GP2 Live Commenting – Spain
Posted by woodwissf1 on April 26, 2008
Hey everyone and welcome to the first GP2 Live Commenting thread. The ever-exciting feeder series to F1 returns with a brand new 2008-spec car and a bunch of new drivers as well as the challengers from last year. No traction control, slick tyres and aerodynamics you’d normally find on an F1 car mean that it’s the closest thing to an F1 car that isn’t one, if that makes any sense!
So, what can we expect? Well, the GP2 Asia champion Romain Grosjean will want to make it a completely successful year by taking the crown, and ever increase his chances of moving up to a Renault drive. Reigning championship winners iSport have Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna on board, the latter out to prove he’s not just a name. Plus there’s the likes of Alvaro Parente, Luca Fillipi, Andi Zuber, Giorgio Pantano, and a host of other young talent all wanting to realise their dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver.
So, with out further ado, let’s look at the grid for the first race of the weekend and of the season:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Pastor Maldonado Piquet Sports 1:27.547
2. Alvaro Parente Super Nova 1:27.705
3. Andi Zuber Piquet Sports 1:28.155
4. Bruno Senna iSport 1:28.273
5. Giorgio Pantano Racing Eng. 1:28.290
6. Adrian Valles FMS 1:28.323
7. Karun Chandhok iSport 1:28.385
8. Vitaly Petrov Campos 1:28.423
9. Javier Villa Racing Eng. 1:28.562
10. Mike Conway Trident 1:28.622
11. Romain Grosjean ART 1:28.684
12. Davide Valsecchi Durango 1:28.713
13. Kamui Kobayashi DAMS 1:28.799
14. Luca Filippi ART 1:28.868
15. Ben Hanley Campos 1:28.889
16. Ho-Pin Tung Trident 1:28.937
17. Alberto Valerio Durango 1:29.338
18. Yelmer Buurman Arden 1:29.339
19. Christian Bakkerud Super Nova 1:29.394
20. Sebastien Buemi Arden 1:29.478
21. Milos Pavlovic BCN 1:29.618
22. Jerome D’Ambrosio DAMS 1:29.628
23. Paolo Nocera BCN 1:29.708
24. Roldan Rodriguez FMS 1:29.762
25. Diego Nunes DPR 1:30.343
26. Giacomo Ricci DPR 1:30.443
sidepodcast said
ace, we’re watching.
hi again
woodwissf1 said
Hello
Lou said
Hey. Im here and ready to learn. This is my first GP2 race so im very new!
woodwissf1 said
So, although this is generally an unknown for you guys, what do we think prediction wise?
sidepodcast said
for the record, we know very little about this series.
Lou said
I asked this over at sidepodcast, but its probably best to ask it here. This is what i said,
“I have a question for everyone. So the GP2 race is on now. Im watching it. But i am confused….Do they use the same pit lane and garages as the F1 teams? Surly the F1 teams don’t give them up? Do they share them?”
Christine said
You mean nothing, we just had to pause the rules and study them carefully
Lou said
predictions….ahaha….ok
Im gonna go with the british guys i just saw. cause they are the only ones i know
sidepodcast said
btw: i think christine’s comment went into moderation?
Scott Woodwiss said
Basically, all the cars are the same, they all use Renault V8s and the aerodynamics are very similar to the F1 cars now
Notable drivers to watch: Bruno Senna, Karun Chandhok, Andi Zuber, Giorgio Pantano, Romain Grosjean, Alvaro Parente and Sebastien Buemi
I’ve followed most of these drivers and they’re very talented. Plus the series is known for LOTS of overtaking and action.
woodwissf1 said
How strange they decided to show Formula BMWs from Sepang?
woodwissf1 said
Just so you know, It’s just me who posts on this forum, Scott, there’s no one else if you thought so
woodwissf1 said
Wait, David Croft? Isn’t he from 5 Live?
Lou said
So…how long is this first race?
Lou said
‘Wait, David Croft? Isn’t he from 5 Live?’
yes he is
woodwissf1 said
“So…how long is this first race?”
This race is 1h 15 mins I think.
Man, don’t they sound good?
sidepodcast said
“But i am confused….Do they use the same pit lane and garages as the F1 teams? Surly the F1 teams don’t give them up? Do they share them?”
i think the cars are kept behind the main garages, and they wheel the tyres into the pitlane and make up temporary pit boxes in front of the f1 garages.
Lou said
nice commentry.
sidepodcast said
david croft doesn’t know the rules does he??
woodwissf1 said
I think he’s trying his best to sound like he does, but he probably doesn’t.
Lou said
Oh right, thanks ’sidepodcast’. So is ’sidepocast’ ‘me’?
woodwissf1 said
So, everyone, get ready for your first GP2 race! Trust me, you’ll enjoy it, I’m sure.
woodwissf1 said
Ah, yellow flags, we need another parade lap.
See, GP2 isn’t dull. There’s always something happening.
sidepodcast said
“Oh right, thanks ’sidepodcast’. So is ’sidepocast’ ‘me’?”
yup
woodwissf1 said
Haha! The pole man nearly lost it on the parade lap.
woodwissf1 said
So, shall we try again?
sidepodcast said
clean start for all the drivers. nice.
woodwissf1 said
Ha! Already we have a collision. Luca Fillipi of ART.
woodwissf1 said
And again. Conway’s out, Bakkerud and Kobayashi collide in Turn 1. Pole man Maldonardo stalled at the start.
sidepodcast said
it’s like mini f1, cool.
woodwissf1 said
Safety car is out, people are pitting already.
