2013 GP2 Silly Season

[bella]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Andre turned out a few solid performances in FR 3.5 this year.

agree, he was on the podium at the great wet-dry-wet nurburgring race this year - that was a good effort. draco had a good weekend there. not sure he's a serious talent though, not in single seaters at least.

i don't know why but i was suprised how well melker did in his 3.5 races too. is he particularly well backed?

[BackmarkerUK]

Originally Posted by bella

i don't know why but i was suprised how well melker did in his 3.5 races too. is he particularly well backed?

He's backed by HWA AG, so it wouldn't be too much of a surprise to see him end up in DTM in the future (assuming he doesn't make it to F1).

[verde]

I was born in the same city as Xandinho Negrão (the former GP2 driver) and André is indeed his cousin. Both Xandinho and André are sons of famous drivers here in Brazil.

Before reaching GP2, Xandinho won the South American F3 championship quite easily, but it happened because there was only a bunch of drivers racing against him and he had much more money than anyone here (until some time ago, the Negrão family owned one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies here). It's really hard to say if Xandinho was really as bad of a driver as we could conclude during his GP2 times, but surely we're not talking about the top of the crop.

As for André, I met a guy that is married to one of his aunts. Very nice guy, not so talented (he was no known even in the Brazilian motorsport environment prior to his debut in WSbR) and a survivor of a huge motorcycle crash in my city some years ago (he crashed at high speed on a bus). He went under surgery and it looks like there are some minor sequelae on his face.

He says he has no intention on snapping up a GP2 seat this year. A third year in WSbR would be far more adequate as his father owns a good team and wins wouldn't be a crazy dream in 2013.

.

All these first tests are only a good way for teams amassing some money on cash. I don't see Raimondo or Regalia being that strong contenders for serious seats next year, even though they have the money that lacks for a guy like James Calado. But I must say this silly season has been much greater than last year. Not bad having Quaife-Hobbs, Evans, Abt and Juncadella having a taste on GP2.

[BackmarkerUK]

Caterham Racing confirms Rossi and Foresti for Barcelona. Rossi's as good as confirmed at the team for next year, unsure about Foresti. As Giedo van der Garde claims he won't be back, maybe it's down to who can bring the most sponsorship.

[bella]

really interested to see how rossi goes in gp2 if i'm honest. if the russian roulette nature of the car problems in fr3.5 didn't suit him, he's going to have a tough time of it with the tyre game unless he can really make them work.

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by BackmarkerUK

Canadian Raimondo won the European F3 Open this year - I'm not sure if the GP2 test is just a prize, or if he's seriously being considered for a seat.

No he didn't, not yet anyway, and no it isn't.

[Alex K]

Rossi's been all but confirmed last year... I do not believe in that claim.
@verde Andre's dad, which team he owns? And also, did they sell their stake at Medley?
@chunterer sorry for causing "concern" mate had to confirm that and yeah, he's said it's a strong rumour.
Maybe it's a wrong topic, but do Walter Sr still own P1 in FR3.5? If yeah, does anyone know of his plans re. the team?

[BackmarkerUK]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Rossi's been all but confirmed last year... I do not believe in that claim.

After the end of the Formula Renault 3.5 series Nino Singh Judge, the CEO of Caterham Racing, tweeted Alex Rossi to say "@AlexanderRossi well done dude. Next year lots of trophies with @MyCaterhamGP2", and Rossi replied, "@ninojudge @mycaterhamgp2 yes sir. I have some making up to do". Might not be for certain, but I strongly expect it will happen.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

This sickens me. Flat out. Call me xenophobic if you will but that is ridiculous.

The nation that loves competition, except when foreigners beat us in one. The nation that loves freedom, unless you use it finance a foreigner's adventures in auto racing. It must be frustrating to be Malaysian and see the backers Rossi has.

Anyway, I never thought I'd see Gianmarco Raimondo's name in a thread about prospective GP2 drivers. I'm not too familiar with his situation this year (i.e. who he is racing against, what kind of equipment he has, etc). but the last I saw of him, it wasn't impressive.

[Francis Albert]

Originally Posted by Alex K

@verde Andre's dad, which team he owns? And also, did they sell their stake at Medley?

