The Junior Series Thread

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Is it by any chance the same Rob Cregan that raced in the V8 Fujitsu (now Dunlop) Series last year?

It is indeed the same Rob Cregan that raced in the Fujitsu Series last year.

Bit of a strange career for him, V8's is the last thing I would think of if asked the name a feeder category to F1. Best of luck to him.

[golic_2004]

Coletti leaves Scuderia Coloni

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102237

[Ataxia]

More changes ahead of this weekend in GP2, Coletti replaces De Jong at Rapax, Filippi takes Coletti's seat at Coloni (and did rather well in qualifying), and Kral's been replaced by WSR driver Jake Rosenzweig.

[Backmarker]

More changes ahead of this weekend in GP2, Coletti replaces De Jong at Rapax, Filippi takes Coletti's seat at Coloni (and did rather well in qualifying), and Kral's been replaced by WSR driver Jake Rosenzweig.

If Filippi had spent all of 2011 at Coloni he would have been champion. Or if he had been able to secure a seat at one of the more consistent teams he could have done it earlier, and he would probably have made it to F1 by now. Bad luck for Král, but he shouldn't have let Cecotto outclass him so often, on paper he's the far better driver and just hasn't shown it enough this season. Jake Rosenzweig isn't entirely a GP2 rookie, he's raced in the Asia series and the GP2 final last year (and if Super Nova Racing had stayed in GP2 he might have been racing in GP2 from the start of the season). That said...he's not very good. I think he's got some Best Buy sponsorship behind him, so maybe that's paid his way into Addax.

[Ataxia]

More changes ahead of this weekend in GP2, Coletti replaces De Jong at Rapax, Filippi takes Coletti's seat at Coloni (and did rather well in qualifying), and Kral's been replaced by WSR driver Jake Rosenzweig.

If Filippi had spent all of 2011 at Coloni he would have been champion. Or if he had been able to secure a seat at one of the more consistent teams he could have done it earlier, and he would probably have made it to F1 by now. Bad luck for Král, but he shouldn't have let Cecotto outclass him so often, on paper he's the far better driver and just hasn't shown it enough this season. Jake Rosenzweig isn't entirely a GP2 rookie, he's raced in the Asia series and the GP2 final last year (and if Super Nova Racing had stayed in GP2 he might have been racing in GP2 from the start of the season). That said...he's not very good. I think he's got some Best Buy sponsorship behind him, so maybe that's paid his way into Addax.

He's on the same team as Sam Bird in WSR; Bird has 126 points and Rosenzweig has 8 points.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Filippi confuses me, he has been in GP2 for so long.

[Captain Hammer]

I think history will remember Filippi as one of the perennial "what-might-have-beens". His career has been peppered with frequent team changes and inconsistent form. When things are stable, he's good. But his results tended to slide in the middle of the season. With a little bit more stability in his early career, he probably could have made it to Formula 1.

Sadly, he's probably too old to make his debut now.

[Aerospeed]

Well, Fabio Leimer just took out Razia out of the championship...

Leimer also punted Nasr off the track as well! Clumsy fool!

[QuickYoda41]

There's no way Leimer was at fault at the Nasr-incident - and I think the Razia-incident is rather 50-50, too.

[Ataxia]

That's one way to make a comeback, Filippi was dominant.

Yeah, Nasr was far to eager to make the position back instead of waiting it out. The incident with Razia was more likely Leimer's fault though.

[eichy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAsFYZOGOOw

Someone might have a future in NASCAR.....................

[RonDenisDeletraz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAsFYZOGOOw

Someone might have a future in NASCAR.....................

That is just like a boss.

[Backmarker]

Thank goodness Valsecchi won that race, if Luiz Razia wins the title it will be such a joke. At least Valsecchi has some skill.

[golic_2004]

Way to go Alice Powell on getting your long-awaited point

[dr-baker]

Way to go Alice Powell on getting your long-awaited point

[Londoner]

Way to go Alice Powell on getting your long-awaited point

Seconded. Hopefully she'll move on to bigger and better things, and who knows, could she be the first woman to race in F1 since the legendary Giovanna Amati. From the few GP3 races that I've watched this season, she was easily the most impressive of the three female racers on the grid. Vicky Piria was the dictionary definition of 'anonymous', whilst Carmen Jorda managed to DNQ. Twice. In GP3 of all championships...

With Mitch Evans taking the championship, where does he go from here? He's bloody young (8 months older than me ), and he's proven himself as a frontrunner, but looking at his results, his 2011 season tailed off by mid-season, and this season he was lucky to take the championship, with no-scores in the final three races. That's worrying that he does seem to fade by the end of the season.

