this series, they seem to be getting out of control now that it's forced to follow F1 out of Europe and around the globe.

It's really sad with iSport. I have many friends in that team and celebrated their championships in 2007 when I was still working as a journalist in GP2. I have always liked Paul Jackson, so it's sad that one of the Big 5 in GP2 leaves the series.

Regarding the costs, then I guess if you want to be the feeder series for F1 then it cannot be cheap. If you look at F2 which was quite cheap compared with GP2, it was really almost only bad drivers (Stoneman an exception). That series died because of lack of talents and potential as a series. All in all I would prefer GP2 to stay as it is, and still have these rather expensive races in Singapore, Abu Dhabi because it does create great drivers for F1 etc.... but what would help was if the races came back to Eurosport to improve TV coverage. I haven't seen more than 3-4 races the last 2 years due to poor or next to no TV coverage.


On the plus side, I think that the lineup that has been announced seems stronger than last year and stronger than WSR. Frijns is also rumoured to be joining now that his Sauber test seat seems to involve, well, nothing. That's good for the series, though I wish F1 could give test drivers a session a race or something instead of ignoring them in general and taking time from regular drivers in a few occasions. Though F1 seems to be having its own pay driver problems at the moment.

I think I'd tip Calado for the title at this stage.

I also have Calado vs. Nasr vs. Leimer for the title fight with Coletti as an outsider - but I agree that Calado is the favorite.

[MikeD]

I don't know, how many people here are interested in GP2 and bothered to discuss. :)

But the season is nearing and the line-ups are gradually getting confirmed. I think the main players have already been confirmed, so perhaps it would be good to make the first preview of what to expect.

I think 2012 was largely a disappointment in terms of the depth of the driver field. „Dinosaur“ Valsecchi winning with no-one considering him to be even good enough to definitely deserve an F1 drive. Razia, Gutiérrez, Chilton, van der Garde moved to F1, but are viewed as nothing more than average paydrivers. With perhaps only Gutiérrez considered to have at least some potential to get somewhere.

Yep, I fully agree. The Valsecchi vs. Razia is clearly the least talented title fight in GP2's short history, and I just don't understand - apart from the sponsor-money - what Chilton, van der Crap and Charles Pic are doing in F1. I guess they are just paying bills to teams that haven't managed to score a single point in the last 3 years, despite points being given from pos. 1-10. That's really just not good enough.



So 2013 has everything to gain and nothing to lose any more really. We have a couple of interesting rookies (Abt, Evans), a few exciting young drivers, who are entering their second season (Calado, Nasr). We have a few more experienced challengers as well, but I think those four can still really prove themselves as proper future F1 caliber drivers.

Again I agree. Abt and Evans will be a boost this year and I will be surprised if they don't manage to win at least one feature race each.


Who are going to challenge for the championship?
For Ericsson it is quite frankly now or never. He is in the prime seat. DAMS has won the last two championships. Last year he was also in a top team – iSport – but disappointed. Now he has to make it happen, although I suspect his prospects as a future F1 hotshot have already faded.

I called 'game-over' for Ericsson before last years championship. If he can't fight for a title against Valsecchi vs. Razia, then there is no way he will fight this year. This years field is stronger.

[Nikki Katz]

Russian Time is the worst name for a team ever! Or possibly the best, depending on your point of view. It's really up there with Super Aguri :)

[chac47]

I'm looking forward to watching the GP2 races and hoping Mitch Evans does well. GP2 and GP3 races tend to hold my interest whereas I get a bit bored watching F1sometimes.

[lars75]

Well after severall days off testing at Trident and Russian Time, Robin Frijns will not be taking part on the 2013 GP2 season.

One off the greatest talents off this time is not racing in 2013 and will not be taking part on any Friday testings at Sauber F1 as well.

At Trident they were verry happy with his performance and thought he was one off the greatest talents at this time. But money talks and bull**** walks!

Frijns could make Trident a top contender again and could be an outsider for the championship. At least he could bring Trident to the points and podium. But with only a view talents at the GP2, Frijns could be a danger to all off them.

It's a shame!

[lars75]

If you don't understand what Pic or vd Garde are doing in F1, you've been sleeping for a long time!

The 2011 season vd Garde was championshipleader for the first half of the season and if it was not up to Bianchi he still would be second in the championship that year whitout any problem. Regarding his disapointing races in Belgium and Monza! That Pic beat him in the standing was just because of that. It was Pic his second and vd Garde his third year at GP2.

Charles Pic:
3th in the FR 2.0
3th in the WSR
4th in the GP2
Then you are a top contender in this series!

vd Garde
World Champion Formula Super A karting
good results with lesser material in F3, only his last year with McLaren backing was a disapointment, still second at the Masters of F3, several podiums sharing it with the top drivers of F1 at this moment. Had his share off bad luck that year!
Champion in the WSR in 2008 with a very strong appearance.
Three wins with i-Sport on his debut at GP2, and i-Sport wassen't the championship team anymore at that moment.
2011 runner up in GP2 if Bianchi did not crash in to him for several times.
Brought Caterham GP2 to the front of the GP2 grid in 2012, a team in their second season at GP2 and wich never been so far up front untill then.

Both are drivers that deserve their chance in F1, just as Petrov, Bianchi, Kobayashi, d'Ambrossio and many others got their chance! And not only for their money, but also bassed on their talent, which they realy have!

[MikeD]

If you don't understand what Pic or vd Garde are doing in F1, you've been sleeping for a long time!

..and I think you need to take a deep breath and stop your nonsens. I was a journalist in GP2 from 2005-2007 (and in F3000 from 1997-2004), so I seen a fair bit of talents in F3000/GP2, and Giedo Van der Crap isn't one of them ...not even close. He's currently in at CaterhamF1 because of sponsor money, and that's it. The same goes for Charles Pic.




