Arnau Viñals analyzed exclusively for FormulaRapida.net, all the GP2 season of this year, which has had as champion Fabio Leimer and Russian Time.
GP2 season began, like Formula 1, with a test at the Jerez circuit. Test that was dominated by Calado and Dillmann. The last test in Barcelona, Coletti and Calado continued in front but no one had very clear who would head the first weekend in Malaysia.
In Malaysia, Coletti took the first points thanks to the first pole position of the year, which was a very close pole, for only 4 thousandths away from Calado. But the first race of the year was won by who would be champion at the end of the year, Fabio Leimer. Coletti won the second race, getting championship leadership with a surprising Mitch Evans getting his podium in GP2.
Leimer continued his dominance, with pole and victory in Race 1 in Bahrain, but Coletti kept the lead thanks to two podiums achieved that weekend, finishing second on Saturday and third on Sunday, day in which Sam Bird won, getting the first win of the year for Russian Time that would become later in the year the GP2 champion.
The third round arrived in Europe with the race in Barcelona. Dams would managed to get double pole in qualifying but the race would eventually be positive for Hilmer Motorsport, with the first victory for the team and for Frijns in the category. Frijns would finished second on Sunday with another victory for Coletti, who escaped in the championship leaving Leimer behind.
The always twisty Monte Carlo was the next appointment, the two qualifying sessions were dominated by both Arden Internationalwith Cecotto on pole, but the Southamerican caused a pileup at the start, causing the red flag in that race and also his disqualification for all weekend. Bird took the win on Friday and Saturday did Coletti. The boy from Monaco took his last victory at home this year after a drop in performance, caused by his interest in partying, according to Albert Costa who said us so, some time ago in an exclusive interview.
In Silverstone , Ericsson started from pole for the second time this year, but the Swede could not transform
this into victory.
The weekend was dominated by local drivers with Bird ‘s victory on Saturday, and Lancaster’s on Sunday. With this, Leimer and Bird, trimmed distances wit
h Coletti.
We arrive to the middle of season round at the Nürburgring. Dams gets pole again, but this time thanks to Richelmi. Ericsson took
the win in race 1, in front of his supporters from Sweden. Lancaster won the second race, and Coletti could keep Leimer attacks in the overall standings with a podium in the first race.
Before the break it was time for the first pole position of Russian Time achieved by Dillmann , also thefirst win of the year for Palmer and his Carlin Team, and for Berthon and Trident. With this, the championship was getting tighter.
After the summer at Spa- Francorchamps, Bird showed his great form with the victory and pole position in race 1. Calado won the second race.
In Italy with the same scenario, Bird got pole, but due to an error in the pit stop, Leimer took race
1. Bird and Leimer got to the front of the championship, with 5 drivers with possibilities to take the title: Bird, Leimer, Calado, Nasr and Coletti. Race two was won by a surprising Quaiffe-Hobbs, who improved his best result in the GP2 podium after Monte Carlo.
GP2 left Europe, but this did not affect Palmer, who swept the pole and victory in race 1 in Singapore. Bird won the second race, getting the fifth of the year, and turning to be the driver with most wins this year.
The battle was served at the last round in Abu Dhabi. With Leimer and Bird as top favorites for the title, but Nasr, Calado and Coletti following them from not far away. Calado was quickly out of the title battle with a penalty for classification which was taken by Alexander Rossi. Bird came second and third
Leimer, but the car of Sam would stop at the start, giving the championship to Leimer. However, Bird made an incredible comeback and was able to finish tenth, important for the constructors’ championship in the fight with Carlin point.
Calado ended the year with another win and in the second place finished the Catalan Dani Clos. Leimer finished third and fourth Bird making tie on points with Carlin, but thanks to the 5 wins of the British, Russian Time took the constructors’ championship in his debut year.
