GP2 Series R06 Nürburgring - Racing weekend thread & general philosophising

Mekola · 19 Jul 2007, 00:39 (Ref:1967020)

GP2 Series will be back at the Nürburgring circuit - the series has an interesting statistics table, that could turn the name of the championship leader.
- The battle is none more -and none less- than Glock against Di Grassi, Senna... but principally against himself. Last year, on home ground but at Hockenheim, he could do a brilliant last lap overtake over JM López to catch an emotional win, but this year, after a promising start of the season that made him a title favourite, had two mediocre weekends that chop almost all his leading advantage.
- Lucas Di Grassi could profit his GP2 and EuroF3 experience to grab his first ever GP2 win - albeit be the 10th winner of this season. If he did it, he would have the chance to be the new leader, and change the march of the season. He proved to be the #1 of his team, mostly when his teammate Michael Ammermüller isn't fit enough to continue, and could be replaced again by sub Sebastian Buemi.
- Other driver who have something to prove is Andreas Zuber. After his R1 win at Silverstone, the man who most impressed at preseason tests has yet to show that his win isn't casual and he could gain more profit from his frontrunning qualifyings.
- Finally, we will enjoy two comebacks: the first, the recovering of Ernesto Viso, who returns after that rocambolesque roll-over he suffered at Magny-Cours. And the second, possibly the return of Buemi stated above: a driver who could show more of his class, in a capable car.
Well, GP2 weekend is near, thread is open. Go racing!

**chunterer** · 19 Jul 2007, 09:03 (Ref:1967245)

Nice one Mekola!!

Good summary.

I'd also wonder how will Senna get on with the Nurby? I'm not sure he's raced there before and it can be quite a tricky track to master. In his favour he's quite a press on, aggressive driver which this circuit seems to suit.

There's little doubt Glock will need to at least get points this weekend, which as long as he's still on the track at the end of both races will likely be a lot of them as I-Sport is still the form team.

If Di Grassi could actually win a round, he would really be in with a chance of the title, but has he or the team got it in them this year?

Also wonder if Conway can continue his good form and people like Carroll and Maldonado must surely be contenders too.

strider · 19 Jul 2007, 09:17 (Ref:1967254)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

I'd also wonder how will Senna get on with the Nurby? I'm not sure he's raced there before and it can be quite a tricky track to master. In his favour he's quite a press on, aggressive driver which this circuit seems to suit.

He raced there in British F3 in 2005 and took his first pole position. He was jumped at the start by Alvaro Parente but thereafter shadowed him all the way to the flag. He'll be fine.

Mike Conway knows the circuit from the same meeting.

flexible-flyer · 19 Jul 2007, 10:42 (Ref:1967305)

i expect buemi to show gp2 that ART are still the team they used to be.

Jackman · 19 Jul 2007, 12:48 (Ref:1967411)

If you mean the top team in GP2 then I doubt it, but he should push the team a lot more than his "rested" counterpart Ammermuller.

flexible-flyer · 19 Jul 2007, 16:34 (Ref:1967629)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackman

If you mean the top team in GP2 then I doubt it, but he should push the team a lot more than his "rested" counterpart Ammermuller.

cant see him getting infront of glock, but zuber should be no problem. in my opinion, the fact isport are so good is why zuber is getting results....or at least qualifying results! if he had been with ART all year he would probably be ahead of lucas too. i always used to rate digrassi but he is reminding me of lapierre this season. decent driver....brilliant driver even, but very very ordinary.

**bella** · 19 Jul 2007, 16:47 (Ref:1967636)

there is something ordinary about di grassi this year - 2nd in the championship, and you'd not really know, would you?

flexible-flyer · 19 Jul 2007, 18:16 (Ref:1967691)

well the piquets, the hamiltons, the rosbergs, the premats and a few others have all gone. probably a reason why digrassi's championship position is surprising. then again, speed came third in 05 and he never looked half that quick in my opinion. never even won a race. i guess consistency is important in motorsport.

Alex K · 19 Jul 2007, 18:27 (Ref:1967699)

You don't rate Zuber high, don't you? IMHO he still is capable of winning thos champ, and you may say I'm crazy, but I bet he'll finish in top two at the end of it.

flexible-flyer · 19 Jul 2007, 19:00 (Ref:1967726)

if he finishes second its because the only guy driving a car on a par with his is timo glock, who is better than him. if he finishes first, then it would be because glock's bad luck continues.

zuber isnt bad. but he reminds me of someone like neel jani. good at driving, better at getting big money sponsors.

Alex K · 19 Jul 2007, 22:06 (Ref:1967861)

Have better example Michel Jourdain, underrated, bullied, etc., signed contract with good team, good engineers, and showed his true potential. I rate Zuber high, he's never shown his true potential IMHO, this is his time.