And as a side note, I thought Dmitry Suranovich was 'sacked with immediate effect' after the clusterbathplug that was the Monaco sprint race, yet he seems to have carried on for the rest of the season. Maybe it was just a rumour in the heat of the action, or the team recinded and brought him back immediatly. Either way, he hasn't been impressive at all this season, but he does have time on his side. (Suranovich is 4 months younger than I am )

[Captain Hammer]

With Mitch Evans taking the championship, where does he go from here? He's bloody young (8 months older than me ), and he's proven himself as a frontrunner,

I can tell you where he won't go - GP3. As is the case with GP2, the GP3 champion cannot compete in the series again.

Evans' position is an interesting one. He's been pitched as Mark Webber's protege, and he races for Christian Horner's Arden team. But he doesn't have any backing from Red Bull, whereas Antonio Felix da Costa does. I would look for Evans to move up to GP2 next year, probably replacing the dismal Simon Trummer at Arden. Either that or he will move across to Formula Renault 3.5, particularly if Alexander Rossi gets promoted into Formula 1.

but looking at his results, his 2011 season tailed off by mid-season, and this season he was lucky to take the championship, with no-scores in the final three races. That's worrying that he does seem to fade by the end of the season.

To be fair to Evans, it's not for a lack of effort. He took pole for the first race in Monza, but then retired very early when he ran wide over the chicane and damaged the car. He started from the back of the grid in the second race and started clawing his way up the field, but picked up a puncture and fell back down the order. He only really won the title because Tio Ellinas overpowered Daniel Abt, and while his mistakes were of his own making, that can really be put down to inexpeirence.

And as a side note, I thought Dmitry Suranovich was 'sacked with immediate effect' after the clusterbathplug that was the Monaco sprint race, yet he seems to have carried on for the rest of the season. Maybe it was just a rumour in the heat of the action, or the team recinded and brought him back immediatly.

I can't find anything to suggest Suranovich was fired. He was excluded from the Monaco event for his role in the collision, and there was talk that the stewards wanted to punish him further when he allegedly abused them, but I've heard they rescinded because Suranovich's tirade was supposedly a result of the chief steward refusing to allow him the opportunity to explain himself (which all drivers are entitled to, even in the most clear-cut cases of wrongdoing). But that is unconfirmed.

Either way, he hasn't been impressive at all this season, but he does have time on his side. (Suranovich is 4 months younger than I am )

Want someone younger and even more impressive? The Romanian, Visoiu. He's only sixteen, and while he finished 14th overall, he generally made up positions in every race.

[Backmarker]

Want someone younger and even more impressive? The Romanian, Visoiu. He's only sixteen, and while he finished 14th overall, he generally made up positions in every race.

Or Mathéo Tuscher, who's not even 16 yet and is currently 2nd in Formula Two (admittedly not the best series) this season.

[Pointrox]

I'm surprised noone mentioned the great Tio Ellinas!
Quick reminder - he's the first Cypriot racing driver on an international level in single-seaters.
He was a top 10 finisher for most of the season and ended it on a high note, earning two podium finishes, including his first win. He finished 8th in the standings, and clearly outdone his team-mates - Machado and the infamous Suranovich

He definitely gets something going for himself, and hopefully Marussia will reward his efforts.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Suranovich needs to get out of motorsport and never come back.

[Ataxia]

With Mitch Evans taking the championship, where does he go from here? He's bloody young (8 months older than me ), and he's proven himself as a frontrunner,

I can tell you where he won't go - GP3. As is the case with GP2, the GP3 champion cannot compete in the series again.

Evans' position is an interesting one. He's been pitched as Mark Webber's protege, and he races for Christian Horner's Arden team. But he doesn't have any backing from Red Bull, whereas Antonio Felix da Costa does. I would look for Evans to move up to GP2 next year, probably replacing the dismal Simon Trummer at Arden. Either that or he will move across to Formula Renault 3.5, particularly if Alexander Rossi gets promoted into Formula 1.

I would be very surprised if Evans doesn't get into GP2. He's probably ready, and would easily be better than Trummer. That guy is useless, I mean, he was 18th in GP3 in 2011. Really?

[Londoner]

GP2 now has its champion. Davide Valsecchi is the man, finishing 4th in the feature race this morning.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

GP2 now has its champion. Davide Valsecchi is the man, finishing 4th in the feature race this morning.

So, what will he do now, I can't see him getting in to F1 next year?

[TomWazzleshaw]

GP2 now has its champion. Davide Valsecchi is the man, finishing 4th in the feature race this morning.

Davide who?

Seriously, I can't see either him or Razia making it to F1 in the near future unless they have sponsorship through somewhere like the government of Dubai or something like that

[RonDenisDeletraz]

GP2 now has its champion. Davide Valsecchi is the man, finishing 4th in the feature race this morning.

Davide who?