The 2011 season vd Garde was championshipleader for the first half of the season

No, he wasn't. He lead after Spain and the first race in Monaco (See slide 2 in the link below) - after that Grosjean lead for the rest of the season while Van der Crap was beat down to 5th in the standings!

http://www.flagworld.com/2012/ChampionshipStandings/GP2%20Drivers%20Top%205%202010-2012.pdf

The rest of your mail is just utter rubbish.

[AutoSociale]

GP2 is a great series, but the series owners made it too expensive. So most of the teams are struggling financially, and that means lots of ride buyers versus drivers who really have a shot at making F1. Seems like future F1 stars in the coming years are going to be coming straight from World Series Renault, but I guess that's already been the case for years.

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I met a funny idiot in the forum When i read a post he wrote, i couldn't help laughing for a long time, i just brought it here to share with all of you lol: The post is as follows: Hi All: I'm looking for some good ways to get 80%-90% off when I buy camera online. So far, I've been able to use Groupon and stuff to get to about half off. I recently found this blog post, and the advice seems okay: How I Got a Camera and Pay Practically Almost Nothing? However, I would love to be able to save even more than half off. I'm wondering if there's more difficult deals or good tricks to buy it for even cheaper. What do you guys do? Is there any way to save more? Thanks! lol....

[lars75]

First of all I'm sorry that I said 'for' instead of 'in'!

But speaking off rubbish! What was the reason of Giedo's position dropping from first to second after Spain and Monaco? Is that reason not driving a Marussia right now?
What position was Giedo holding from Monaco until the last race in Monza in the standing? I really think it was the second position don't you? I drive thorugh in the feature race for avoiding an accident (yes, for avoiding!!!) made that his chance of points that race and the sprint race were gone. The feature race in Belgium he was pushed off again by a other driver, wich cost him expensive points for the championship. When it wasn't for Bianchi he would be second easy in 2011, which is proven by your own schedule.

You say you were a journalist for F3000 and GP2 until 2007, well you never worked there when he was arround did you?

I think he and Pic deserve to be there, just as Maldonado, Bianchi, Senna, Petrov, diGrassi, d'Ambrossio and more of that kind of drivers.

[jens]

I think he and Pic deserve to be there, just as Maldonado, Bianchi, Senna, Petrov, diGrassi, d'Ambrossio and more of that kind of drivers.

Deserve to be where? In F1? There are only 22 seats available at a given time and only so many drivers. You have given a long list of names, surely they are not all going to fit into F1.

[MikeD]

GP2 is a great series, but the series owners made it too expensive. So most of the teams are struggling financially, and that means lots of ride buyers versus drivers who really have a shot at making F1. Seems like future F1 stars in the coming years are going to be coming straight from World Series Renault, but I guess that's already been the case for years.

I agree that GP2 has become to expensive especially taking the current economic climate into consideration. Last year was really bad for GP2 imho, because there was way to many drivers that weren't F1 potential. And a title fight between Valsecchi and Razia was even worse than when Pantano won the title in 2008.

That being said I still think GP2 as a series is levels above WS 3.5, because GP2 is a lot more integrated in the way F1 works, with track, tyres, strategy etc.
And after all WS 3.5 has given F1 Vettel and Kubica, whereas GP2 has delivered Rosberg, Hamilton, Pérez, Grosjean, Hülkenberg, Maldonado, and a couple of pay drivers.

But GP2 really needs to do something because a title fight between Coletti, Leimer and Sam Bird is just a repeat of last year - just not enough talent. And it's really weird that Coletti who is leading the championship hasn't won a single feature race. In GP2 terms it shouldn't be possible to win the GP2 title without winning feature races. I really hope it won't happen this year, because then the series would have to rethink its whole point system.

[ndegroot89]

I just heard that the race will be held LIVE on NBC Sports following the movie Senna...awesome!

[giedriusr]

I just heard that the race will be held LIVE on NBC Sports following the movie Senna...awesome!
great

[zako85]

GP2 is great because something needs to provide pay driver cannon fodder to struggling F1 teams. J/k


Realistically, if GP2 were to attract the top talent, the series has to become more affordable. Red Bull said that the reason they don't work with GP2 is because for the price of one GP2 driver seat they can sponsor something like 3-5 drivers in other series. So the drivers in RBR program simply leap from WS 3.5 directly into STR. Something similar happens at some other F1 teams as well (Williams, Sauber in 2013).

[truefan72]

tha penalty on leimer was a phantom one for the british GP
in replay from many angles you cans ee that collado lost his car and started psinning before leimer made contact. if anythig it was collado's loss of car control due to struggling with pace and tire degredation, and pressure that forced his spin and ended up with a minor collison. almost every lap prior and on that one itself he was flatspotting and struggling to keep the car in check. Its a poor penalty IMO

[zako85]

I haven't been following GP2 closely. Does anyone want to provide a mid-season report card for the top drivers?

[Jag_Warrior]

As much as I've enjoyed NBC Sports' coverage of F1 this year, the fact that they seem to have dropped GP2 (while continuing to cover that complete joke of a dead feeder series, Indy Lights) has me pretty upset. I wasn't crazy about the lackluster job that Will Buxton and Jerome d'Ambrosio did in calling the races, but GP2 is usually so good that a person could turn the sound down and still enjoy some of the best pure racing on the planet. Why did they drop it??? And don't say ratings because an infomercial would get higher ratings than Indy Lights and they carry that rubbish.

Boo, NBC Sports!

[chac47]

SkySports in NZ broadcast F1, GP3 and GP2. It's GP2 that I always watch and would do so even if our Mitch Evans wasn't racing. Great commentators too.