Motor Sport

IT TAKES TWO!

Marh 22 - 28, 2017
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Gulf Weekly IT TAKES TWO!

THE GP2 Series will officially become the FIA Formula 2 Championship when the 2017 season starts in Bahrain next month.

This follows an agreement between Formula One Group and the the sport’s governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

The joint announcement was recently made at the World Motor Sport Council held in Geneva, Switzerland.

Started in 2005, the GP2 series has firmly established itself on the world stage as one of the premier one-make racing championships.

And the FIA Formula 2 Championship aims to continue to provide the same opportunities for young driver talent to demonstrate their abilities in front of Formula 1 teams as they compete on world-renowned circuits, on a car created to ensure that the challenge for the teams is also maintained.

With Formula 1 at its peak, Formula 2 (F2) joins the ranks of single-seater FIA championships, which aim to nurture talented drivers from karting through Formula 4 and Formula 3 before they enter the world stage.

With F2 in place, motorsport will be more accessible to both drivers and fans, the sport’s organisers believe.

Since GP2’s inaugural season, many drivers from the series have graduated from the championship to Formula 1 every year.

The GP2 Series was launched by now-former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone and former Renault team principal Flavio Briatore in 2005 as a training ground for up-and-coming racing drivers.

F2 previously served the function from 1948 through 1985, when it was replaced by Formula 3000. The format was revived in 2009 through 2012 when it was disbanded again. Another attempt at bringing it back failed in 2015.

GP2 cars are built by Dallara and powered by 4.0-litre V8 engines furnished by Mecachrome. The rebranded series will presumably continue with the same machinery introduced in 2011 until they need to be replaced by a new design.

FIA Formula 2 Championship CEO Bruno Michel described the move as ‘a great opportunity for our drivers, our teams and our partners’. “After 12 amazing GP2 seasons which have provided an incredible show for fans and took 28 drivers to an official Formula 1 seat – including two World Champions – we have decided along with the FIA to become known as the FIA Formula 2 Championship,” he added.

“The FIA has fully embraced GP2’s core values which will now be adopted by Formula 2; a powerful, safe and challenging car, enthralling races, and a training ground to enter Formula 1 with a particular focus on cost control.”

Since its inception the GP2 Series was designed to reflect five core values: performance, cost control, entertainment, safety and preparation.

GP2 laptimes are highly competitive with the final few rows on the F1 grid. Engines which provide over 612bhp, plus ground effects and proper slick tyres make the cars powerful and tricky beasts to handle.

The 2017 season will contain 11 rounds, 10 supporting the F1 World Championship and a stand-alone event in Jerez.

Norman Nato set the fastest time of last weekend’s three- day FIA Formula 2 Championship test when he topped the penultimate session in Barcelona, setting a qualifying style lap of 1:27.834 to take home the first pre-season bragging rights ahead of Oliver Rowland (0.054) and Alexander Albon (0.105). In the final session of the test, Luca Ghiotto stopped the clocks at 1:29.565 to top the afternoon ahead of Johnny Cecotto (0.262) and Nyck De Vries (0.426).

With little in the way of unreliability affecting the grid, the teams will analyse their data before turning their attention to the next pre-season test, which will run for three days in Bahrain from next Wednesday.

The GP2 season starts in the kingdom on April 15-16 as a support to the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend motorsport bonanza.

 

FIA Formula 2 Championship

 

PREMA Racing

01. Charles Leclerc (MON)

02. Antonio Fuoco (ITA)

Racing Engineering

03. Louis Delétraz (SUI)

04. Gustav Malja (SWE)

RUSSIAN TIME

05. Luca Ghiotto (ITA)

06. Artem Markelov (RUS)

ART Grand Prix

07. Nobuharu Matsushita (JAP)

08. Alexander Albon (THA)

DAMS

09. Oliver Rowland (GBR)

10. Nicholas Latifi (CAN)

Campos Racing

11. Ralph Boschung (SUI)

12. Roberto Merhi (ESP)

MP Motorsport

14. Sergio Sette Camara (BRA)

15. Jordan King (GBR)

Trident

16. Nabil Jeffri (MAS)

17. Sergio Canamasas (ESP)

Rapax

18. Nyck de Vries (NED)

19. Johnny Cecotto (VEN)

Pertamina Arden

20. Norman Nato (FRA)

21. Sean Gelael (INA)







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