Seriously, I can't see either him or Razia making it to F1 in the near future unless they have sponsorship through somewhere like the government of Dubai or something like that

My probably incorrect understanding is that Raiza has some money floating around but I am not sure about Valsecchi

[Captain Hammer]

I would be very surprised if Evans doesn't get into GP2. He's probably ready, and would easily be better than Trummer. That guy is useless, I mean, he was 18th in GP3 in 2011. Really?

And herein lies the problem: when GP2 and GP2 Asia merged this year, the series got a lot more expensive. The calendar was expanded to include Malaysia, a double-header at Bahrain, and now Singapore. Costs were driven right up, and the talent pool dried up. There's a handful of drivers who could make it in Formula 1 (like Calado, Gutierrez, Nasr, Chilton and maybe Melker and Haryanto) the odd returning driver whose experience in the series was always going to be an advantage (like Valsecchi, van der Garde and Razia), and the rest were just journeymen pay-drivers (like Teixeria, Gonzalez, Trummer and Rosenzweig).

I'm all for positioning GP2 so that it is halfway between GP3 and Formula 1. GP3 should stay exclusively on the European circuits, while GP2 should do the European races plus a handful of flyaways - they should do Montreal and New Jersey next year; it's not as far away as some of the other races - but there simply has to be a way to keep costs down. Because right now, Formula Renault 3.5 is really the series young drivers need to race in.

I'm surprised noone mentioned the great Tio Ellinas!
Quick reminder - he's the first Cypriot racing driver on an international level in single-seaters.
He was a top 10 finisher for most of the season and ended it on a high note, earning two podium finishes, including his first win. He finished 8th in the standings, and clearly outdone his team-mates - Machado and the infamous Suranovich

He definitely gets something going for himself, and hopefully Marussia will reward his efforts.

I reckon we'll see Ellinas in GP2 next year. I'm predicting that one of the Marussia F1 drivers will move on - at this point, probably Glock; he hasn't achieved much in three years - and Chilton will take his place. Ellinas will step up to fill Chilton's GP2 seat alongside Haryanto. If he does well, then his performance combined with his free outing in a Marussia F1 car should leave him very well-positioned in 2014.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

To be honest I really can't think of that many drivers in junior categories currently that can be future champions in F1

[Captain Hammer]

Perhaps not champions, but there are certainly a few in the junior leagues who could make it in Formula 1 - Ellinas, Korjus, Frijns, Nasr, Gutierrez and Calado, to name a few.

[Mister Fungus]

Frijns definitely impressed, he's currently ahead of more experienced Bianchi and Bird in FR3.5

[RonDenisDeletraz]

There has been rumours of Stefan GP popping up in the vacant 13th slot in GP2. Doubt it will happen, but still hilarious anyway

Please dear god let him have a GP2 drive

[Ataxia]

Coletti is the first driver to be confirmed for next season; he stays with Rapax.

[Ataxia]

And now, some NEWS...

http://www.gp2series.com/News-Room/News ... P2-Series/

[pi314159]

And now, some NEWS...

http://www.gp2series.com/News-Room/News ... P2-Series/

Nice to hear that they have found a replacement for Coloni and have a full grid for 2013.

[Ataxia]

And now, some NEWS...

http://www.gp2series.com/News-Room/News ... P2-Series/

Nice to hear that they have found a replacement for Coloni and have a full grid for 2013.

Yeah, and hopefully they won't be as bad as Lazarus were last season.

Also, Nigel Melker definitely has a GP2 seat, it's unknown where at the moment.

[Backmarker]

And now, some NEWS...

http://www.gp2series.com/News-Room/News ... P2-Series/

Nice to hear that they have found a replacement for Coloni and have a full grid for 2013.

Ocean have money problems, so might not make it to 2013

But Carlin have signed Felipe Nasr, who could be a title contender next season.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Really hoping MP Motorsport is fast this year

[Shadaza]

Really hoping MP Motorsport is fast this year

I wonder if it is feasible to support a GP2 team?

AQ showed good pace in AutoGP whilst Daniel de Jong is a hopeless payman so fun from both angles.
The car looks good in black, white and orange.
They took over Coloni's entry, the last team I can recall doing that was Andrea Moda.

Yeah, lets give it a shot and back them. GO MP Motorsport!

[AndreaModa]

Really hoping MP Motorsport is fast this year

I wonder if it is feasible to support a GP2 team?

AQ showed good pace in AutoGP whilst Daniel de Jong is a hopeless payman so fun from both angles.
The car looks good in black, white and orange.
They took over Coloni's entry, the last team I can recall doing that was Andrea Moda.

Yeah, lets give it a shot and back them. GO MP Motorsport!

Plus, it's run by Manor isn't it? So effectively a Marussia junior team?

[dinizintheoven]

That'll cause some consternation, seeing as Marussia have already adopted Carlin in GP2... or have they withdrawn that now?

[pi314159]

iSport is out of GP2.

http://www.motorsport-total.com/formels ... ga_from=bn
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105684