2016 GP2 silly season thread

[peebee2]

I don't RB pay 100% of anyone's budget

[bella]

somehow, a decade has happened without me noticing, i keep thinking 2005-ish was only a few years ago

as you were, carry on

[LavidaLoca]

tbh the fact that such a dominant driver like Vandoorne has not been granted a seat in F1 yet is really worrying for the Gp2 championship and the complete motorsport single seater ladder

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by LavidaLoca

tbh the fact that such a dominant driver like Vandoorne has not been granted a seat in F1 yet is really worrying for the Gp2 championship and the complete motorsport single seater ladder

To my book, the main problem is lack of F1 testing.

If we'd go back to 2006 F1 testing regulations i'm sure we'd see more talents popping up.

The example of Mclaren is interesting but let's have a look at Merc.

They could not test Ocon in Abu Dhabi because he is too tall that they've had to change pedal, it would've takent 3 hours in a test day.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

To be honest one of the main problems is the top teams reluctance to replace drivers these days. It stems from Frentzen at Williams, to the extent that someone who is as pehnomenal as Hulkenberg is overlooked because there is a chance he may be like Frentzen (underwhelming, despite good results). Therefore the likes of Raikkonen, Webber, to an extent even Massa and Rosberg, keep top seats because they are a known, whereas an unknown young driver could potentially upset things and may not get the results expected.

I have to say, yet again, thank god for Red Bull.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

To be honest one of the main problems is the top teams reluctance to replace drivers these days. It stems from Frentzen at Williams, to the extent that someone who is as pehnomenal as Hulkenberg is overlooked because there is a chance he may be like Frentzen (underwhelming, despite good results). Therefore the likes of Raikkonen, Webber, to an extent even Massa and Rosberg, keep top seats because they are a known, whereas an unknown young driver could potentially upset things and may not get the results expected.

I have to say, yet again, thank god for Red Bull.

That's why testing ban is bad.

Due to the lack of know quantities , teams are reluctant to take risks.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I was trying to find a reason outside of the testing ban, but it really contributes to this factor actually!

The issue is that testing is expensive. Someone needs to get in and sort F1 economics out don't they?!

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

To be honest one of the main problems is the top teams reluctance to replace drivers these days. It stems from Frentzen at Williams, to the extent that someone who is as pehnomenal as Hulkenberg is overlooked because there is a chance he may be like Frentzen (underwhelming, despite good results). Therefore the likes of Raikkonen, Webber, to an extent even Massa and Rosberg, keep top seats because they are a known, whereas an unknown young driver could potentially upset things and may not get the results expected.

I have to say, yet again, thank god for Red Bull.

Is that really the case?

JPM (Willy), Kimi (Sauber), Massa, Nico (Willy), Lewis are 4 examples I can think of where teams have taken a 'risk' on a newcomer or unproven driver and it's paid off in spades.

Anyway I don't think anyone would say the Frentzen sitch was anything other than a huge surprise. It is very rare that a hotshot driver doesn't make the most of his big break.

Teams aren't afraid of making changes it's purely circumstantial..

[Rf1 Fan]

Ghiotto wants to do GP2 but money matters.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122333

According to Omnicorse he may get 350 000€ financial help.
Then he will have 200 000€ from Pirelli as all odds are sending Ocon to DTM.

So he needs to get 1.5 million € to stand on the starting grid in GP2 next year in good team.

Hard task.

[Formulahistory]

ART: Nobuharu Matsushista (?) – Oliver Rowland (?)
Racing Engineering: Jordan King (?) – Norman Nato (?)
DAMS: Alex Lynn – Nicholas Latifi
Campos: Mitch Evans – Sean Gelael
Russian Time: Artem Markelov – Andrea Caldarelli (?)
Rapax: Sergey Sirotkin (?) – André Negrão (?)
Trident: Luca Ghiotto (?) – Artur Janosz (?)
Status: Philo Paz Armand (?) – Alex Fontana (?)
Carlin: Dean Stoneman (?) – Antonio Giovinazzi (?)
MP: Daniël de Jong (?) – Nick Yelloly (?)
Arden: Gustav Malja (?) – Jimmy Eriksson (?)
Hilmer: Arthur Pic (?) – Patric Niederhauser (?)
Prema Power: Pierre Gasly (?) – Felix Rosenqvist (?)

[Rf1 Fan]

According to SMP, Sirotkin is finalising the details of a contract with ART GP.

[JD Media]

I think Rowland will race for Prema next year, as he was speaking about driving the Macau GP for the same team as his 2016 GP2 team...

