GP2 Series - Round 1 - Spain - Page 3

kerrmanningjarv · 10 May 2009, 14:03 (Ref:2459177)

di Grassi a major disappointment - seems his slow pace in Saturday's race was simply a set-up error from such an experienced team?

Today he was anonymous - despite having the most garish colour scheme on the grid, we hardly saw him.

bradrive · 10 May 2009, 19:54 (Ref:2459495)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adri_tifosi

Ask Bradrive what are the secret

There is no secret...

Rf1 Fan · 11 May 2009, 16:09 (Ref:2460220)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrive

There is no secret...

Grosjean is good?

Sev · 11 May 2009, 17:00 (Ref:2460262)

Grosjean + Petrov + sponsors = lots of money = good engineers
Good engineers + good drivers = good results

Makes sense?

bradrive · 11 May 2009, 21:26 (Ref:2460450)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

Grosjean + Petrov + sponsors = lots of money = good engineers
Good engineers + good drivers = good results

Makes sense?

no...it is not that simple...why are people on this forum always oversimply-
fying? the reasons for our good weekend are the following:

1.) good drivers
a.) grosjean naturally very quick and more mature than in 2008
b.) petrov having no karting career (as senna), starting his career late,
growing
2.) nearly perfect weekend, it will not always be like that (di grassi and his
team and certain others will for sure byte back...
3.) very good mechanics ensuring better than average reliability on the fragile
gp2 cars and good pitstops, working very hard and with passion
4.) "non superstar" engineers possibly working more and harder than average
5.) pretty stable team (75% of team is the same as in 2005)

in short: good drivers, good teamwork, hard work, passion and also some luck...

Petrol Head · 13 May 2009, 09:23 (Ref:2461510)

Thanks for the info and debate guys. Gutted that I couldn't watch the racing at the weekend so you are my source of information! Looks like it will be that way all season, damn Setanta....

**chunterer** · 13 May 2009, 14:41 (Ref:2461709)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrive

in short: good drivers, good teamwork, hard work, passion and also some luck...

I'm not being 'funny' here but I totally agree with you on all of those points except for luck. What luck was involved in either race last weekend?

You didn't need any because apart from Petrov getting bogged down on Sunday and later falling over himself to get out of Maldonado's way (possibly considered bad luck if anything), your cars were miles faster than anything else out there and a double 1-2 was there for the taking?

Overall, although it's a bit early to be either predicting or writing anyone off after 2 races, I suspect ART are going to be the major threat as the season progresses.

Both cars were very quick and almost able to overtake anyone else at will (bit like your cars bradrive!!) but found themselves battling back from poor grid positions or having to recover from fluffed starts, in both Maldonado's and Hulkenberg's cases.

Di Grassi surely will figure before long as it has to be said will the Arden boys and possibly I-sport and Piquet?

And what about Ocean, Parente was well up in both races having fought his way through the field. Serious promise for the 'new' team.

bradrive · 13 May 2009, 17:49 (Ref:2461851)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

I'm not being 'funny' here but I totally agree with you on all of those points except for luck. What luck was involved in either race last weekend?

finishing a GP2

race with the current gp2 cars without mechanical problems is a matter of good car preperation AND A LOT OF LUCK...

Rf1 Fan · 13 May 2009, 18:53 (Ref:2461881)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrive

finishing a GP2

race with the current gp2 cars without mechanical problems is a matter of good car preperation AND A LOT OF LUCK...

Why the team has changed the set-up of the car between Race 1 and Race 2 according to Grosjean?

It was a test for the behaviour of car between a conservative set-up and an aggressive set-up?

the sniper · 13 May 2009, 19:43 (Ref:2461913)

I was surprised by how good the racing was last weekend, I don't know if it was just luck, but do we think racing will be better this season then it was last year? I may be wrong, but it seemed to me that the cars were much more on the ragged edge (or as British commentator Murray Walker used to say, on the edge of adhesion) then they in '08. Could this be due to the increase in power, or was it just other circumstance like the tyres or heat? Or was it just me and there was no difference...

I was pleased with my three favourite drivers; D'Ambrosio, Parente and Maldonado. I think it's clear to see from Maldonado that reputation on the race track means a lot. It seems to me that most of the GP2 guys know that if Maldonado is behind you, he's either going to pass you or crash into you (or both), so you might as well get out of the way!

