Gp2 2011

[Nikki Katz]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/86855

In short, the teams for next year have been announced. The new ones are Carlin and Air Asia (Lotus Jr). DPR have been kicked out and Durango won't be returning.

It's a bit of a shame for DPR as they have sorted them out a bit this season, though sacking Ricci on the back of his win (hopefully just because of sponsorship problems and not because he was making Herck look bad!) seems to have signalled their slide back to the rear again. Also a shame for Meritus who I thought looked good for a spot in the full series.

Hopefully it'll be good

[MikeD]

Regarding Meritus I heard that they simply weren't interested in doing anything but GP2 Asia so they did no apply for the slot in both series.

Carlin has applied for that GP2 slot since 2005 and now they got it. With their track record they should do well, but they didn't impress that much in GP3.

I also found the sacking of DPR a little tough. They won a race in GP2 Asia and they won a race in the Main series. They improved a lot this year, but maybe it was because they have never won anything but sprint-races and they are the only team currently on the grid having not won main series races.

Anyway, it will still be the "big" 5 teams that will dominate (ART, iSport, Addax, Rapax and Racing Engineering) over the comming years. Trident, Super Nova and Coloni need to up their game otherwise they will get stuck at the bottom of the championship.

[jens]

I also found the sacking of DPR a little tough. They won a race in GP2 Asia and they won a race in the Main series. They improved a lot this year, but maybe it was because they have never won anything but sprint-races and they are the only team currently on the grid having not won main series races.

I presume it might have been related to DPR having turned into Herck's family racing team.

Anyway, it will still be the "big" 5 teams that will dominate (ART, iSport, Addax, Rapax and Racing Engineering) over the comming years. Trident, Super Nova and Coloni need to up their game otherwise they will get stuck at the bottom of the championship.

I think GP2 2011 could throw in a few surprises. A completely new car and how can teams adapt to maximizing its potential? A bit of an unknown like F1 2009.

[Placid]

I like to know if we shall see Alex Rossi in the GP2 series?

[MikeD]

I presume it might have been related to DPR having turned into Herck's family racing team.

Good point. I think you are right. The series is about giving new talents a go, and not about keeping your son racing.

I think GP2 2011 could throw in a few surprises. A completely new car and how can teams adapt to maximizing its potential? A bit of an unknown like F1 2009.

It's the best chance of having a shake-up of the order, but I still think The Big 5 (especially ART) will get the best out of the car quickest.

BTW: Just as I thought that last years GP2 Asia series was a small series, it's even shorter this time with 3 rounds (6 races). Honestly that's just rediculous. That really shouldn't count towards a championship in my book.

[Sulland]

Will Mr Varhaug be able to get a GP2 seat for 2011, and if yes in what team?

[Mekola]

Varhaug will race for DAMS.

[Mekola]

Almost completed the 2011 GP2 Asia entrylist - just two drivers about two confirm at Team AirAsia:

01. Marcus Ericsson (S) - iSport International
02. Sam Bird (GB) - iSport International
03. Josef Kral (CZ) - Arden International
04. Jolyon Palmer (GB) - Arden International
05. Jules Bianchi (F) - Lotus ART Grand Prix
06. Esteban Gutiérrez (MEX) - Lotus ART Grand Prix
07. Fairuz Fauzy (MAS) - SuperNova Racing
08. Johnny Cecotto Jr. (YV) - SuperNova Racing
09. Romain Grosjean (F) - DAMS
10. Pål Varhaug (NO) - DAMS
11. Michael Herck (RO) - Scudería Coloni
12. James Jakes (GB) - Scudería Coloni
14. Oliver Turvey (GB) - Ocean Racing Technology
15. Andrea Caldarelli (I) - Ocean Racing Technology
16. Charles Pic (F) - Barwa Addax Team
17. Giedo Van der Garde (NL) - Barwa Addax Team
18. Stefano Coletti (MON) - Trident Racing
19. Rodolfo González (YV) - Trident Racing
20. Fabio Leimer (CH) - Rapax Team
21. Omar-Julián Leal (CO) - Rapax Team
22. Nathanael Berthon (F) - Racing Engineering
23. Dani Clos (E) - Racing Engineering
24. Mikhail Aleshin (RUS) - Carlin Motorsport
25. Max Chilton (GB) - Carlin Motorsport
26. Davide Valsecchi (I) - Team Air Asia
27. Luiz Razia (BR) - Team Air Asia

In italics, drivers TBC

[Nikki Katz]

Thanks for that, I was wondering what had happened to Air Asia! Not a bad lineup this year considering it's only the winter series, and a short one at that. No idea who'll win really, but I imagine for the main series it'll be between Bianchi and Grosjean.

[jens]

This season's GP2 Main season is going to be quite interesting. A lot of young promising future hopefuls in top teams, so that someone simply has to endure a disappointing season and end up at the end of Top10! Plus also new cars, with which drivers and especially teams have to adapt.

Also every year we have had some a bit unexpected front-runners, who didn't shine previously (09 Petrov, 10 Maldonado). So what can we look for in 2011?

Bianchi absolutely has to win in 2011 to keep his high-profile status after an underwhelming 2010. In Grosjean's case the performance of DAMS/Genii/Renault is a big question-mark. They seemed on an upward curve at the end of 2010 and maybe have managed to come out of a hole under a new ownership, managing to nail the new rules in 2011?! Grosjean could fight for the title, but if DAMS isn't that good, he could end up in the second half of Top10 as well.

Actually it is not impossible we might see a France 1-2-3 this season! Charles Pic is pretty much stepping in the footsteps of Sergio Pérez, who spent his rookie year in Arden before moving to Barwa Addax, which has for years been known as one of the very best teams. Pérez could have fought for the title with better luck and I'm actually pretty confident Pic is going to be a genuine front-runner this year. But unclear if it is going to be enough against [i]grand favourite[/u] Bianchi. I'd tip Pic to beat his team-mate van der Garde though.

iSport has constantly been considered as a top team, but has been very far from any kind of titles for two years already. In Sam Bird they have again got a man, who could give them a serious shot. He gave team-mate Bianchi a run for his money last year and a Top3 placing in the overall standings is surely the goal and a possibility. Ericsson had a tough season at Super Nova, but as indicated by Filippi's results in 2010, the team was struggling as a whole. Ericsson has been highly rated and should be able to do much better - but probably not good enough to win the title yet.

Bianchi has an exciting team-mate alongside him - GP3 dominator Gutiérrez. But it is going to be extremely hard to match Bianchi, the Mexican is still very young (19) and his year is more probably going to be 2012. What seems obvious to me that Rapax is going to lose ground. Leimer might be a dark horse among Top10 placing (wonder, who is going to be the second driver?) - but I wouldn't expect a title challenge.

WSR champion Aleshin with all the funding is quite a possible future F1 driver (been rumoured already), but like previous WSR champs Parente and vd Garde could find it tough to make a serious impact in GP2. A finish in Top10 is on the cards though. Carlin and AirAsia are at least fortunate to join the grid in state of play situation. Wonder, how good will they turn out to be.

Clos had a surprisingly strong season in 2010. With Vietoris also gradually coming good, both will be looking for a Top5 placing if RE manages to continue performing on a high-standard level. Somehow don't expect much from Arden, perhaps Cecotto or Herck could create a few upsets here or there among traditional "outsiders".

PS. A pity for Oliver Turvey, who after a promising rookie season has been forced to move to an inferior team if he gets a drive for the main season at all.