13/09/2009
NEWS STORY
Fat Burner Racing Engineering - Lucas Di Grassi (2nd) Dani Clos (DNF)
Today's GP2 sprint race at the Autodromo di Monza left a bittersweet feeling within the Spanish Fat Burner Racing Engineering Team. While Lucas Di Grassi scored yet another podium after starting from sixth on the grid, Dani Clos was left out of the event after being hit by another driver on lap 1.
Things appeared to be quite good for both Fat Burner Racing Engineering drivers at the beginning of the race. Dani's engine was changed after the problems encountered during Saturday's race and the young Spaniard started the race from 15th position. He managed to make it up to 13th at the start and passed a few more cars during the next corners. However, when a very optimistic Nunes tried to get his position back, Dani's race came to a sudden end. The Brazilian made an inopportune move trying to pass the Spanish rookie and this ended with Nunes' car touching Dani's rear tyre. Dani flipped over several times, but was able to walk away from the accident scene unharmed.
Lucas, on the other hand, stormed through the field as soon as the lights went off and placed himself in second position behind his countryman Razia, and in front of championship leader Hulkenberg. Lucas kept a steady pace and close to Razia while securing his second place from Hulkenberg and Petrov, who were battling for third. Although the Brazilian in the Fat Burner Racing Engineering car felt he was faster than Razia, overtaking was difficult at the Italian track as the loss of downforce when driving too close to the car in front has a big effect on the balance of the car. Lucas completed a clean race, staying away from trouble and not taking unnecessary risks that could have jeopardized his more than well deserved second position and second podium of the weekend at the Autodromo di Monza.
Lucas Di Grassi: I had a really great start and the car was very good. I was quicker than Razia, but it was impossible to overtake him. You lose too much downforce, when you are driving so close to a car in front. And Razia didn't make any mistake, so I had to settle for second. But I think two podiums are a great result after having started from 15th in race 1.
Dani Clos: I had a really, really good start. I gained several places and also positioned myself well for the second chicane to pass other cars. After, on the straight, I saw a car behind me and went to the inside. To be honest, I have no idea where this driver wanted to pass me, but he touched me in the back and this ended in a very nasty and dangerous accident. My car flipped over and is completely destroyed, but I am fine.
Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon, Team President: Well, first of all I am happy that Dani is well after this severe accident. He rolled over several times and it was stupid of the other drive since Dani could do nothing to avoid it. I also feel sorry for our boys, as this adds extra work with the next round taking place next weekend. Lucas had a great weekend with his two podiums and securing his position in the championship standings. Now we have to hope that Portugal brings similarly good results, but for both drivers.
ART Grand Prix - Nico Hulkenberg (3rd) Pastor Maldonado (15th)
For the first time in the history of the GP2 Main Series, the championship crown were sewn up before the end of the season with ART Grand Prix back in the winner's circle, their third in the five year that the championship has been running, securing the drivers crown at the Monza circuit this weekend.
After starting third on the grid for a very wet and chaotic race one that saw a delayed start due to torrential rain and took place behind the safety car, Nico Hülkenberg was up with the front runners but ran wide at Parabolica and lost several positions, eventually crossing the line sixth. The German racer also suffered overheating issues due to leaves in the radiator of his ART contender. The oil temperature was high and at first the team wanted to call him back into the pits, but the stop would have cost Nico around 40 seconds. Thankfully the temperature went down and he managed to save the time that would have been wasted from the unscheduled stop. In second race, Nico knew he needed to finish ahead of Petrov to secure the drivers crown and he did just that, taking third place at the flag.
Meanwhile, teammate Pastor Maldonado qualified sixth for race one, but was elevated to fifth after di Grassi's penalty, but after a good start he had an off track excursion on the damp track and was forced to retire. Starting from the back in race two meant that a good finish was always going to be a great challenge and he ended up crossing the line in fifteenth place after securing the second fastest race lap.
With the drivers title firmly in hand, ART Grand Prix now heads to Portugal for the season finale of the GP2 Main Series this coming weekend where they aim to secure the second and most prestigious title, the team championship crown.
Nico Hulkenberg: "The first race was tough with the track conditions and an overheating problem with the engine because of leaves stuck in the radiator air intake, but the most important thing was to take the chequered flag and secure some points and a nice position on the grid for race two. And we did it! On Sunday, I stayed calm and totally focussed to get out of the first corner and then do what was needed to make sure the title was ours. To clinch the title is really fantastic because I had to fight with all these drivers who were doing their third or fourth year in the series and we had some difficulties at the beginning of the championship. But the most important thing is we kept improving weekend after weekend and we were the fastest in the last three of our four race meetings. Nothing would have been possible without a genius team. I'm delighted to be a part of ART Grand Prix, I love this team, it is with no doubt the most professional and best of the field. Now I want to finish the season on a high and to bring the teams' title to ART Grand Prix."
Pastor Maldonado: "We had some brake problems in free practice which prevented us from finding the best rhythm, but we improved quite well for qualifying and I was happy with 5th spot on the grid. With nothing to lose in the championship I was aiming for a podium but the track conditions were incredibly tricky and I lost control of the car in the Parabolica. Starting from P23 I was always going to have a tough second race but my 2nd fastest race lap showed that I was fast. Unfortunately I could not hope for better than 15th position. Congratulations to Nico and to ART Grand Prix for a well deserved title. I will do my best to help ART Grand Prix clinch the teams' title."