**chunterer** · 13 May 2009, 20:25 (Ref:2461955)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the sniper

I was pleased with my three favourite drivers; D'Ambrosio, Parente and Maldonado. I think it's clear to see from Maldonado that reputation on the race track means a lot. It seems to me that most of the GP2 guys know that if Maldonado is behind you, he's either going to pass you or crash into you (or both), so you might as well get out of the way!

Yes Jerome had a couple of strong if unspectacular races, but nevertheless a good start (I should add DAMS to that little list of Barwa rivals I guess!)

Both Parente and Maldonado seem to be out of a simialr mould in terms of aggressive driving although one was a little more successful than the other last weekend even if the Venezuelan also looked like he might harpoon another car at certain points!

Pastor i'm sure is patently aware that for the first time since he started in GP2, he has a teammate this year that is the 'real deal'. His future beyond 2009 really does depend on how he copes with Nico Hulkenberg.

His storming drives in Montmelo were a good way to begin dealing with that challenge.

bradrive · 14 May 2009, 08:32 (Ref:2462186)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rf1 Fan

Why the team has changed the set-up of the car between Race 1 and Race 2 according to Grosjean?

everybody is changing the setup from free practice to qualy to race 1 to race 2, as trackconditions (track temp and quantity and type of rubber on the track), ambient conditions and fuelloads are in all 4 events different.
it is not always obvious to foresee how much theses variables change and how much to change the setup as a consequence.

ivanalesi · 14 May 2009, 09:28 (Ref:2462208)

So when is the track faster for GP2, after rubber laid down by F1, FBMW or Porsche races? Btw, DAMS looked real quick, I know from IFM that Jerome can be very mature and steady driver, so may be he's some kind of dark horse :P Also if ART fail to improve this season with such driver pairing, then their image score must be decreased, especially after last year.

Spudy · 14 May 2009, 15:25 (Ref:2462397)

ART are a great team but they have so far failed to show they have fully got to grips with this new spec GP2 car. I notice a lot of people rating Hulkenberg, I'm not so sure he will turn out to be the top rookie this year. Got some decent competition from Mortara and van der Garde.

Mortara obviously impressed but can Arden give him a good car all season? Arden started off as runaway favourites when GP2 first started but they have not really delivered. I believe Senna paid his way out of his contract so he could go to iSport. Maybe Mortara can unlock something in them this season and bring Arden back to their Kovalinen form.

Bring on Monaco. I wonder if iSport will be strong there this year, seemed to have an amazing car last year. Maldonado will be on it as usual. The only thing I don't like about him is the way he has a tendancy to ruin other peoples races when he goes too far. If I was a driver he would be the last person I would want behind me, not because hes so quick but because I'd be afraid he was going to crash into me. Hes so good around Monaco though, he'll be very difficult to beat.

runshaw · 14 May 2009, 15:33 (Ref:2462407)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spudy

If I was a driver he would be the last person I would want behind me, not because hes so quick but because I'd be afraid he was going to crash into me. Hes so good around Monaco though, he'll be very difficult to beat.

If I was a driver I wouldn't want him in front of me either, he's brake tested people on occasion! Adam Carroll won the sprint race at Silverstone in 07, and said it was clear that Maldonado slowed up coming through Farm as he could see Adam was quicker and directly behind him, but fortunately he saw it coming and just drove round the outside of him! Your right though, he will be on it in Monaco, already won races in GP2 and WSbR there.

Rf1 Fan · 14 May 2009, 20:17 (Ref:2462591)

Imo Monaco will be a psychlogical turn for Maldonado.
If he does well he can fly if he doesn't do well he will go down.

bradrive · 15 May 2009, 11:44 (Ref:2462880)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rf1 Fan

Imo Monaco will be a psychlogical turn for Maldonado.
If he does well he can fly if he doesn't do well he will go down.

he will do well...ever seen him flying around the Monaco streets?...

**chunterer** · 15 May 2009, 21:13 (Ref:2463139)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrive

he will do well...ever seen him flying around the Monaco streets?...

I'd be very surprised if he wasn't a contender indeed.

who else could excel around the Principality? You're probably as good a person to ask about this as any other bradrive.....