547 replies to this topic

[D.M.N.]

Never noticed a new thread for the GP2 2009, so I thought I'd start one here. The season itself starts alongside the F1, with the GP2 starting at Barcelona on May 9th. The season ends on September 19th at the new Algarve circuit... albeit as a standalone event not alongside F1.

This season for me is going to be quite intriguing... I really enjoyed last year with Senna challenging Pantano, unfortunately he didn't win it in the end. It'd be interesting to see if Pantano chooses to return to GP2 this season... or whether he'll take a year off in an attempt to get an F1 seat for 2010. Problem is, if he does that IMO, that could put him out of the limelight for the indefinite future... I feel sorry for Pantano as he hasn't really had a firm chance to prove himself in F1; while Senna looks like he's jumping in at the deep end at Honda [providing that all goes through].

With those two likely not participating in GP2, I really think Nico Hulkenberg this year is going to be a solid contender for the top positions alongside Romain Grojean. Pastor Maldonado could also have a chance... he was there or there about last year; only problem for him is that he's got Hulkenberg as his team-mate and if Hulkenberg gets a lightening start, Maldonado may be force to take a back seat IMO.

Driver Line-Up
Barwa International Campos Team - Romain Grosjean and TBA
iSport International - Giedo van der Garde and Diego Nunes
Piquet GP - Roldán Rodríguez and TBA
Racing Engineering - Dani Clos and TBA
ART Grand Prix - Nico Hülkenberg and Pastor Maldonado
Arden International - TBA and TBA
Super Nova Racing - Javier Villa
DAMS - TBA and TBA
Trident Racing - TBA and TBA
Fisichella Motor Sport - Andreas Zuber and TBA
Durango - Davide Valsecchi and TBA
Ocean Racing Technology - Karun Chandhok and TBA
DPR - TBA and TBA

Driver Changes
Changed Teams
- Karun Chandhok: iSport → Ocean Racing Technology
- Romain Grosjean: ART Grand Prix → Barwa International Campos Team
- Pastor Maldonado: Piquet Sports → ART Grand Prix
- Diego Nunes: David Price Racing → iSport International
- Roldán Rodríguez: FMS International → Piquet GP
- Andreas Zuber: Piquet Sports → FMS International
- Javier Villa : Racing Engineering → Super Nova Racing

Entering GP2
- Giedo van der Garde: World Series by Renault (P1 Motorsport) → iSport International
- Nicolas Hülkenberg: Formula Three Euroseries (ART Grand Prix) → ART Grand Prix
- Dani Clos: Formula Three Euroseries (Prema Powerteam) → Racing Engineering

Leaving GP2
- Sébastien Buemi: Trust Team Arden → Formula One (Scuderia Toro Rosso)
- Mike Conway: Trident Racing → IndyCar Series (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing)
- Carlos Iaconelli: BCN Competitión → FIA Formula Two Championship
- Andy Soucek: Super Nova Racing → FIA Formula Two Championship

In terms of TV coverage, UK viewers should be able to see it on the BBC Red Button but nothing has been officially confirmed yet. If it's not on the BBC, likelyhood is that it'll go back to Eurosport.

[potmotr]

Nice one DMN, that's a comprehensive first post!

[BlackCat]

is Petrov not confirmed in Barwa-Campos? as i do not see him on the "leaving" list also. kinda like the guy...

[Bernd Rosemeyer]

Why has Conway left to the states? Did he give up on F1?

[potmotr]

Originally posted by Bernd Rosemeyer
Why has Conway left to the states? Did he give up on F1?

He didn't have a great GP2 season last year.

He'd tested for Honda, but obviously that option has now vanished.

There's almost zero buzz about him in connection with F1 teams.

So he's realised he's not going to make it and will make his living in the states.

I think it's a very realistic and very pragmatic approach.

[D.M.N.]

Thanks potmotr!

Originally posted by BlackCat
is Petrov not confirmed in Barwa-Campos? as i do not see him on the "leaving" list also. kinda like the guy...

As far as I know, I don't think he's been confirmed. Petrov's in GP2 Asia with the Campos team, so he'll probably carry on with them for the main series.

[FranchittiFan26]

Originally posted by potmotr


He didn't have a great GP2 season last year.

He'd tested for Honda, but obviously that option has now vanished.

There's almost zero buzz about him in connection with F1 teams.

So he's realised he's not going to make it and will make his living in the states.

I think it's a very realistic and very pragmatic approach.

That's about right on Conway. Honda were the only F1 team to be looking at him seriously and with all the uncertainty around them Conway saw a good chance to advance his career in another direction. He deserves credit for realising this and forging a different path

As to this year's GP2 championship, I do hope the BBC includes it in their coverage. I've always enjoyed watching the GP2 races; they are usually more interesting than the corresponding Grand Prix!

