2009/10 GP2 Asia Off Season & 2010 GP2 Series off season discussions

[sauber11]

http://gp2insider.wordpress.com/2009...n-gp/#comments

Post #10 , big one.
Can someoone translate this , if i understood correctly Durango team closed by financial police and at least wont finish this season.

[Spudy]

GP2 Asia is just too expensive. The problem is Europe is the one most of the top drivers want to compete in so getting drivers with budgets for Asia is very difficult.

Not to mention it's a huge thing getting stuff out there including the staff and most of these teams only have around 15 people working for them. It's a hell of a lot of work for them.

I don't like the GP2 Asia name, They should just add the middle east races onto the main calendar and have more races in the main series.

Anyone hear any news on drivers for the Asia series?

[Lam Pak]

michael ho hon keong of macau said in press he can to do full season of gp2. he is a v6 asia race champion.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by the sniper

Personally, I'd love to see GP2 have more standalone events, but if it's to happen, TV coverage of the series needs to become more widely available. Forcing the F1 broadcasters to (at least) show highlights on their free to air channels would be a start.

That's true. Generally here, in South America, is difficult to see GP2 races if it isn't a local representative racing in the series. Nowadays I have broadcasts of the races on the same cable TV that broadcasts F1, but is thanks for the presences of Pérez and Maldonado.

[p-matt]

Here's a thought: what are the chances of Grosjean racing for Addax again in Portgual next weekend? It doesn't clash with any F1 commitments and the Addax could do with his help to try and win the teams championship. They could lend Valsecchi back to Durango for the weekend which would be handy for them. Durango may need another driver if they have a 2nd chassis ready and Panciatici already seems to be out of the team

[sauber11]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Potentially......

F3 drivers steping up to GP2:
Ricciardo (can't imagine RB shoving Brit F3 champ into FR 3.5?)
Hartley,Bottas,Bianchi,Van Der Zande,Coletti,Bird

WSR drivers stepping up to GP2:
Turvey,Martinez,Valles (again),Molina

F2 drivers stepping upto GP2:
Soucek,Jousse,Hegewald

Others:
Rossi,Cecotto,Leimer


In terms of judging talent, that lot are generally the pick of the bunch at their respective levels?

Add them to the series returnees and we'd have another 'classic' GP2 next year!

I know its too early for silly season 2010\new asian season , but soon, 6-8 october gp2 main series testing begins at Jerez. So lets roll

Its hard to guess on redbull juniors, there are a lot who can step up to gp2.
I expect both Harley+Ricciardo in Carlin WSR squad next season , but Maki , Wickens,Aleshin and Bortolotti could do gp2. Its all about redbull budget and personal driver sponsors - what they can afford.

Another family is ART - Bianchi in a place of Hulkenberg is 100% deal. What they will do with Bottas and Guttierez?
My guess Bottas will stay in euroseries F3 one more season to win it ( like Hulkenberg and Bianchi just before).
While Esteban might lead gp3 art team , because knows the tracks from euro f-bmw and can win this champ right away.

My gp2 main season line-up so far:

ART: Jules Bianchi + someone experienced gp2 driver, who is gonna be beaten like Ammermuller,Filippi,Maldonado before. Guy with cash. Nunez\Rodriguez\Kobayashi ( Nakajima tested for ART & Kamui was ART driver in f3).

Campos: S.Perez + another renault driver , Charles Pic likely.

Racing Engineering: D.Clos ( had 2 years contract) + good experienced driver like Parente,Maldonado, Ambrosio.

Super Nova: C.Vietoris ( German A1 team - D.Sears connection) + Maldonado,Mortara, Chandhok,Zuber.

Isport: I hope Garde stays here and wont go ART + O.Turvey for sure
Piquet : Nunez will come back + cashman like Valerio.
DAMS: one toyota development program boy like Kobayashi,Waldschmidt or Iguchi.
Arden: Redbull will say what to do.

Also:at least one team will be replaced. Lets say durango or trident with meritus. Maybe 2 or 3 new teams, the ones who will do gp3 .

The drivers that also will likely to be in gp2 next year:

New ones -from WSR Baguette , Pic, Turvey.
From EF3:Bianchi, Vietoris, Bird,Coletti. Maybe Vernay and Maki.

And my favourite drivers Ericsson and Rossi:
Marcus will likely be in gp2 , maybe japan connection will get him DAMS drive.
Any midfield team possible - Arden,Piquet,Ocean.

As for Rossi i hope he will do gp3 next year, but if he rush gp2 ( by the way he will be younger ever gp2 driver ) i hope he wont drive for weak team like trident, dpr or durango.
This year he already struggled a lot with new hitech team before switching to midfield ISR - hope it was good lesson for him.

[ivanalesi]

Next year will be so much stronger w/o the credit crunch at it's peak, both in GP2 and WSbR. We will say good bye to some of the also runs.
I think Mortara will try to get top seat, and he has the talent to do it, he was always battling Hulkenberg from karting till last year.

[chunterer]

Sure Mortara has talent, but as i've mentioned elsewhere (and i'm sure i'm not the only one to notice either...) his driving has been either desperate or plain silly on numerous ocassions this year.

He needs to get that out of his system if he's going to go any further.

Van Der Drift really ought to be in GP2 as well. He aquitted himself well in the last Asia series, so maybe he'll get another drive this time and use that as a springboard to the main series.

He's not exactly had a stellar 3.5 Renault season but then that series isn't always a complete barometer of out and out talent imo.

