2012 GP2 Silly Season

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Now the list.... Yelmer Buurman??!!!

He's not the only one. Carlos Iaconelli is also back in this list.

[Supertec]

Quite a few 'Free tests' I've been told @ Jerez

Not enough drivers with the budget for GP2 perhaps

[bella]

i think it's fairly obvious looking at the timesheets to see who those tests went to. i'm sure they're excellent for developing the car but they're not bringing the cash in!

[chunterer]

Hmmm, yes I think those drivers are indeed obvious.

Any run down of the times for today? i was keeping an eye on things this morning and Leimer was quickest until a red flag for something or other?

[bella]

leimer was still quickest

http://tentenths.com/news/showentry.php?e=2572

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by bella

leimer was still quickest

http://tentenths.com/news/showentry.php?e=2572

And again!!

Have to say that testing can't mean an awful lot in GP2 terms if you think about those results?

I confess I ain't too hot on Onidi's career but if Jules Bianchi is only just among the top 10, and Carroll and Rossi are waay down it can't be telling us much about driver ability.

Some interesting drivers amongst that list though it has to be said.

[Alex K]

A Polish fella, called Kuba Giermaziak, backed by ORLEN, is believed to consider doing GP2 Series next year. ORLEN being second biggest Polish company, his father is a wealthy man too. Giermaziak is second in Poirsche Michelin Supercup standings.

[skells22]

any guesses want is the major announements due to come very very soon?

I will start the guessing off with date news!

[bella]

oh dear. having made a big show of about how gp2 is just about the drivers and the racing, they're introducing prime and option tyres for next year...

http://www.gp2series.com/News-Room/N...tyres-in-2012/

to me, all that does is confirm that gp2 is fine if you're attached to a f1 team with a big wad of cash and need to learn for f1. no use whatsoever if you're trying to get noticed.

second is tweaking the points allocations. from the gp2 twitter feed:

R1 reward top 10 - 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 pts allocated // Reversed Top 8 for R 2 grid - 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 pts allocated

New: 4 allocated for Pole position and 2 points allocated for fastest lap in each race

the points change also affects gp3.

[skells22]

that did not take long to come up then, you beat me to that one, still waiting for any date news!

[chunterer]

Oh jesus christ!!!!!

What the hell are they thinking? this takes even more of the pure racing spectacle (which was already dying) away.

As bella rightly says unless you've got a zillion bucks or the silver spoon of an F1 team paying your way then what is the point of doing it now eh?

Waay too much of a risk.

I can see FR3.5 doing very well out of this announcement.

[bella]

don't get me wrong, i can see the logic in their decision, especially because it could well add to the spectacle, create more overtaking and teach young drivers how to manage their tyres. it's making sure it stays relevant to f1 so that a driver who finds a way into f1 can be as prepared as they can for being thrown in the deep end, especially with the lack of testing. on the other hand it makes it really difficult for a young driver who can just about muster up a year's budget for a good crack at gp2 to *have* a good crack at gp2. they barely get any time to learn how the tyres react to their driving styles as it is with the lack of free practice and so on.

i wonder how teams are going to try and get a head start on this one, i presume the guys who helped develop the f1 tyres are receiving a lot of phone calls about sharing their expertise

[chunterer]

Well lucas Di Grassi has experience of those tyres and a current GP2 car I think?

Yeah I guess thinking more about it maybe the GP2 organisers are trying to offer more bangs for your not insigncifcant bucks as a GP2 driver aiming at F1 by making it more and more F1 alike.

Maybe that is a sensible thing for these guys than having an all out free racing series that is very little like F1.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by bella

second is tweaking the points allocations. from the gp2 twitter feed:

R1 reward top 10 - 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 pts allocated // Reversed Top 8 for R 2 grid - 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 pts allocated

New: 4 allocated for Pole position and 2 points allocated for fastest lap in each race

Oh my. That will affect GP2 TWPC as well. If there are no changes in the "spirit of the rules", prediction form will move to predict Top 10 in R1, and Top 8 in R2. Wonder what to do, if you participants would admit a so long prediction form.
I feared that since F1 put their current point system in 2010, now GP2 will materialize it in 2012.