I think they own Draco.

[bella]

they do, they bought either a controlling share or all of it last season when the morinis retired, if i remember rightly.

alex: yes he does still own p1.

[verde]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Rossi's been all but confirmed last year... I do not believe in that claim.
@verde Andre's dad, which team he owns? And also, did they sell their stake at Medley?
@chunterer sorry for causing "concern" mate had to confirm that and yeah, he's said it's a strong rumour.
Maybe it's a wrong topic, but do Walter Sr still own P1 in FR3.5? If yeah, does anyone know of his plans re. the team?

Negrão family owns Draco. Guto Negrão (André's father) had purchased the team last year.

As far as I know, Medley was taken over by Sanofi a couple of years ago. I have no information about what slice of the company exactly was sold, but I know it was a large one.

[verde]

http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/a...medium=twitter

Giancarlo Serenelli is talking about a comeback to GP2 next year. He said also that he wants to attend three series simultaneously: GP2, AutoGP and Indy Lights!

And he speaks a bit about his Formula One dreams. Sigh.

[BackmarkerUK]

If he was any faster he'd be dangerous. I hope not to have him taking up space on the grid next season, if Venezuela GP Lazarus are determined to have a Venezuelan driver they should take Rodolfo Gonzalez or Johnny Cecotto (though I think he might be staying at Addax next year).

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

The nation that loves competition, except when foreigners beat us in one. The nation that loves freedom, unless you use it finance a foreigner's adventures in auto racing. It must be frustrating to be Malaysian and see the backers Rossi has.

Anyway, I never thought I'd see Gianmarco Raimondo's name in a thread about prospective GP2 drivers. I'm not too familiar with his situation this year (i.e. who he is racing against, what kind of equipment he has, etc). but the last I saw of him, it wasn't impressive.

Yeah, because its not GE and CNN pulling the strings there. There are no American teams racing in Europe, GP2 does not race here, Pal Varhaug isn't a big name over here, and last I checked, Norway wasn't a massive market that companies are crawling all over themselves to get to. So why the hell are investors looking at this kid? He's not even that good.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by verde

Negrão family owns Draco. Guto Negrão (André's father) had purchased the team last year.

As far as I know, Medley was taken over by Sanofi a couple of years ago. I have no information about what slice of the company exactly was sold, but I know it was a large one.

Then Negrão family took over Draco from the Morini couple? Finally their dream to promote Brazilian drivers up to F1 or other higher ladders (which was one of perennial Dracos aims) came to fruition turning the team to Brazilian owners.

[verde]

Originally Posted by Mekola

Then Negrão family took over Draco from the Morini couple? Finally their dream to promote Brazilian drivers up to F1 or other higher ladders (which was one of perennial Dracos aims) came to fruition turning the team to Brazilian owners.

Or perhaps it's meant to be only a family outfit that wants to foster André's motorsport career up to Formula One, like did Chilton, Herck or Grubmüller families.

[bella]

you know, i can never work out whether taking a second seat in a family-owned team like draco or p1 or rfr/kmp is ever a good idea. there just seems to be an inherant conflict of interests.

[verde]

Hard to say. I think about Giacomo Ricci when this issue springs to mind. He managed to get a set in GP2 thanks to André Herck and even won a race in Hungaroring, but was always considered a second-class asset to DPR. On the other hand, were it not for his hopeless job, Ricci could have been hanging around much more than he's actually doing now. Maybe his career would be over back in 2008 or 2009.

But you can also think about the second Carlin car last year. If your surname wasn't Chilton, you would have some tough times in a job that nobody could predict its owner in a fortnight's time. I saw Alvaro Parente, Oliver Turvey and Mikhail Aleshin sharing that beautiful but poor car and felt no less than bothered.

Hard to say. It depends on the conditions. And on the mood of the careful father.

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

Originally Posted by verde

http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/a...medium=twitter

Giancarlo Serenelli is talking about a comeback to GP2 next year. He said also that he wants to attend three series simultaneously: GP2, AutoGP and Indy Lights!

And he speaks a bit about his Formula One dreams. Sigh.