Do you think Hamilton would conquer 2006 if signed by Durango? Don't think so.

flexible-flyer · 19 Jul 2007, 23:43 (Ref:1967910)

of course not. but he would have if he'd have signed for isport in 2007 (or ART in 2006 like he did). zuber signed for isport in 2007, on a grid that didnt have any hamiltons on it, and he aint even beating his teammate let alone a few others in lesser teams.

but time will tell. we are only halfway through the season.

**bella** · 20 Jul 2007, 08:28 (Ref:1968121)

personally i'm less convinced of glock than i am of zuber...

**chunterer** · 20 Jul 2007, 08:31 (Ref:1968122)

Thanks for the info re Senna and Conway strider!!

Interesting points raised about team perfromance versus drivers etc... Personally i'd rather the see the series without any one team or driver (or both as we have clearly seen in the past) having a clear advantage over the field. Oh, rather like we've got this season in fact - a very unpredictable championship with several drivers in the hunt for wins, which perhaps wasn't the case in the last 2 years when ART dominated for the most part.

Besides i'm not all that convinced that in the first season the best driver won it anyway. Don't think i'd suggest that about 2006 though!!! Although I think if Glock or perhaps Piquet had been driving for ART last year from the start and Lewis had been in i-sport, Lewis wouldn't probably wouldn't have won it!! Just a hunch.

Will be interesting to see if Buemi put it across Di Grassi this weekend though like he did in Monaco.

**chunterer** · 20 Jul 2007, 17:02 (Ref:1968480)

Glock takes the pole nearly 6 tenths up on second placed Di Grassi!!

3rd Pantano
4th an excellent Zaugg
5th Zuber
6th Nakajima
7th Carroll
8th Maldonado
9th Conway
10th Fillipi
11th Buemi

Senna down in 16th and Lapierre a tardy 21st.

Jackman · 20 Jul 2007, 17:37 (Ref:1968493)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

personally i'm less convinced of glock than i am of zuber...

I don't think even Zuber agrees with you on that: but for a moment of brainfade in Magny Cours and a malfunctioning car in both races in Silverstone Glock would be miles in front of the championship.

flexible-flyer · 20 Jul 2007, 19:16 (Ref:1968575)

i expected more from buemi......but i suppose it would be a big ask to come in and perform on the dot. zaugg....wow. cant say i expected that.

anyway glock is still the cream driver in the cream car so he should win aslong as his luck is in check.

Alex K · 20 Jul 2007, 22:30 (Ref:1968715)

And he's in Germany, Stay tuned, I think he might've even win the second one.

**chunterer** · 21 Jul 2007, 11:02 (Ref:1968960)

Who?

Glock, Zuber or Buemi?

Jackman · 21 Jul 2007, 13:54 (Ref:1969097)

Start delayed for 20 minutes because of Hamilton's crash.

**chunterer** · 21 Jul 2007, 14:06 (Ref:1969117)

Cheers,

Wondered if that might happen. I can still hear beachball or something pointless on E2!!

Hope they don't decide to drop Rcae 1 from the schedule rather than bother to rearrange it!!

Mekola · 21 Jul 2007, 15:31 (Ref:1969195)

Finally, a driver wins a second time in this season! Timo Glock did it from pole to chequered flag. Lucas Di Grassi and Kazuki Nakajima completed the podium. On points, also Pantano, Hirate, Maldonado, Zaugg and Villa.
The Spaniard has the chance to repeat a R2 victory tomorrow.

JohnMiller · 21 Jul 2007, 15:39 (Ref:1969207)

I think P8 was a good result after the qualifying.

**chunterer** · 21 Jul 2007, 15:49 (Ref:1969216)

Not sure what to make of that race!

Moments of excitement and moments of 'what are we watching this for'!

Di Grassi looked the most fired up we've seen him all year, possibly because he had a genuine sniff of a win?

Glock looked the class act we know he is.

Nakajima is really starting to look like a very decent driver in the making.

Maldonado pulled off a couple of stunning moves, one on Pantano and the other on his 'teammate' to keep him at bay. (plus probably another couple on the first lap off camera?)

Hirate and Senna both drove great races from lowly grid slots but the latter undid all his good work getting a drive through!

Conway's GP2 season from hell continues....

And how long will it be before DPR need to replace at least one of their drivers? I'm not sure it's those drivers fault that they scratch about for anything at all every weekend. Soucek is surely far better than he's been able to show and Bakkerud possibly too. But that's for another thread perhaps.

Adri_tifosi · 21 Jul 2007, 16:43 (Ref:1969254)

Soucek was 3rd in the practice and today , five laps to final another retirement , I don´t think the problem is the driver , because DPR has 0 points

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