I can't really see beyond Grosjean or Hulkenberg for the championship. The rest of the field strike me as rather journeyman-like. A dark horse for me would be van der Garde, who, while he seems to have been around for years, is just starting to come into his stride. He had an impressive Formula Renault 3.5 season last year and I see no reason he cannot continue that

[potmotr]

What are Parente's plans? He always struck me as a guy with Formula One potentional, but IIRC, no cash at all.

And what is Giorgio Pantano doing this season? I think it's tragic he's not getting another shot at F1. But I would love to see him racing in GP2 again, as a seasoned pro earning good money and defending his crown.

With F1 all but inaccessible I think it would be cool for F1 to have a few more drivers who are racing in the series because it is the second top open wheel championship in Europe.

[primer]

Originally posted by potmotr
a seasoned pro earning good money

I thought people "invested" (aka spent) money in GP2 and other lower series, not earn it. They are all pay drivers, aren't they.

[noikeee]

Originally posted by potmotr
What are Parente's plans? He always struck me as a guy with Formula One potentional, but IIRC, no cash at all.

He's trying to get the Racing Engineering seat, but there's other people fighting for it, Di Grassi is rumoured. Arden is another option. He did struggle for several years without cash, but now has some sponsors since signing for a management agency last year. Another portuguese guy who might go GP2 this year is Albuquerque, rumoured to be in negotiations with the new Tiago Monteiro team (Ocean Racing).

I'm not entirely sure who is going to win this season. Grosjean could be a good bet but he hasn't seemed to be doing much progress lately. ART has a great lineup but Hulkenberg is a rookie and could be going the Grosjean-way of impressing in Asia and then fading in Europe; Maldonado is extremely quick but unreliable, inconsistent, and could be relegated to a 2nd driver role like Filippi was last year. Whoever gets the Racing Engineering seat, be it Parente, Di Grassi or someone else, could be also a good contender. There's also DAMS, they've been doing very well on Asia recently and I think they've confirmed both Kobayashi and D'Ambrosio again.

It's a shame Sergio Pérez isn't confirmed for Europe, he impressed me the last couple of races in Asia. Whether Campos go for him or Petrov they're going to have another strong race winner alongside Grosjean.

iSport seems to have a weak lineup for a change this season, Van Der Garde is one of those guys that can be seriously quick when he clicks with the car (last year in WSR proved this) but his Asia form has been very unimpressive. Nunes hasn't done anything to catch my eye.

[noikeee]

Originally posted by primer




I thought people "invested" (aka spent) money in GP2 and other lower series, not earn it. They are all pay drivers, aren't they.

Pantano was said to be the only paid driver in the series.

[potmotr]

Originally posted by paranoik0

Pantano was said to be the only paid driver in the series.

As I mentioned, I'd like to see a few drivers like Pantano staying in the series.

Formula One is just so unobtainable, it would be great if the tier below had stars in their own right.

[Bernd Rosemeyer]

Originally posted by paranoik0


Pantano was said to be the only paid driver in the series.

What are Pantano's plans for 2009?

[potmotr]

Originally posted by Bernd Rosemeyer

What are Pantano's plans for 2009?

I don't think he has any at this stage.

His name was connected with an STR test (a story back in November) before the team said they wouldn't be giving him a try.

I guess he'd be looking towards the states.

I would really love it if winning the GP2 championship guaranteed a spot on the F1 grid the next season.

But the world doesn't work like that sadly.

[Bernd Rosemeyer]

Originally posted by potmotr
I would really love it if winning the GP2 championship guaranteed a spot on the F1 grid the next season.

It worked for Nico, Lewis and Timo. Giorgio is the first to fail. And I think the reason is age. Possibly this year's Champ (Grosjean? Hulkenberg?) will proceed to F1 again.

[HaydenFan]

I think this is Hulkenberg's season. Took him a few years to get up to speed in F3, but his runs in the Asia series and from tests, he has the car down. He knows a large portion of the circuits from various series he has run in in Europe. He has the team that took Rosberg and Hamilton to the title, so why not?

[potmotr]

Hulkenberg certainly has career momentum, that's for sure.

And don't forget he totally cleaned up A1GP for Germany a couple of years back.

He knows how to win.

[HaydenFan]

Originally posted by potmotr
Hulkenberg certainly has career momentum, that's for sure.

And don't forget he totally cleaned up A1GP for Germany a couple of years back.

He knows how to win.

Yep, forgot about his time in A1GP.

[Bernd Rosemeyer]

So it seems Hulkenberg for the title is almost a foregone conclusion based on his success in the lower formulae?

[Gilles4Ever]

Originally posted by Bernd Rosemeyer
So it seems Hulkenberg for the title is almost a foregone conclusion based on his success in the lower formulae?

and how he did in the couple of races in the Asian GP2 series

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/73304
http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/73272

[F1Fanatic.co.uk]

Originally posted by potmotr


He didn't have a great GP2 season last year.

