GP2 enjoys impressive debut
25/04/2005
The all-new GP2 series supported by Bridgestone made a much-anticipated debut at Imola last weekend as Finn Heikki Kovalainen and Briton Adam Carroll won the opening two races.
The teams suffered a few teething problems as they got used to the new machinery but their grooved Bridgestone tyres worked as expected and the two races showed there is plenty of exciting action to come from the new series.
Carroll, who missed out on victory in the two-stop one-hour endurance race on Saturday but came back strong to win the 17-lap sprint on Sunday, was delighted with the performance of the new machines.
He said: "This weekend has been really good. I think that this is a really good championship we have here and it's going to be a great season. I already cannot wait for the next race."
"These cars are proper race cars, there is no traction control or anything like that, and they are great to drive. We have worked really hard on developing it and the car is just how I like it. It's fast."
The machines are the closest you can get to Formula One equipment, using tyres that mimic those used in the top level of the sport as well as many components that are actually straight out of Formula One.
The cars are fast, and so are the drivers, with Carroll and Kovalainen expecting strong competition from all-comers throughout the season and many of the competitors are sure to soon become household names.
A few are already well known, with former Bridgestone Formula One runners Gianmaria Bruni and Giorgio Pantano, who drove for Minardi and Jordan last year, both key men in the field.
There are also three sons of former Formula One world champions with Keke Rosberg's son Nico, who signed a Formula One test contract with Williams last weekend, joined by Mathias Lauda, son of Niki, and Nelson Piquet Junior.
But Carroll was delighted to make his own name in the opening event and said: "I always want to win. I don't think I will turn up and win every race but we will just turn up, do our best and try to keep it going through the season."
Kovalainen won a slightly confusing opening race as teams played out different strategies to leave Carroll at the front in the closing laps, only for him to be called in for a stop-go penalty for speeding in the pitlane.
But Carroll, who drives for the Super Nova team, came back in the second race after starting from fourth on the grid and worked his way through the field by the end of lap 11.
The Northern Irish driver, 22, controlled the race for the remaining six laps and said: "I never drove around the circuit until Friday so the weekend has been good."
"We planned to win the race and it took me a bit to get past the guys in front but we did it. I pushed as hard as I could without making a mistake and I just kept an eye on the time. When I saw I was pulling away I took it easy."
Kovalainen, who is part of the Renault Driver Development scheme, showed he will be a tough man to beat, however, and is currently in the lead of the championship with Carroll second.
But Pantano, who had a difficult time in the opening event, is also one to watch and Carroll said: "Giorgio is going to be very quick because he has experience of all the tracks and he is going to be up there most of the time."
Kovalainen leads the championship but said: "It doesn't really mean anything at this point in the Championship - it's nice, but really we just have to get to the next race and keep pushing."
(© Collings, 25 04 05)
Source: GP2 Series