06/06/2009
NEWS STORY
Durango - Davide Valsecchi (3rd) Nelson Panciatici (DNF)
Just on the circuit where one year ago driver and team went through a terrible experience, today Davide Valsecchi and Durango celebrate a wonderful podium. At the end of an outstanding Istanbul race 1 Davide claimed in fact a third place to be remembered. Even Nelson Panciatici was doing very well but a mechanical failure forced him to retire.
The race has been fought from the start till the chequered flag, one reason more of satisfaction for Ivone Pinton who said: "We opened our classification at least! And we did it thanks to Davide consistent performance and to the team perfect job. We have been able to exploit any chance, we did a bloody fast pit stop at the right time and Davide fought from the beginning till the end, demonstrating to use not only his foot but his brain as well. Very well done indeed. It's a pity for Nelson, who was delivering a very good performance, but for sure he will get better satisfaction very soon".
Fat Burner Racing Engineering - Lucas Di Grassi (8th) Dani Clos (12th)
Both Fat Burner Racing Engineering drivers, Lucas Di Grassi and Dani Clos, showed an excellent performance to finish today's feature race in Turkey 8th and 12th respectively after starting from 13th and last on the grid.
After Friday's qualification, Lucas and Dani knew they would have to take risks and make the best of their strategies on Saturday's feature race to be within a chance of scoring points or finishing in a good position for Sunday's sprint race... And they did not disappoint.
Both Fat Burner Racing Engineering drivers had a good start and kept away from any possible incidents when entering the first corner. Lucas, who had gained one position on the grid due to several drivers having been handed grid penalties after Friday's qualifying, passed a stalled Chandhok at the start and was ready to fight his way into the points. Dani, on the other hand, seemed to be on a mission and when the lights went off, immediately made up 5 positions in the first few corners.
Lucas' race then took a turn for the worse shortly after the start when he lost his front wing after contact with his compatriot Valerio in the last corner of the opening lap. With the pit stop window opening only five laps later, Lucas lost numerous positions due to the lack of front downforce, dropping him back to 20th, when he finally entered into the pits on lap 6. The Fat Burner Racing Engineering staff quickly and efficiently changed his front nose, wing and tyres, but Lucas nevertheless had to rejoin the race in last position. However, this did not distress the Brazilian, who, lap after lap, but also due to some retirements and a safety car period, caught up with the rest of the field and was able to finish in 9th position.
The final part of the race was full of excitement as the Fat Burner Racing Engineering driver, consistently set excellent lap times, put under pressure Rigon. The Italian, seeing the determination of Lucas, tried to open a gap that would allow him to stay in his position, but the Brazilian was not going to have any of it and finally overtook him, along with Zuber, to finally cross the line in 9th. A penalty handed over to Van der Garde afterwards meant that Lucas was moved to 8th position and he will therefore start the Sunday race from pole position.
Dani once more showed his brilliant overtaking skills and kept away from trouble despite having had little time on Friday to get used to the Turkish layout. The 10 place penalty might have seemed harsh, but the Spanish driver did not let this spoil his race and from the start pushed and fought to make up places while at the same time kept at bay those drivers trying to take advantage of his 'rookie' status.
A mistake, when he tried to overtake Mortara and Chandhok, saw him spinning and could have cost him dearly. But Dani did not let it put him off and rejoined the race, determined to carry on with his charge. During the last laps, the Fat Burner Racing Engineering driver had an intense battle with the Indian driver, but in the end, it was Dani who came out victorious to finish 13th, but later was confirmed as 12th.
Lucas Di Grassi: The start was good, but the opening lap of the race was really bad. I touched with Valerio in the last corner of lap 1 and lost the car's front wing. Because the mandatory pit stop can only be done from lap 6 on, I stayed out for 5 laps without front wing, losing positions. After the pit stop I dropped back to last and when the safety car was deployed I was running in 20th place. Then I pushed a lot and was able to overtake several cars. During the last lap I passed two, Rigon and shortly after Zuber in the last corner, which allowed me to finish the race in eighth position.
Dani Clos: I had a good start and during the entire race the car was just perfect. We have a very good set up and our pit stop was crucial for the strategy we had chosen. After the safety car period I went a bit wide and touched the grass in corner 9, which allowed the cars behind me to catch up. I went into the following corner on the inside and touched with another car, which made me spin. But I was able to continue and I carried on fighting with Rodríguez and Chandhok, who suffered from a technical problem. To have finished this race without many problems it is really positive. We need to continue this good work in tomorrow's race.
Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon, Team's President: The guys did an amazing job. Congratulations! Even tough Lucas started quite far back and lost his wing, which forced him to drive without it for 5 laps, he was able to get the car back and race up the way to 9th, which now has been confirmed as 8th as a drivers in front of him was handed over a penalty. Dani did a fantastic race as well. With a bit more regularity we will see him scoring his first points any time soon. The drivers and the entire team did really well today.