He'd tested for Honda, but obviously that option has now vanished.

There's almost zero buzz about him in connection with F1 teams.

So he's realised he's not going to make it and will make his living in the states.

I think it's a very realistic and very pragmatic approach.

He mentioned the possibility of going into Indy Cars when I spoke to him back in 2006, which I thought was quite unusual - it's rare to hear up-and-coming European drivers talk about anything other than F1. Hope he goes well, wonder how he'll adjust to the ovals.

[F1Fanatic.co.uk]

Originally posted by Bernd Rosemeyer
So it seems Hulkenberg for the title is almost a foregone conclusion based on his success in the lower formulae?

Grosjean will give him a good run. Could be a very good season, actually.

[noikeee]

Originally posted by F1Fanatic.co.uk

He mentioned the possibility of going into Indy Cars when I spoke to him back in 2006, which I thought was quite unusual - it's rare to hear up-and-coming European drivers talk about anything other than F1. Hope he goes well, wonder how he'll adjust to the ovals.

I think he'll fit America well because he was always awesome at street circuits, doesn't the IRL run a bunch of them?

[HaydenFan]

Originally posted by paranoik0


I think he'll fit America well because he was always awesome at street circuits, doesn't the IRL run a bunch of them?

3. Not a "bunch", but about the same he'd run in GP2.

[Seanspeed]

Originally posted by HaydenFan
I think this is Hulkenberg's season. Took him a few years to get up to speed in F3, but his runs in the Asia series and from tests, he has the car down. He knows a large portion of the circuits from various series he has run in in Europe. He has the team that took Rosberg and Hamilton to the title, so why not?

Everyone assumed the same thing about Grosjean last year, though. Didn't turn out as planned. To be honest, I wouldn't blame Grosjean himself for all of that. He had a bit of bad luck, but I also dont think ART got to grips with the 2008 car as much as they had with the previous gen GP2 car, as evident by Grosjean's teammate, Luca Filippi, who was previously a front runner in 2007, but looked nowhere in 2008.

But now Grosjean is in a team that showed in 2008 that they definitely have a car that is capable of winning the title. It'll be make or break for Grosjean this year, but I think he's in a strong position.

Anyways, back to Hulkenberg, I'm certainly not ruling him out, as he's a talented guy no doubt, but I'm wary of just assuming that he's gonna be a shoe-in for the title. We've also got to worry about who gets that Racing Engineering seat, as they seemed to be the ones who cracked the new car the best so far.

[wewantourdarbyback]

Be interesting to see how Van der Garde builds on his WSR win, whether he can adact quickly in the asia series and then across to the main series. Hopefully not three years of struggle as he suffered in F3.

[F1Fanatic.co.uk]

Originally posted by TheHumanPromise
back to Hulkenberg, I'm certainly not ruling him out, as he's a talented guy no doubt, but I'm wary of just assuming that he's gonna be a shoe-in for the title.

Agreed - look at what happened to Grosjean last year.

[potmotr]

Originally posted by TheHumanPromise

But now Grosjean is in a team that showed in 2008 that they definitely have a car that is capable of winning the title. It'll be make or break for Grosjean this year, but I think he's in a strong position.

I think Grosjean was the biggest disappointment of 2008. He had such strong form in the Asia series and really seemed like the man to beat.

You're right though, if he doesn't deliver this year he's toast.

Despite wanting Pantano to be in F1, I don't think last year's GP2 series was a classic really. Too many mistakes and Pantano fumbled least to win. He still made a couple of big mistakes though.

[Dolph]

Originally posted by potmotr


I think Grosjean was the biggest disappointment of 2008. He had such strong form in the Asia series and really seemed like the man to beat.

You're right though, if he doesn't deliver this year he's toast.

Yes, but lets not forget that with a bit of luck he could have been the champ (think French main race win and overtaking under yellows a bit later in the year).

I for one think that Grosjean is going to be the man to beat this year. The Campos team is strong also.

Giedo van der Garde on the other hand has been dissapointing. Mortara has also some ground to make up.

[Levike]

Originally posted by Dolph


Yes, but lets not forget that with a bit of luck he could have been the champ (think French main race win and overtaking under yellows a bit later in the year).

I for one think that Grosjean is going to be the man to beat this year. The Campos team is strong also.

Giedo van der Garde on the other hand has been dissapointing. Mortara has also some ground to make up.

Yes but with a bit of luck or a bit lesser unluck Senna could have been the champ too.
Grosjean was a little bit messy last year, although the talent is clearly there, he was pushing like mad all year.
I hope this year he calmed down a little bit, then he could live up for the expectations.

[potmotr]

Pastor Maldonado was pretty rapid on occassion, if only he could calm down.