I was going to ask where he got the money from, but apparently his cap answers my question.

Surely doing a full season in each of those 3 championships won't be tehcnically possible, there will be at least a few clashes. Just for staters, the Monaco GP is traditionally held on the same week-end as the Indy 500, making it quite hard to make both the GP2 Monaco races and the Freedom 100 the same year, unless you have a time machine.

Not sure if doing Lights alongside GP2 and/or AutoGP is such a great idea anyway, from what I've read, the antique Lights car is quite a different animal from most of the current European single seater cars.

[BackmarkerUK]

Originally Posted by W.A Trichlorostyrene

Surely doing a full season in each of those 3 championships won't be tehcnically possible, there will be at least a few clashes. Just for staters, the Monaco GP is traditionally held on the same week-end as the Indy 500, making it quite hard to make both the GP2 Monaco races and the Freedom 100 the same year, unless you have a time machine.

To be fair, it's not like he's going to damage a title challenge by missing a race in any of the series.

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

Originally Posted by BackmarkerUK

To be fair, it's not like he's going to damage a title challenge by missing a race in any of the series.

Indeed.

Although, I am sort of curious to see him on the ovals in Lights. We've seen mediocre road racers turn into decent oval racers in the past. That said, Lights have proper drivers' ovals now, instead of the 1.5 miles cookie cutters of the past few years.

Originally Posted by verde

Hard to say. I think about Giacomo Ricci when this issue springs to mind. He managed to get a set in GP2 thanks to André Herck and even won a race in Hungaroring, but was always considered a second-class asset to DPR. On the other hand, were it not for his hopeless job, Ricci could have been hanging around much more than he's actually doing now. Maybe his career would be over back in 2008 or 2009.

I always felt it was a bit sad to see him getting the boot right after the Hungarian win, even though it was a reversed grid deal. A bit like Josef Kral this year.

[Alex K]

If Serenelli's reach as he pretends he is why wouldn't he try out IndyCar experience?! I don't want to see him on ovals, not in first year at least, but streets/roads should suit number of ICS team owners. EJ starts his own team.

Everytime I hear about Venezuela's hopefuls - Serenelli, Gomez, Duno it reminds Ross Kemp's documentary Extreme World, don't know why?

[BackmarkerUK]

Ramon Piñeiro to test for Ocean Racing Technology. Piñeiro last drove in Formula Two in 2011, when he came third. Announced on twitter.

Also rumoured on twitter is that Marussia will not renew their deal with Carlin, but will instead replace Coloni. Don't see it myself, the Carlin deal has to be more cost effective.

Originally Posted by W.A Trichlorostyrene

Although, I am sort of curious to see him on the ovals in Lights. We've seen mediocre road racers turn into decent oval racers in the past. That said, Lights have proper drivers' ovals now, instead of the 1.5 miles cookie cutters of the past few years.

I think he has oval experience from his LATAM Challenge days. He was dominant there, so he might give a better account of himself on an oval.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

Yeah, because its not GE and CNN pulling the strings there. There are no American teams racing in Europe, GP2 does not race here, Pal Varhaug isn't a big name over here, and last I checked, Norway wasn't a massive market that companies are crawling all over themselves to get to. So why the hell are investors looking at this kid? He's not even that good.

Rossi joined what is now Caterham before CNN and GE did. AirAsia was his first major backer, and GE took months after they joined Caterham to begin supporting Rossi.

I realize from the perspective of a red, white, and blue high horse, you can see every last detail of these mysterious American investors and know how to spend their money better than they do. It is very American, after all, to demand freedom for yourself and give it to no others.

I'd have figured it'd be easy to be content that Caterham have stuck with Rossi despite a **** year in WSR, and that Rossi's backers are an F1 team and their major partners, rather than some American investors of whom we know nothing and have not committed any money yet.

Anyway, I'll disengage from this quibble. I've been kicked off a forum before for being an "unAmerican freedom freeloader" and I'd prefer it not happen again.

Back to GP2...

I've yet to really be excited by a rumor thus far. Still early, and perhaps I'm hard to please, but the GP2 grids seem to get progressively less relevant and interesting as the years go by. Kind of a shame.