[jondownunder]

How I miss the old 10-6-5-4-3-2-1 system! My brain could actually cope with that, made things much more enjoyable when it was a title decider etc. Now I don't bother trying to work things out, and just let the commentators do the maths! Plus a single point actually meant something back then. I guess the "everyone should go home with something" school of thinking has permeated into the top levels of motorsport.

[p-matt]

I don't know why everyone is so negative about GP2. It makes sense to introduce two tyre compounds if it is a feeder series for F1. I like that they have implemented the F1 scoring system as well.

My preference would be for them not to award points for pole or fastest lap. I've always wanted to see GP2 do the shorter sprint race first. If they must reverse the grid, at least let it be a feature race with pitstops. Then we might not see the Razia's of this world luck into wins.

And make the scoring systems for both races the same. It is fair with the format I've suggested.

[eveningladies]

Does anyone know timings of tomorrow's tests or if live timing is available?

[chunterer]

Not sure?

Magnussen's joining Chilton at Carlin for the testing.

[eveningladies]

Full list here:

Rapax
01 – Fabio Onidi (ITA)
02 – Pal Varhaug (NOR)

Barwa Addax Team
03 - Julian Leal (COL)
04 – Jolyon Palmer (GBR)

Lotus ART
05 – Antonio Felix Da Costa (POR)
06 – Esteban Gutierrez (MEX)

Racing Engineering
07 – Fabio Leimer (SUI)
08 – Nathanaël Berthon (FRA)

iSport International
09 – Tom Dillmann (FRA)
10 – Marcus Ericsson (SWE)

Dams
11 – Stefano Coletti (MON)
12 – Rio Haryanto (INA)

Arden International
14 – Craig Dolby (GBR)
15 – Roberto Merhi (ESP)

Super Nova Racing
16 – Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (GBR)
17 – Jake Rosenzweig (USA)

Scuderia Coloni
18 – Kevin Ceccon (ITA)
19 – Dani Clos (ESP)

Trident Racing
20 – Stéphane Richelmi (MON)
21 – Josef Kral (CZE)

Ocean Racing Technology
22 – Nigel Melker (NED)
23 – Brendon Hartley (NZL)

Carlin
24 – Max Chilton (GBR)
25 – Kevin Magnussen (DEN)

Caterham Team AirAsia
26 – Luiz Razia (BRA)
27 – Alexander Rossi (USA)

[strider]

The thing that I find surprising is that Felipe Nasr is not there, nor was he at the WSR test the other week. Kevin Magnussen is doing both. What is Steve Robertson planning for Nasr?

[chunterer]

But what would that be?

Surely he'll pop up in the next test?

Ericsson did ok today? I'm sure he would be a proper title contender in the right team....

Read an interesting interview with Hartley somewhere or other before today's test, where he says F1 is still his ambition but he accepts it probably won't happen.

Signing up with Gravity has certainly given him a leg up though it has to be said. I reckon Gravity will find him a GP2 drive next season.

[bella]

albert costa's having a go at gp2 tomorrow with supernova which'll be interesting.

[SS Supporter]

Originally Posted by strider

The thing that I find surprising is that Felipe Nasr is not there, nor was he at the WSR test the other week. Kevin Magnussen is doing both. What is Steve Robertson planning for Nasr?

GP3 ?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by bella

albert costa's having a go at gp2 tomorrow with supernova which'll be interesting.

Yup!

Reckon he could well be the best quickest young Spaniard on the ladder at present....

[Alex K]

Originally Posted by strider

The thing that I find surprising is that Felipe Nasr is not there, nor was he at the WSR test the other week. Kevin Magnussen is doing both. What is Steve Robertson planning for Nasr?

Judging by lack of decals on his car and somebody telling so, he struggled with budget requirements this year. Do not know if it's true, and would find surprising if he comes from that Nasr family in Brazil.

He still have time to decide. Hope he'll find budget for GP2 or FR3.5S and stay in Europe. One hell of a talent.