Frederic Vasseur: "ART Grand Prix is involved in motorsport to win races and championships and to get back the GP2 Main Series title, which is our third in five years, is an immense satisfaction. It can sounds like a cliché but I sincerely want to thank and congratulate all our partners and members of the team who did what was necessary to make the company the number 1 in the most competitive European series. Nico is a fantastic champion who handled the situation and dosed his effort with perfection despite the difficult conditions on Saturday where it would have been tempting to go too far to secure a good result then celebrating his title with a podium. The season is not over and the next step is to win the teams' title. The weekend was especially great for ART Grand Prix with the superb win in Portugal F3, courtesy of Jules Bianchi."
DAMS - Jerome d'Ambrosio (4th) Kamui Kobayashi (17th)
This weekend, the legendary Monza circuit was the theatre of the ninth (and second-last) round of the 2009 GP2 Series Championship. The track is by far the quickest in the championship and requires a very specific setup as well as a balls-out performance by the drivers!
After an encouraging weekend at Spa-Francorchamps a fortnight earlier, DAMS's aim was to fight at the front by building on its recent progress. The team had a difficult qualifying session but refused to give up hope. And it was proved right!
In the first race run in the rain and then on a drying track, a last-minute stategical choice enabled Jerome d'Ambrosio to make a spectacular comeback. The Belgian driver, who was down in twenty-first place on the grid, fought his way up to fourth by the chequered flag! Today, he started fifth and moved up a position to score another fourth-place finish.
Kamui Kobayashi was less fortunate yesterday, passing though the pits. Today, he was trying to fight his way back to the front when an electrical problem forced him to retire.
The last 2 races of the 2009 GP2 Series Championship season will be run in Portugal. DAMS is currently lying 7th in the teams' classification. Jerome et Kamui are in 7th and 16th positions in the drivers' championship.
DAMS is determined to finish the season on a high note on the Portimao circuit in a week's time!
Eric Boullier, Team Manager: "We've got mixed feelings about our weekend. On the one hand, we're able to score points on sheer performance, and Jerome drove two great races. On the other, we're still have to improve in qualifying and Kamui was unable to shine even though the car's got the speed. We've got one chance left to show what we're really capable of this season, and we're going to seize it with both hands!"
Jerome d'Ambrosio: "I thought that it was all over bar the shouting after such a poor qualifying session! Yesterday's weather and our technical gamble enabled me to make the best of the situation. It was real team work. Today, I was able to gain a place and score some more points. With a bit more luck on Fridays, I'm sure we can aim for the podium in Portimao."
Kamui Kobayashi: "A weekend to forget! Yesterday's race was run in difficult conditions and it wasn't easy to find the right braking points, so I was penalised for cutting the chicane. Today, an electrical glitch put a premature end to my race. It's frustrating and all I'm hoping for in Portugal is a trouble-free weekend."
iSport International - Giedo van der Garde (6th) Diego Nunes (DNF)
iSport picked up another point in the sprint race to cap off a successful weekend. After victory in the feature race, iSport racer Giedo van der Garde drove a solid race from eighth to finish sixth and add another point to his tally at the Monza Autodromo. His team mate Diego Nunes' race ended prematurely as he went wheel to wheel with Dani Clos. Pushed onto the grass in a close fight, Nunes and Clos made contact resulting in a big crash bringing out the safety car on the first lap.
The GP2 Series will now move onto the final round at the new circuit in the Algarve where Giedo van der Garde will be looking to continue his good form and Diego Nunes will look to put his bad luck behind him and finish the season on a high.
Giedo van der Garde: "We got a point. It was good but I think we deserved a bit more. I had a good start, because of that in the first corner I was pushed onto the grass and I lost four places. I went from eighth to fourth but I lost those places so I was eighth and I came back to sixth. I think it was a good race, that pace was good, the car was good. It's hard to overtake here you can destroy the tyres behind somebody. But anyway it has been a great weekend, all weekend we have been very quick so I'm very pleased".
Diego Nunes: "Well what can I say, it was disappointing. I did a better exit of the chicane, I was side by side with Clos and he pushed me t the grass so I tried to avoid the contact but he was still pushing me to the grass so we touched each other and we crashed so I did like three corners of the race".
Trident Racing - Davide Rigon (8th) Ricardo Teixeira (14th)
Trident Racing ended the day by bringing both cars under the flag at Monza on Race 2 of the GP2 Series weekend on the Italian Venue. Davide Rigon ended his race in 8th place, while Ricardo Teixeira took 14th. Rigon, who took off from 9th, didn't experience a positive start and was passed by three other cars. He did a good job though, as he drove a positive race without committing mistakes. Teixeira was heavily conditioned by a drive-through issued for a jump start. After lining-up on the grid, the Angolan driver's car moved slightly and, despite he got it stopped, the sensor caught the movement and forced stewards to decide for a penalization. After lapping on some really quick laptimes, he was prevented to fight for a top-10 spot that was definitely on frame. After ending the home weekend at Monza, Trident Racing is set to continue in the rush for the end of the season. The team and the drivers are looking forward to the last round of 2009, starting next weekend at Portimao.
Davide Rigon: "Unfortunately, the start hasn't been quite positive, costing me 3 spots. Today's race has been pretty uneventful; I believe conditions changed from Friday also due to yesterday's shower and, when I tried to move on Zuber, who was running with a broken wing, I just couldn't find the necessary edge to complete the pass"
Ricardo Teixeira: "I'm satisfied with my performance today, but also disappointed for a drive-through that cost me a spot into the top-10. At the start, I moved slightly, but I stopped immediately, losing a spot. Before coming back in, I was in front of Valerio, and fighting with Valsecchi. I would have definitely had a shot at the top-10. I try to think positive, looking to the next round at Portimao with confidence."