[Rf1 Fan]

Both Ghiotto and Marciello are targeting Russian Time "Cheaper seat"
http://www.italiaracing.net/newsint.aspx?id=57886&cat=4

Trident could be a B plan for Ghiotto.

I guess also that Ellinas is in the running for the seat.

[10TENTHS]

Rosenqvist is exploring his options elsewhere:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAUJ6o8QrY6/

https://www.instagram.com/p/_XqAv0Qrbm/

[skells22]

well you can bold Sergey Sirotkin as he has a car and not the car on this silly season thread, its a ART car he using this year (if you need to look check GP2 website)

[ShettyRakS]

Sirotkin with ART confirmed !! Would be really tough to defeat this dou unless some1 produce something Special !!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Jordan King has also been confirmed at Racing Engineering. Sirotkin looks a good shout for the title.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by ShettyRakS

Sirotkin with ART confirmed !! Would be really tough to defeat this dou unless some1 produce something Special !!

Well Sirotkin failed to be a title contender in 3.5 series at Fortec in his sophomore year. Let's wait before making some bets on who is contender.

Raffaelle Marciello to remain in GP2.

Think Lello will take Evans seat at Russian Time.

I'm pretty sure that Evans could challenge Sirotkin.

[Formulahistory]

ART: Sergey Sirotkin – Nobuharu Matsushista (?)
Racing Engineering: Jordan King – Norman Nato (?)
DAMS: Alex Lynn – Nicholas Latifi
Campos: Mitch Evans – Sean Gelael
Russian Time: Artem Markelov – Andrea Caldarelli (?)
Rapax: André Negrão (?) – Gustav Malja (?)
Trident: Luca Ghiotto (?) – Artur Janosz (?)
Status: Philo Paz Armand (?) – Alex Fontana (?)
Carlin: Dean Stoneman (?) – Antonio Giovinazzi (?)
MP: Daniël de Jong (?) – Nick Yelloly (?)
Arden: Emil Bernstorff (?) – Jimmy Eriksson (?)
Hilmer: Arthur Pic (?) – Patric Niederhauser (?)
Prema Power: Pierre Gasly (?) – Oliver Rowland (?)

[p-matt]

Originally Posted by Rf1 Fan

Well Sirotkin failed to be a title contender in 3.5 series at Fortec in his sophomore year. Let's wait before making some bets on who is contender.



Raffaelle Marciello to remain in GP2.



Think Lello will take Evans seat at Russian Time.



I'm pretty sure that Evans could challenge Sirotkin.

Sirotkin did have the best rookie season in the Pirelli era bar Vandoorne. I think that says more than a so-so season in a weaker formula.

[ShettyRakS]

Originally Posted by Rf1 Fan

Well Sirotkin failed to be a title contender in 3.5 series at Fortec in his sophomore year. Let's wait before making some bets on who is contender.

Raffaelle Marciello to remain in GP2.

Think Lello will take Evans seat at Russian Time.

I'm pretty sure that Evans could challenge Sirotkin.

I know Sirotkin could'nt challenge for FR3.5 championship in his sophomore year, But still he was only 18 at that point of time & most often suffered as his Fortec car broke down causing 5 retirements !! Making GP2 debut @ d age of 19, & finishing in Top3 shows he is up for d challenge & matured now..

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Sirotkin did have the best rookie season in the Pirelli era bar Vandoorne. I think that says more than a so-so season in a weaker formula.

We will see.

A good car - driver combination does not always translate into title contention.

More over when you know that ART had to face big changes into their engineering strengh.


In GP2 you need more than a fast great car - driver combination.

Better not take things for granted.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by ShettyRakS

I know Sirotkin could'nt challenge for FR3.5 championship in his sophomore year, But still he was only 18 at that point of time & most often suffered as his Fortec car broke down causing 5 retirements !! Making GP2 debut @ d age of 19, & finishing in Top3 shows he is up for d challenge & matured now..

Maybe yes, maybe not.

GP2 is too complicated to reach conclusions that quickly.

From P3 in championship to P8 there was only a spectrum of 29 points in the 2015 gp2 season.

With those tight gaps difficult to predict what will happen in 2016

Of that part of the standings 2015 was probably the tightest ever gp2 season.

[skells22]

I wonder why we had no date news yet from GP2, is it because making sure all F1 races are 100% confirmed before saying the dates?

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by skells22

I wonder why we had no date news yet from GP2, is it because making sure all F1 races are 100% confirmed before saying the dates?

Because making Bahrein-Sochi-Spain is a huge headache in terms of costs.

I'm pretty sure that if no cheap solution is found they will start the season in Spain.