Auto GP 2015

[Mekola]

Auto GP season will start with nine (half of the promised 18) cars at Hungaroring this weekend. After its breakup with ISRA, the series will continue as they can with the current Lola B05/52 updated cars.

Auto GP Hungaroring - Free Practice 1

1º 23 Facu Regalia - FMS - 1m36s121
2º 5 Johnny Cecotto Jr - Virtuosi - 1m36s417
3º 8 Antonio Pizzonia - Zele - 1m36s420
4º 6 Christof von Grünigen - PCR - 1m37s032
5º 7 Giuseppe Cipriani - Ibiza - 1m37s630
6º 10 Luis Sá Silva - Zele - 1m37s985
7º 16 Leandro Pulcini - FMS - 1m38s752
8º 72 Nikita Zlobin - Virtuosi - 1m40s133
9º 9 Andrés Méndez - Zele - 1m41s971

Regalia found an easy way to restart his prestige, I presume...

[Alessio]

A real shame they couldn't put together 18 or at least more than 10 cars, with a grid with names like Facu Regalia, Johnny Cecotto, Antonio Pizzonia and Nikita Zlobin plus the likes of upcoming talents (sort of) like Leonardo Pulcini with more cars it could have really been an interesting season

[Mekola]

Grid for Hungaroring:

1. row
Antonio Pizzonia - Zele - 1'33"375
Facundo Regalia - FMS - 1'33"861
2. row
Leonardo Pulcini - FMS - 1'34"415
Luis Sa Silva - Zele - 1'34"470
3. row
Nikita Zlobin - Virtuosi UK - 1'34"539
Christof Von Grunigen - Coloni - 1'35"433
4. row
Andres Mendez - Zele - 1'37"647
Giuseppe Cipriani - Ibiza - s.t.
5. row
Johnny Cecotto - Virtuosi UK - s.t.

[gomick]

9 cars is very disappointing & you think why continue on with this series...

[Rob29]

Did anyone see thiis? coverage of round 1 was scheduled for 1PM BST on Eurosport-but snooker(worlds most boring spectator sport?)was running late so I switched to WEC Spa on Motors TV

[tux]

I dont think the coverage ever started, the second race is live tomorrow.

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

Originally Posted by Rob29

Did anyone see thiis? coverage of round 1 was scheduled for 1PM BST on Eurosport-but snooker(worlds most boring spectator sport?)was running late so I switched to WEC Spa on Motors TV

It did air on Europsort 2 apparently. The race is available on YouTube.

[Mekola]

Regalia won!

[Juntos]

9 cars only? Excruciating.

[tux]

Anyone know anything about LEONARDO PULCINI?

Impressive job on his first weekend considering hes only 16 and very inexperienced in car racing.

[Mekola]

Pizzonia won Race 2 with reversed grid and Regalia finished 6th. Now Pizzonia is the leader of the champ, with Regalia behind him.

[Mekola]

Championship Positions after 1 Round:

Pizzonia 41
Regalia 32
Pulcini 27
Cecotto Jr. 22
Sá Silva 18
Von Grünigen 18
Zlobin 14
Méndez 6
Cipriani 4

[Alessio]

Originally Posted by tux

Anyone know anything about LEONARDO PULCINI?

Impressive job on his first weekend considering hes only 16 and very inexperienced in car racing.

He's been pretty silent in Euroformula Open this year and only finished 4th in F4 Italia without a win last year, but today and yesterday his form was really impressive-beating the likes of Facu Regalia and Johnny Cecotto who are both proven talents in GP3/GP2 and with past experience in the same cars.

Despite the low attendance, the on track action was good as it has been in past seasons (albeit there were only ever so slightly more cars on track then too), and still worth the watch. Hoping for a few more cars out at Silverstone, which Coloni seem to be promising.

[ger80]

7 cars in Silverstone ...
http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/20...rstone-opener/

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

This series should fold. It's lost all status and really with 7 cars run (albeit with some talent) there really isn't much of a point to it anymore. The cars are old, it's really irrelevant in the whole scheme of things, etc...

[Juntos]

I don't understand the point of one putting a cent in this series. What is Pizzonia thinking to achieve by winning this?

[olev]

Apparently, there's a 250k€ prize for the winner, but given the championship's health, I would'nt rely on that too much

[Hawkwood]

It's a real shame, the cars are brilliant.
They sound epic and they slide around plenty.

[Mekola]

Regalia 2nd in both races of the weekend. Now is still 2nd in the championship, 11 points behind leader Pizzonia.

[Alessio]

Such a shame, 2012 and 2013 were excellent years for the series with decent grid sizes. One of my favourite series, even after a not so strong 2014 but this year it's completely fallen off. Were the Silverstone races even broadcasted, I didn't see them on Eurosport?

[Roninho]

It is a shame, currently they look to be on a road to nowhere. First of all i am uncertain how many cars of F3000/italia3000/acceleration are actually still available. I guess most ended up in bossgp or have been crashed?

Secondly, i am not sure what will make drivers with some cash move to Autogp? For a junior serie it simply does not lead to anything if you drive in this serie (unless you win and you apparently get 250k). But finishing 3rd in this serie will not get you any notice anywhere.

I believe there is still the unfullfilled niche in Europe for a serie with fast formula cars that pays drivers that finished in top 10 in GP2 and WSR but didnt make the jump to F1. Maybe they can reposition and try to work to that?
With a good main sponsor (like superfund used to be) and an OEM badging the current engine that could be an option?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

A lot of those drivers end up in sports cars, touring cars, or GTs anyway. Don't really see what the benefit of that would be.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Don't really see what the benefit of that would be.

The one thought that springs to mind is that Auto GP does provide some experience of driving high speed/high downforce cars at a reasonable price. As a consequence, there may be some useful experience if a driver fancies a career in LMP2/1.

[Roninho]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

A lot of those drivers end up in sports cars, touring cars, or GTs anyway. Don't really see what the benefit of that would be.

Well first of all i would think there are probably more good drivers available then good (=paid) drives. So if there would be another serie offering drives that would be good for the drivers.

But on a personal note: Today, with 6 or 8 or 10 cars and no name drivers in Autogp it doesnt do anything for me. But make it 20+ cars and half of the field drivers from top 10 Gp2/WSR and maybe some ex F1 drivers and i am very very interested to follow this.

Don't get me wrong, i don't see this happening with Autogp.

[Roninho]

Originally Posted by kipper

The one thought that springs to mind is that Auto GP does provide some experience of driving high speed/high downforce cars at a reasonable price. As a consequence, there may be some useful experience if a driver fancies a career in LMP2/1.

Actually in my suggested serie set up your point isnt really applicable. I suggested to more aim at the ex-GP2/WSR guys (make it a paid drive instead of a junior serie). Drivers with a lot of experience in GP2/WSR will not need the experience from Autogp to make the move to LMP2/1.