As we've got some actual racing this weekend, and as there are two places with some interesting stuff discussing what's going on, I'm planning on merging this thread (the racing this weekend one) with this one (GP2 Asia 2009/2010) : http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=117894 unless there are any strong objections?

Thanks

Gareth

Yes, please merge. I don't wanna have to watch 2 threads

Decent race

Impressive performance from Oliver Turvey I thought, very composed and mature.

That was enjoyable.

Another formidable round from iSport. I wonder if they'll carry that form across to the main series.

And it looks like Jules Bianchi will make the transition from F3 without a problem.

What happened to poll-sitter Charles Pic in Race 1?

He was third, then fell behind his team-mate during the pitstops and was hit by Filippi.

Thanks. Just saw Autosport put up the race report, as well.

Charles is only 19.He will progress for sure.

He seems very fast.He made the first pole of Arden's teams since 2005.

This race for him today was a shame.

He will start from tenth tomorrow on race 2.

I've always had a soft spot for Arden. Here's hoping Pic can raise their fortunes! Of course, it's up to the team to get their act together as well...

It's little off-topic but I can't help to write about what I noticed. IMHO this year GP2 Asia has blown up a big bubble Bernie has tried to sell us many years. It's about Asia as a new market for motor racing. IIRC he has said endless times that bringing GPs to Nowherelands and Nothingistans helps to generate local interest and bring aspiring drivers to higher formulae and ultimately into F1. It seems reasonable as Asia has a population of about 4 billion. Which makes about 60% of the mankind and purely statistically there must be some good drivers.
Last year it was compulsory to have one Asian driver in GP2 Asia team. Now that rule was dropped and how many Asian drivers did we see in Abu Dhabi? Answer is ZERO! NIL! So what's the problem? Lack of drivers? Or lack of interest (i.e sponsor money)? I suspect latter.

I don't get why Valsecchi even tried that move, it didn't make sense and it could've taken them both out. When you're leading the championship that's pretty stupid...

Just look how many spectators bothered to turn up. If the people are not interested, why would the sponsers?

The fact that this track has more than just one good overtaking spot is a compliment. Most quality tracks tend to have just one, sometimes two, prime overtaking spots.

Entertaining race. Some amateurish driving going on, but also some really good stuff. Rossi from last to 6th...... . Good job by Turvey, too. Almost lost the lead there after the pit stops, but put one hell of a move on his teammate to take it back.

Lack of interest. Turkey already blew that bubble up a while ago. Bernie is being surprisingly naive when it comes to cultural stances on motorsports. People over there just don't really give a damn about it at all. A lot of middle eastern perception is that motor racing is some rich man's past time like golf. Soccer/football is the reigning sport over there simply because you just need two nets and a ball-like object to kick around.

I'd like to add another option to your list of possible problems. Not just a lack of drivers, or a lack of interest, but also a lack of quality. No good having 50 Asian drivers all with a bit of a budget, if they're slower than a tortoise and as dangerous on track as a car being shot out of a cannon into a wall (not saying they're all that slow and that dangerous, just using it as an example). I'd be willing to bet that with the 1 Asian driver rule gone for this season, the reason they haven't picked up any for this series, is because whatever drivers there might be, they obviously feel they're not good enough, if they were, there'd be at least 1 Asian driver in the field, budget or not.

You could probably add China to that as well.

Do you really think cultural stances on motorsport is high on Bernie's list of priorities when he's establishing a race?

So you think Asians are genetically bad at open-wheel racing?

Or is it much more reasonable to assume that maybe the lack of quality drivers is BECAUSE of the lack of interest?

I'm sure I heard them call Alexander Rossi "Valentino" on a couple of occasions and get the running order wrong as well.

I neither said nor implied that Asians are genetically bad at open wheel racing. I was giving it as an additional possible problem/reason that with the 1 Asian driver rule ditched, it could be a reason why there's none in this year. Wasn't trying to be controversial or anything.

Fair enough.

You're probably right about that, actually. Petrov and Kobayashi were probably the best Asian drivers in the series, and now they're gone.....which leaves.........Ho Pin Tung, I guess.......not much to look forward to...

Petrov, Asian? Not so sure about that.

Any stream? Polish Eurosport will show it after midnight .

Hey, the pronunciations have changed. Well, that's a little unsettling.

The commentator does a very good job conveying the excitement.


