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  1. #1
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    Arrow GP2 Series in 2012

    What are everyone's thoughts regarding the new upcoming season?

    At the moment I have to say that alas the level of drivers can turn out to be a bit underwhelming for this campaign. I mean if even drivers like Cecotto Jr and Palmer have found seats in top teams... Both of who scored a grand total of zero points last year and got beaten by their team-mates.

    More than half of the field is yet to be confirmed, but if it keeps going like that, it is getting hard to see past Ericsson and Gutiérrez as prime title contenders.

    Confirmed drivers so far:
    Barwa: Cecotto Jr
    DAMS: Valsecchi
    Racing Engineering
    iSport: Ericsson - Palmer
    Lotus: Gutiérrez - Calado
    Caterham
    Coloni: Coletti - Onidi
    Trident: Leal - Richelmi
    Super Nova? (read rumours that they might be sold to Qi-Meritus?!)
    Rapax
    Arden: Trummer
    ORT: Melker
    Carlin

  2. #2
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    Yeah, not great so far. Was hoping for Wickens and Vergne to move up to GP2 rather than being dropped straight into F1 or disappearing in a dead-end test drive role. Was also hoping for Bianchi to return. No such luck.

    I think that Palmer and Cecotto are both better than their GP2 form suggests, but neither are championship material, and I don't see why they've landed seats in such top teams.

    Yeah, Gutierrez vs Ericsson for the title; outside shots for Valsecchi and Calado.

    There's still a lot of seats left, it's not out of the question that some of the good drivers that didn't manage to secure a full time seat in the past will return.

    Still not sure it'll actually be broadcast in the UK. GP3 is for some reason instead...

  3. #3
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    I see Super Nova have pulled out after a couple of not very good seasons. They've been replaced already though, by Auto GP team Lazarus.

    Still a lot of seats available considering the season starts in a month.

  4. #4
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    Barwa: Cecotto Jr - Kral
    DAMS: Valsecchi - Nasr
    Racing Engineering: Leimer - Berthon
    iSport: Ericsson - Palmer
    Lotus: Gutiérrez - Calado
    Caterham: van der Garde - Gonzalez
    Coloni: Coletti - Onidi
    Trident: Leal - Richelmi
    Lazarus: Crestani
    Rapax
    Arden: Razia - Trummer
    ORT: Melker - Lancaster
    Carlin: Chilton - Haryanto

    Well, most of the seats have been confirmed so far. Considering the field, I think vastly experienced van der Garde can easily be one of the main contenders this year. And among rookies Nasr is a dark horse in addition to Calado.

    Lotus GP is favourite for the teams' title, but for instance DAMS can be a contender as well. Reigning champion Barwa has made their life difficult. Their drivers, especially Kral, may challenge for top10 in the standings, but more than that? Nah...

  5. #5
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    I think Kral's underrated, he's done a decent job at a midfield team. But I doubt he'll challenge the championship.

    I agree that Lotus are probably favourites with either of their drivers, but I wouldn't rule out DAMS, iSport and maybe even Caterham.

    Rapax seem to be challenging for the coveted 13th place award considering who they've been testing.

  6. #6
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    So already this weekend the GP2 season gets underway. Unusually early!

    The driver line-ups have been completed. Even Teixeira found his way back to GP2! Now we are only missing Kralev. :

    Looking elsewhere, we have got more losses. Somehow Dani Clos ended without a drive, so concentrating mainly on HRT duties? And one of Italian main hopes Kevin Ceccon isn't on the grid either despite being rumoured a long time.

  7. #7
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    okay first race I thought, good to see Chilton top 3 Calado starts first I think for race 2 due to grid reverse for the top 8? (think I have this right!) anyway, should be good

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    Impressive weekend by Razia. Didn't think he had it in him to dominate the GP2 field. Behind him DAMS and Lotus drivers are well-positioned for title fight during the rest of the season. Good debut by Calado and Nasr, good comeback by Gutiérrez after terrible qualifying. Ericsson was a major disappointment. He must surely know that he is capable of much-much more! What happened?

  9. #9
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    Qualifying for the Bahrain GP has been done. Valsecchi on pole again, but this time Gutiérrez and rookie Nasr are looking much better for a shot at being a feature race front-runner. Ericsson is struggling this season. He also has a 10-place grid penalty, so not much is going to be achieved by the looks of it.

    Also we have had first driver changes. If Clos in Barwa Addax participates for the whole season, he can be among front-runners too.

  10. #10
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    Well, Valsecchi is the man to beat in GP2 at the moment. Two races wins and a championship lead.
    Razia proved that Malaysian win was no fluke as he fought back from a poor grid position and got decent points in both races.
    Gutiérrez is there or thereabouts, but win has escaped him so far.
    Chilton seems very consistent, but not spectacular.
    Leimer was a bit unlucky this weekend, also a dodgy penalty denied him a potential win today. But generally he is consistent as well.
    Nasr had a promising weekend. Even though yesterday he had a collision with Cecotto, but strong recovery drive moved him to 6th today. So he is one to watch for the rest of the season.

    Van der Garde - disappointment of the weekend. One of pre-season favourites for the title is struggling, while two former Caterham GP2 drivers are fighting for the title. What has gone wrong? And another one is Ericsson - he is not getting anywhere at all.

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