Sport | Motorsport
Consistency key as racing begins
Consistency will be the main factor for teams and drivers as GP2 racing gets under way as part of the Dubai Grand Racing at the Dubai Autodrome this weekend.
- By Alaric Gomes, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:41 January 23, 2008
- Image Credit: Supplied Picture
- Dubai Autodrome Chairman Saeed Khalfan (centre) poses with Speedcar Series racing drivers (from right) David Terrien, Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, Jean Alesi and Johnny Herbert at Dubai Autodrome.
Dubai: Consistency will be the main factor for teams and drivers as GP2 racing gets under way as part of the Dubai Grand Racing at the Dubai Autodrome this weekend.
"This is a drivers' championship. We have same engines and same cars that translates into equal opportunity to all," Marco Codello from GP2 Asia told Gulf News.
Some of the best emerging drivers consist this year's GP2 Asia Series including Romain Grosjean, Adrian Valles, Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna, nephew of the legendary Aryton Senna.
"We have very little to differentiate between the top ten drivers in this series. We have the experienced drivers and the inexperienced ones. But the gap between these will slowly go on decreasing," Codello said.
Twenty-six of the top drivers representing 13 teams have been testing for the inaugural version of the GP2 Asia Series at the Autodrome.
Gap narrowing
India's Karun Chandhok gave a hint of his intentions for the race as he set the fastest lap time of 1 minute, 21.894 seconds during yesterday's test session.
However, with 30 minutes to go, he crashed. Romain Grosjean, who was quickest in the morning session, spent the afternoon running in race configuration as well as practicing pit-stops, FMS driver Adrian Valles was again second fastest followed by the iSport International driver Bruno Senna.
"These are among the best in the world of racing. The gap between the drivers will slowly narrow down towards the end of the season. One thing is certain though: there will be close battles, great excitement and only the one with the greater consistency will be on the podium," Codello predicted.
Though GP2 Asia is meant to act as a feeder series for Formula One racing for the continent, most of the drivers are from across the globe, predominantly Europe. "Of course our aim is to try to push and promote Asian talent through. From next season for example, it will be mandatory for teams to have at least one Asian driver," Codello said.
"And from this year itself, teams will not be eligible for prize money even if they win, if they do not follow this rule. This is not a penalty, but rather a reward for teams that follow the rules."
Main racing action will get under way at the Dubai Autodrome this weekend with a true festival of motorsport featuring the Speedcar Series, the GP2 Asia along with the the Lumina CSV Middle East Championship and the Gulf Radical Cup.
"Fans can be assured of an exciting weekend of racing.
"In addition, we have distributed 5,000 tickets to schools so that we can tap young minds to get attracted to motorsports," said Saeed Khalfan, Chairman of Dubai Autodrome.
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