I was sorry to see Bianchi stall on the grid but now I'm a little glad. Whoosh!

Watched yesterdays race....

The commentary was shocking, I'm sure they can find someone with more knowledge of GP2 to do the commentary. It made the whole thing seem so second rate.

The racing wasn't too bad, but I had to watch it on mute.

J

The British one? I like him, apart from the pronunciations (which is a favourite frustration of mine and I'd like to hear people like Giedo van der Garde and Michael Herck pronounce their names). He's obviously... engaged.

Damn, I was hoping Herck would get his first win. Still, a fantastic weekend. Superb from Valsecchi, of course. And Perez.

And Bianchi...

Also good race from Pic.

What the hell happened with Eurosport missing the first couple of laps? Poor effort.

And this doesn´´t work http://live.gp2series.com/?lang=en

Best part of Russia is indeed in Asia but Petrov is as European as it gets in Russia. His hometown is Vyborg near the border of Finland (former Finnish town of Viipuri to be precise).
Japan on the other hand is 100% Asia, full of good drivers, there is interest and money, but for some reasons they don't find GP2 Asia attractive.
IMO Karun Chandok is good enough for GP2 Asia but even he didn't make the grid

Just watched race 2. Man, Jules Bianchi is an absolute animal He overtook 2 cars in one swoop at one point. Dont know if that was intended but looked crazy enough.
And was there something wrong with Rossis car? Didnt seem to have straight line speed at all.

It worked for me.

I think for the purposes of GP2 Asia, Russian and Turkish drivers all counted as Asians, even if they were from the European parts of their country. Kazakhstanis too, presumably.

What happened to Rossi? He was moving backwards out there. Good action despite the abominable commentating!

In 2008 GP2 Asia raced at 5 locations - Dubai, indonesia, Malaysia, Bahrain, and Duabi again.

In the 2008-2009 GP2 Asia season, races were held at Shanghai, Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Malaysia, and Bahrain again.

This season (2009-2010), GP2 Asia races twice at Abu Dhabi and twice at Bahrain.

Is this a sign of lack of interest in the series? Or a result of the global financial crisis?

Why isn't GP2 Asia running as a support race in the asian leg of the F1 season? I think this year GP2 Asia will race at the opening race of the F1 season at Bahrain, but how about the Malaysian and Chinese gp's? The GP2 euro series might have a conflict in schedule with Singapore but the schedule is free by the time the Japanese and Korean gp's come along. I'm thinking the reason why is that supporting all the asian F1 races would make the GP2 calendar too grueling for the teams and drivers?

This is the official excuse, to cut logistical costs and keep the series in the Middle East.

No, of course not. That's pretty evident.

Then again I kind of hope it's SOMEWHERE in his 7000 millienum old mind of his. If it's not then I guess he doesn't really care about the long term success of grands prix? Seems like a smash'n'grab business deal. Suck out every penny you can then just dump them and move on. Hell, he IS 79 years old. Maybe he just doesn't give a damn about long term investments anymore.

Where are you guys watching the GP2? Online streams or TV? I mean, it's not like in the old days when ITV showed it and I can never tell whether or not Eurosport will show it... and I guess not everyone here is in the UK.

Eurosport shows GP2 Asia, British one also broadcasts GP2. Unfortunately Polish Eurosport doesn't, so we have to look for online streams during Main Series season .

It was dreadful. They appeared to be too busy showing some crash compilation to show the start....and because the race over ran my Sky+ chopped off the last lap. The bizarre thing is all their race re-runs also appear to miss off the first two laps.

Yelmer Buurman's driving for Ocean Racing in Bahrain this weekend.

Bit of an effort trying to keep up with who is driving where in GP2 Asia.

Not long until the race now. Fingers crossed that Bianchi and Parente can continue their performances.

Bianchi had a terrible start.

Bahrain has added a bunch of green astroturf. Looks a little weird "in the desert". They're still using the old layout are they?


What a race!! Last 10 laps were fantastic!

Brilliant race indeed. Valesecchi much deserved champion, but for me, I thought Ricci drove a bit of a blinder today.

More of the same tomorrow please!

Valsecchi was fantastic.

I wonder what was up with the ARTs.

Great Charles Pic.

Best rookie.

Does anyone have a link to todays race?

Victory of Pic.

Made light work of it as well.

Just what was Rossi up to this morning though? Through sheer desperation he was trying to pull off manoeuvres that would never work in a month of Sundays.