Those drivers who won't be back (or make that shouldn't come back) next season are:

Zuber (time to go LMS racing?)
Kobayashi (hit the ceiling of ability and progression?)
D'Ambrosio (unlikely to get a drive away from DAMS unless he can pay for it?)
Rodriguez (will sniff for an F1 reserve drive?)
Valsecchi (hit the ceiling?)
Valerio (ditto)
Villa (ditto)
Filippi (ditto)
Di Grassi (no point?)
Chandhok (hot ceiling?)

And although I hate to say it because i still think he's better than he showed this year...
Maldonado.... he must also have hit the ceiling now?

[Taprobane]

Maldonado is a very confusing driver. He seems to have a top level right up there with the very best but is unable to reach it very often. It's frustrating because he is a joy to watch when in the zone.

[sauber11]

After 2008 very few drivers left gp2:
Except Pantano, Senna and Buemi due to obvious reasons it was
Trident duo Conway & Tung and Soucek. Thats all ( i dont count Yamamoto,Hanley etc).

So after 2009 we will likely to loose our top4 drivers and my guess are:
Zuber ( Willi Weber will fully concentrate on Hulkenberg and f1 now ,4 seasons is enought)
Kobayashi ( toyota will send him back to japan)
Valsecchi ( renault wouldnt support him again after this season)
Villa and\or Filippi ( 4 seasons already in gp2)

And maybe someone like Rodriguez, Parente,Maldonado, Perez will promote to f1.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by sauber11

And maybe someone like Rodriguez, Parente,Maldonado, Perez will promote to f1.

Perez is surely going to be tilting for the GP2 title next year with a 'fashionable' team. My money's on a drive with Barwa.

[N.A-D.R]

Apart from Ricciardo, are there any other aussies in a possibility of testing for gp2 asia? I remember 2 years ago Nathan Antunes tested and he was pretty good on his first day, hope he gets another shot. Im dying to have an aussie in gp2, it's been 4 years lol.

[Spudy]

Originally Posted by sauber11

I think its 100% Jules Bianchi will be driving ART (i am talking about main series, but i think he will do some asian rounds as well after macau gp).
And Oliver Turvey , i give 80-90% he will drive for isport. Not because he already tested for isport , but he has been testing a lot on isport simulator( thats how he won monaco in WSR) and looks like he has a very good relationship with Paul Jackson.

Talking about Marcus Ericsson i dont know if his sponsorship will be enought for gp2, i think yes and he will rush in gp2 next year. But as i already said i hope he will do f-nippon or WSR next year before going to gp2 in 2011. No need to hurry.

How do you know that Turvey has been using the iSport Sim?

[Spudy]

I'll think we'll see D'Ambrosio back but likely not in Asia. Red Bull does not have links with Arden like you would think. Many Red Bull drivers have raced with other teams and due to their lack of results I don't think we'll see the likes of Hartley with them in GP2.

I wouldn't say Turvey for sure with iSport either, have racing steps ever put up that kind of budget before?

I heard a wisper of a rummor that Senna is testing with them again at Jerez!

[sauber11]

Originally Posted by Spudy

How do you know that Turvey has been using the iSport Sim?

Paul Jackson congratulated Turvey with a win in monaco and said that Oliver is a friend of a team and testing on isport simulator helped him to achieve this victory( the story was on crash.net or isport site but i couldnt find it now ,sorry).

I heard a wisper of a rummor that Senna is testing with them again at Jerez!

Yes , Bruno about 2 month ago said that he is going to test with Isport to help them with car set up- Paul Jackson asked him.

[Spudy]

I think you'll find that isport doesn't have any problems setting up the car and that senna is testing to get himself some practice in a single seater as he hasn't driven one all year. I believe it will be in preparation for an F1 test and isport are helping him.

Also I believe the article was on the isport website for Monaco only so one day on a sim doesn't mean he's a sure thing, nothing is official. I think he would be a good bet though.

Also Ericsson is in talks with isport and art.

[Peralta]

A better question is will GP2 be affected by Briatore's legal problems?

[duke_toaster]

As we all know, Flav has been banned from all FIA motorsport. But what will happen to GP2?

It's apparent that he owns a stake in GP2, and supposedly designed the format. Will GP2 continue to exist with just Bernie? Flavio said that he wants to set up a rival series to F1 - surely that's a load of rubbish? Or will GP2 wind up due to it being Briatoreless?

[N.A-D.R]

Im sure it will be fine.

[jab]

Flavio sold out to CVC

[gachjoel]

Looking futher afield, Flavio has a stake in a footy team, with bernie i think (not a footy fan myself).
but under uk footy league rules, if you are banned from one sport, you cant have a stake in any team ?

[williamsf1]

he also owns the catering company for GP2.... you might laugh! but every team has to have 2 meals with every person, at 40 euros a head... add that to your driver bill each year!!!

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by gachjoel

Looking futher afield, Flavio has a stake in a footy team, with bernie i think (not a footy fan myself).
but under uk footy league rules, if you are banned from one sport, you cant have a stake in any team ?

I believe that QPR will have such issues. He'll just sell out to Bernie and Lakshmi Mittal if there's a problem there.

It'll be interesting to see what if anything CVC do now - Jab, when did CVC buy it?

[jab]

A couple of years ago, I think

There are no concerns about GP2's future, anyway

[nicorossi]

Hey guys, has anyone got a schedule for the winter tests for GP2 from now until the end of the year? I imagine they'll be at Paul Ricard mainly but would be good to know the full schedule for all tracks. TIA.