Lou said
‘ “Oh right, thanks ’sidepodcast’. So is ’sidepocast’ ‘me’?”
yup ‘
its good to know
woodwissf1 said
sidepodcast said
so teams pitted early to get rid of the mandatory stop right?
woodwissf1 said
Ricci spins at Turn 1, cold tyres out of the pitlane. We might see more of that in F1 if tyre warmers are banned.
woodwissf1 said
Correct. It does help a lot if, like now, there’s a safety car, as then most or even all the drivers get the stop out of the way so they can then get on with the race.
Plus it’s great to watch a mad dash in the pitlane
didI said
Parente first?
woodwissf1 said
If anyone didn’t notice, the Fisichella Motorsport car is in the Force India livery.
Let’s go racing again!
sidepodcast said
“If anyone didn’t notice, the Fisichella Motorsport car is in the Force India livery.”
i see, wonder if that had anything to do with fissi getting the drive.
woodwissf1 said
mm, I wouldn’t have thought so. They only released pics of the livery last week in Autosport
Lou said
sorry im abit quiet…im just watching and learning. ‘me’ is right. its like a mini f1 race.
woodwissf1 said
That’s OK, this is the first live comment post anyway, so I wasn’t expecting many people.
sidepodcast said
itv has ads in this too? it’s only 38 laps
woodwissf1 said
See, I wonder if the BBC will have GP2 available on red button next year too?
didI said
please i’m portuguese, i need to know if parent is at the moment at first place…
thanks
woodwissf1 said
Yes, Didi, unless during this break it’s changed, Parente is currently leading
sidepodcast said
“That’s OK, this is the first live comment post anyway”
tis good stuff, i wouldn’t have watched it otherwise.
Lou said
‘me’ is right. Its good! Its just like a more simple f1 but more overtaking… which is a BIG plus. So GP2 is following F1 this year? When does the season end? Does it go on longer than F1…or is it only lke 8 races. – see i ahve nooo idea
woodwissf1 said
Nice move from Petrov on Valles.
woodwissf1 said
“So GP2 is following F1 this year? When does the season end? Does it go on longer than F1…or is it only lke 8 races. – see i ahve nooo idea”
Yep, GP2 is the feeder series and the main support race to Formula 1 in europe. They start in Barcelona and finish in Monza, so they’ll go to all the European races, including the Valencia street circuit.
woodwissf1 said
Buurman’s off into the barrier.
Lou said
‘They start in Barcelona and finish in Monza, so they’ll go to all the European races, including the Valencia street circuit.’
Wow! Brilliant! I look forward to having whole weekends full of racing!
woodwissf1 said
Wow! What a move by Grosjean on Valles. Around the outside of Turn 1!
didI said
thanks woodwissf1! if something happens to him please comment. (sorry mate by my english errors)
woodwissf1 said
Will do. He’s still leading just ahead of Senna.
Christine said
Who’s in pain?
woodwissf1 said
Bakkerud looks to be in some pain. His back must be really aggrevating him.
sidepodcast said
top 3 are really close so late in race.
woodwissf1 said
You don’t that in F1 very much, do you?
Lou said
Thats so nice! they are actually racing!! Non of this turning down the engines malarky!
Lou said
So its still the top 8 who get pionts right?
sidepodcast said
i like the car that looks like a retro ‘05 / ‘06 blue renault.
woodwissf1 said
“So its still the top 8 who get points right?”
Yep, just like F1.
woodwissf1 said
Parente still leads from Senna, Zuber and Pantano.
Lou said
That makes it easy to remember then
woodwissf1 said
Wow, Senna’s right on the back of Parente!
woodwissf1 said
Buemi passes Valles as Maldonado runs off at turn 1. Kobayashi also gets by and Chandhok does do as well. Maldonado does wide again.
sidepodcast said
interesting to watch the tyres go off like that towards the end of the race. rewarding careful drivers is good.
woodwissf1 said
Yeah, Valles has slipped way down and his tyres are letting him down.
woodwissf1 said
Senna keeps getting the back out a bit out of the chicane. That’s where he’s losing the gap to Parente.
Lou said
Am i imagining things…why pit on the second to last lap? were the tyres that worn?
woodwissf1 said
Great win for Alvaro Parente! That’s his first GP2 race too. He was in WSR last year, and the car very similar, so he did a great job. Well done.
sidepodcast said
impressive race for a rookie
sidepodcast said
“Great win for Alvaro Parente! That’s his first GP2 race too. He was in WSR last year, and the car very similar, so he did a great job. Well done.”
are you feeding croftie your best lines?
woodwissf1 said
Haha! I just repeated what he said
woodwissf1 said
Senna seemed happy with 2nd.
Lou said
Just realised why i remember/ know of Mike Conway. He signed for Honda. Does anyone know what as? Just a test driver?
woodwissf1 said
Yeah, I’m sure he’s part of their Young Driver Develompent scheme along with Filippi.
sidepodcast said
“Haha! I just repeated what he said ”
damn, hoped it was the other way around.
didI said
thanks everybody. he will be in F1 next year. great, great victory…
sidepodcast said
good stuff. i enjoyed that. you planning on doing the same tomorrow?
woodwissf1 said
if you’re prepared to get up at 9:30am tomorrow, then absolutely.
Lou said
i think i may have to go and do some more revision… this has been great fun, thanks.
woodwissf1 said
Glad you guys could make it
sidepodcast said
“if you’re prepared to get up at 9:30am tomorrow, then absolutely.”
shoot, that early? will try
must go, for now though.
SteveintheUK said
Hi Scott
Glad you had fun doing this Live Comment of the GP2, Hope WordPress.com was working alright for you.
Sorry I couldn’t make it, I had to install the stupid SilverLight Beta in order to be able to watch it on the main ITV.com live streaming, I call it stupid because it didn’t work, and totally crashed my PC.
I’m out tomorrow morning so best of luck with the second race and I’ll probable see you on SidePodCast.com for the Live commenting on the F1 race.