Gp2 2009

[Nikki Katz]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought. D'Ambrosio seemed really quite good at the end of 2008 and beat Kobayashi in the championship, despite him being the highly rated Toyota development driver (though that was largely due to too many first lap accidents). But since then he's not looked so great, he blamed the last race on Kobayashi blocking him in qualifying, but he hardly moved up from there and it is possible to overtake in these cars. Well, we'll see.

I'm sure that ORT is going to be better than BCN, but I wouldn't expect overnight success even if they do move clear of DPR and some of the other backmarkers. I'm not sure that it's really progress from Super Nova. Parente had a patchy season, but there's plenty of potential.

[MikeD]

I'm sure that ORT is going to be better than BCN, but I wouldn't expect overnight success even if they do move clear of DPR and some of the other backmarkers. I'm not sure that it's really progress from Super Nova. Parente had a patchy season, but there's plenty of potential.

There is an interview with Tiago Monteiro on Crash.net, and ORT seem to be getting a lot of new sponsors and a lot of new personel, so I expect them to move up the grid. Monteiro said that the team will test several drivers during GP2 Asia to find the right pairing for the '09 main series. My guess is that their ultimate target will be to get a sprint-race victory in '09. Overall I think Monteiro seems like he knows what he's talking about and that he has realistic goals for this new team.

I also have a feeling that DPR will take over the role of being the permanent backmarker, until - hopefully - Carlin Motorsport takes over the team (I still don't understand why that deal didn't happen the last time. Carlin will be a benefit for GP2, because they really know what they are doing).

[vicvega]

GP2 Series takes action on cost cuttings

As the economical and financial situation also hits motorsport and becomes increasingly delicate for everyone, the GP2 Series have decided to take both technical and sporting actions in order to effectively help the championship’s actors, but also make sure that the level of excitement and action drama stays the same in 2009. The plan designed to do so has been submitted to GP2 teams.
The technical actions include, among other things, a significant decrease in the cost of some parts thanks to Dallara’s contribution. Some important modifications in the technical regulations have been decided also to induce the diminution of overall costs and the interruption of all seven post rig and wind tunnel testing has been settled.
In terms of sporting regulations, along with staff limitation to thirteen people from now to mid-season and then to twelve members after that, it has been decided that no official tests will take place after the first race of the year.
On top of that, the GP2 Organisation will also contribute to the cost saving plan for 2009 by allocating an exceptional credit in spare parts for teams.
GP2 Series organiser Bruno Michel said: “We cannot ignore the world’s financial crisis that affects us all. We need to make sure we can go through the present delicate time by finding solutions both in the technical and sporting areas. However, we did not want to change the standards of quality that have been the assets of the success of GP2 since 2005. The balance is therefore very difficult to define, but we are trying to find the right level to keep the series as successful as ever. We have been looking at all the areas of our business and we have come up with the different steps that we will implement as of now. We are confident that our plan will help everyone go through the difficult period we are in and will have a very significant economic impact on teams’ P&L already in 2009.”

in gp2series.com

This limitations is the complete team (including the drivers) or just the mechanics? If it`s the complete team i think it`s not enough people to do a good job.

[jens]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73151

The line-up of iSport for 2009 will be van der Garde and Diego Nunes. Well, the choice of Nunes is a huge surprise to me. Anyone care to explain, what is the reason for this? But as a result it seems like we won't see di Resta in GP2 in 2009 and hence it can be said that his chances of ever reaching F1 may be over.

[Nikki Katz]

Yeah, I was surprised by that too. I can only imagine it was money. I'm not really impressed by him yet; actually the moment he joined DPR seemed to be the exact same moment that they became hopeless backmarkers. He's not really done any better at Piquet either. I think I'd rather have kept Chandhok.

Van der Garde hasn't been great yet either, but he's only done a few races and is highly rated, so he may still be good.

Hmm, Senna seems quite confident about Honda's survival, at least enough to rule himself out of a GP2 (and presumably anywhere else) seat. I get the feeling that this could backfire.

[Hayley]

I would suspect it is money which got Nunes the iSport drive. If that is the case then I think they did the right thing. No use in being the best team if you can't afford to go racing.

They might manage to work their magic with him, they are a good team so lets see. van der Garde could be brilliant when he gets on the tracks he knows well. He domintaed WSR so there is no reason why he can't do well.

I think Di Resta will be in F1 but he will take the other seat with Jenson Button if Honda manage to sell. Mercedes back Di Resta and they are the only manufacturer who said they will supply Honda which puts them in a very powerful position to insist on Di Resta!

Where does that leave Senna?? I think he has made a wrong decision and he should have given up on F1 for 09 and concentrated on GP2 again with iSport.

[Placid]

There are now 2 seats remaining after Philip Eng took his car.

Will a US driver take the last seat?

And will there be a vacancy in GP2 for either Summerton, Kimball, or Antinucci?

[Nikki Katz]

It's a bit of a shame that Hulkenberg's not contesting the remaining races as he does look quite good; perhaps I'm not as blown away by him as I was by Grosjean last year, but now that there's been a lot of mid-season driver changes I think that the rest of the field is stronger than in last year's Asian championship. Maldonado will have a lot to do next year, which is a little worrying as he's seemed to go best when nobody expects anything from him - he injured himself as soon as he found form in 2007, and started off 2008 badly with a lot of accidents, many involving his teammate, which is why it was a little surprising that by the end of the year he was regularly on the podium and won a race.

Perez really needs a main series seat too based on recent performance; he's got sponsorship so hopefully he'll get one somewhere.

[jens]

With di Resta probably out of GP2 drive, I'm wondering, what is the future for Parente. IMO it would be a real shame if he is left out of GP2 drive, I even think he could be a potential title contender in the right team. Probably little chance of getting to Campos, I think his main bet would be to try to get the vacant seat at Racing Engineering alongside Dani Clos.

[patnicholls]

The smart money would be on Sergio Perez and Edoardo Mortara having shown enough to earn a main series seat after their Asian performances so far, money permitting.

It seems highly likely DAMS will keep Kobayashi and d'Ambrosio for the main series, continuity is paying off so far for them. Vitaly Petrov will probably also stay at Campos - I don't think their main driver is as sewn up as some people reckon (it might be Perez, of course).

You've then got Earl Bamber who was apparently being looked at by Super Nova for the main series, though he's dropped out of the Asian campaign after a bright start. Back in November DPR really surprised with young British driver Will Bratt - who was in Spanish F3 last year - taking second overall in testing, so he may get a look and move them some way up the order.

Of course, there remains the question mark over the 'big names' - Senna, Grosjean, even Pantano! (although he will most likely be lost to sports cars, you'd imagine) - and the forgotten man of single-seater motorsport Alvaro Parente.

It is odd to see Parente, Zuber, Filippi and Maldonado - all GP2 race-winners - languishing outside the top thirty in the current Asia standings, thanks to partial campains with no success!