[Buttoneer]

Originally posted by potmotr

I would really love it if winning the GP2 championship guaranteed a spot on the F1 grid the next season.

But the world doesn't work like that sadly.

There should be a relegation and promotion process for F1 (teams and drivers). Maybe is Max gets F1 spec enough, or cheap enough, we'll get that.

Personally I wouldn't like it, but it might create some interesting battles lower down the grid.

[Seanspeed]

Originally posted by Levike
Yes but with a bit of luck or a bit lesser unluck Senna could have been the champ too.
Grosjean was a little bit messy last year, although the talent is clearly there, he was pushing like mad all year.
I hope this year he calmed down a little bit, then he could live up for the expectations.

I think the expectations were set a bit too high from the start. He dominated the Asia series, but that was with the old car that ART had won those couple championships with. 2008 had a new car, and I dont think that ART were once again the team to beat, so you're right in that he pushed like mad all year long, but probably to try and stick the car up at the front with the stiffer competition. Look at where his previously touted teammate Filippi was in the same car. Grosjean was often 1.5 seconds or more faster than him in quali and the race.

So people thought that just because he dominated with the old car, that he could do it again in the new car, not taking into consideration that it was equally important that ART get to grips with it as much as Grosjean needed to.

Maybe I'm just making excuses, but my gut feeling was that Grosjean was the most talented guy out there overall. He didn't always qualify brilliantly, but in the races, he was probably the hardest charger on the grid, and was also a very capable and hard overtaker, which made him a force to be reckoned if you were the driver in front of him.

But we'll see. If its another disappointing year for him, then there will be no more excuses.

[noikeee]

I see where you're coming from, it's true that people are assuming the best teams remain the same when the car is different, while some teams might not have got it as right as before, but it has to be said Filippi sucked even after switching teams. I don't think he adapted himself very well to the new car neither.

[Seanspeed]

Originally posted by paranoik0
I see where you're coming from, it's true that people are assuming the best teams remain the same when the car is different, while some teams might not have got it as right as before, but it has to be said Filippi sucked even after switching teams. I don't think he adapted himself very well to the new car neither.

Like I said, I could just be making excuses.

[D.M.N.]

FYI: Nothing [as of yet] has been announced regarding support coverage to F1 on BBC.

[D.M.N.]

http://forums.autosp...382#post3488382

Please refer to the post above. GP2 will not be on the BBC and will be farmed out to another broadcaster.

[Seanspeed]

Originally posted by D.M.N.
http://forums.autosp...382#post3488382

Please refer to the post above. GP2 will not be on the BBC and will be farmed out to another broadcaster.

I hope you haven't spent the last 23 hours and 44 minutes looking for that!

[wewantourdarbyback]

Originally posted by TheHumanPromise

I hope you haven't spent the last 23 hours and 44 minutes looking for that!

For a post that he wrote?

[Seanspeed]

Originally posted by wewantourdarbyback
For a post that he wrote?

That would be bad, though!

[RF1 fan]

Racing Engineering Line-up:

Dani Clos-Lucas Di Grassi.

[Seanspeed]

Originally posted by RF1 fan
Racing Engineering Line-up:

Dani Clos-Lucas Di Grassi.

Source?

If true, Di Grassi might be the guy to beat.

[RF1 fan]

Originally posted by TheHumanPromise

Source?

If true, Di Grassi might be the guy to beat.

Di Grassi's interview:

http://www2.uol.com....lt794u61910.shl

[Seanspeed]

Thanks. Cool. Should be a good season, then!

[Barramut]

Grosjean is doing a Di Grassi.
Hulkenberg is doing a Schumacher.
ART dumped Grosjean to make Hulkenberg the #1 driver.

Will the cars be the same as last year? 3 yr freeze, right?

[HaydenFan]

Originally posted by Barramut
Grosjean is doing a Di Grassi.
Hulkenberg is doing a Schumacher.
ART dumped Grosjean to make Hulkenberg the #1 driver.

Will the cars be the same as last year? 3 yr freeze, right?

Yep same as last season are being used.

[RF1 fan]

Originally posted by Barramut
Grosjean is doing a Di Grassi.
Hulkenberg is doing a Schumacher.
ART dumped Grosjean to make Hulkenberg the #1 driver.

Will the cars be the same as last year? 3 yr freeze, right?

Hulkenberg is not the number one at ART and Maldonado is manadged by Todt Jr.

I would be very cautious about that and in F3 Euroseries ART didn't take Weber's manadged driver Vietoris....

[D.M.N.]

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/73447

Why Addax?

[noikeee]

The name change is a result of the departure of founder Adrian Campos at the end of last season, with new owner Alejandro Agag opting to re-title the team after the addax antelope, and in deference to main sponsor Barwa International.

[D.M.N.]

Yeah, I know that but why the "Addax" name?

I thought it would be "Barwa Agag".... mind you I guess "Addax" sounds better.