Trident Racing - Davide Rigon (10th) Ricardo Teixeira (14th)
Trident Racing brought both Davide Rigon and Ricardo Teixeira to checkered flag at Istanbul on the first race of the GP2 Main Series weekend. The first race, which saw a record-high 11 cars retire due to mistakes and technical issues, was neutralized by an early safety-car situation. Davide Rigon clinched a top-10 spot, and will start from row 5 in Sunday's Race 2, starting at 10:30. Ricardo Teixeira had a good race too, ending up in 14th without committing mistakes and progressively improving his pace. The driver from Angola improved his race 1 starting position, as he'll take off from row 7.
Davide Rigon: "I did a good start, but unfortunately my early pace wasn't really breezing. The situation improved as the race progressed though, and I was able to get to the back of the pack I had in front. Before midpoint, the Safety Car made its way in, and I lost time to recover as I ended up being the first driver behind it. This situation has been really penalizing I think, because laptimes proved that I could have found my way through the drivers I had in front. The second half of the race brought us a great pitstop and some difficulties in managing the balancing between the new rear tires paired with the older rubber at the front. In the closing laps I tried to pass Villa, but I went beyond my limits and lost one spot to Di Grassi. I hope Race 2 will bring me some points in standings".
Ricardo Texeira: "I'm glad to have positively ended Race 1 for the first time in my GP2 Series career, and to have managed to keep control in a really tough and demanding race, also from a physical point of view. I clearly noticed my feeling with the car improving lap after lap, and I even managed to make some good moves and stay in traffic. I'm happier than in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, I think the team is also improving each kilometer we run. I'm still missing some consistency, but I'm looking forward to improve it really soon. I'll take off from the mid part of the pack tomorrow, and I'm sure it'll be really exciting. This will also be a new experience for me".
iSport International - Diego Nunes (11th) Giedo van der Garde (15th)
Giedo van der Garde and Diego Nunes had a tough task ahead of them in today's feature race at Istanbul Park and luck was certainly not on the side of iSport.
Rookie Giedo van der Garde, starting from fourteenth, drove beautifully to keep championship leader Romain Grosjean and GP2 veteran Pastor Maldonado honest for most of the race. After a slick pit stop by the iSport team under the safety car van der Garde capitalised to finish seventh. However van der Garde was deemed to have overtaken the safety car incorrectly and has been handed a 25 second penalty and also a 10 place grid drop virtually ending all chances of a good result from this weekend. Brazilian Diego Nunes, starting from twenty-first, choose an early pit stop strategy which almost paid off as he signed a succession of very quick lap times. However after being held up by the safety car the top eight managed to pit and retake their places ahead of the young Brazilian leaving him just outside the points, frustrating given the speed of his iSport car.
Giedo van der Garde: "It was pretty good starting fourteenth and finishing seventh. The pace was good and the car was pretty good so I think it was a very optimum race. I am very disappointed with the penalty. I had hoped the stewards would have given me a warning as it was a very close call when I overtook the safety car, but I have to respect their decision. Now all my hard work has been undone and it will be very difficult to get a result from tomorrow. The only positive thing is the car was very good and we have found some good pace.
Diego Nunes: "It was not bad until the safety car. We did a very good strategy, the car was 100% it was perfect. We were fighting to be in the top eight and it was very possible but unfortunately the safety car held me and didn't let me pass for thirty seconds and then he let me pass. So I lost five positions behind the safety car. I could have been in the top eight which was very frustrating and I think I had maybe the second quickest lap of the race so it was amazing so it's a shame I lost time behind the safety car".
Ocean Racing Technology - Karun Chandhok (13th) Alvaro Parente (DNF)
After a brilliant qualifying session where yellow flags prevented them from exploiting the full potential of their Dallara Renault, Ocean Racing Technology once again proved this afternoon in Istanbul that they have one of the fastest single-seaters on the grid of the GP2 Main Series where Alvaro Parente fought hard with the front runners and teammate Karun Chandhok recorded the fastest lap of the race.
The team's Indian racer lined up on the third row of the grid for this afternoon's feature race, however he stalled on the grid, which forced him to carry out an aggressive race from 24th place, knowing that points would be out of his range. 14th at the finish, Karun was the author of the fastest lap of the race.
Meanwhile, from 7th on the grid, teammate Alvaro Parente slowly but surely climbed up into the pecking order and was up into 2nd place when he lost control of his car in the fast left hander of Istanbul Park, turn 8, where the limitations of the car are at a maximum. Alvaro was in a crucial phase of his race after opening up a gap to his rivals due to a late pit stop. The driver of Ocean Racing Technology's car n°25 now regrets that his off track excursion has compromised his entire race weekend when his car had the potential to fight for the very top positions.
For Chandhok, frustration was at the height of hopes born in free practice where Ocean Racing Technology finished in the first two places and of a good qualifying session. "Frustrating, that's the only word that pops up in my mind to describe our misfortunes. I fell back at the end of the field right at the start and from then on I gave my best to try and gain some positions. The car was very efficient and well balanced, it was clearly the fastest in the field. To clock the fastest lap of the race is a small consolation but it is a testimony to our competitiveness. On Sunday, I'll try to get into the top 10 as soon as possible and from there I'll see what I can do" Chandhok explained.
Karun will start the second race from the 7th row of the grid and his aim is to try and secure at least one point. For Alvaro Parente, the mission will be even more complicated from down in 20th place.