RACE fans enjoyed a rich array of track action as part of the F1 weekend as the Sakhir circuit staged a series of support races.

GP2 is the leading feeder category to Formula One and Italian ace Davide Valsecchi, of French racing team Driot-Arnoux Motorsport (DAMS), won both races on Saturday and Sunday.

He secured his place at the top of the 2012 GP2 standings after a sublime performance in the second round of the series.

In the first race Valsecchi clinched the top spot with Arden International team driver Luiz Razia taking second place and Lotus GP’s Esteban Gutierrez in third.

On Sunday, it was Lotus GP’s James Calado who had a great start, as he shot from fourth to first on the opening lap. His teammate Gutierrez was not far behind making a good running in second. A close battle ensued between the Lotus men until Racing Engineering’s Swiss Fabio Leimer stole ahead of both of them.

Gutierrez was in luck though as a drive-through penalty was handed down to Leimer and the Mexican re-took the lead. However, Gutierrez didn’t realise that Valsecchi was gradually making his way through the pack taking second place. 

On the final lap, Valsecchi pounced and stole victory away from Gutierrez by 0.399 seconds with Calado some 10.218 seconds further back in third.

The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series was the second featured support race. Veltins Lechner Racing’s Norbert Siedler started Saturday’s race in pole position but finished third behind reigning Supercup champion Rene Rast of Lechner Racing Team and Konrad Motorsport’s Sean Edwards over the course of the 10-lap event.

However, it was a different story on Sunday as Siedler managed to stay out in front for the duration of the contest and also registered the fastest lap time of 2:04.312 seconds on lap two.

Konrad Motorsport’s Christian Engelhart, who started the race in second, took the runners-up spot, 0.654 seconds behind Siedler. Rast clinched third, a further 7.432 seconds back.

With two pole positions, one race win and one third place, Siedler is now leading the overall standings with 40 points, ahead of Rast in second with 36 and Engelhart in third on 30.

Leading the rookies’ classification, with 19 points from his first two races, is Nicki Thim of Hermes Attemp to Racing. The next stage of the Supercup series takes place on the sidelines of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya next month.

The third support event, the Western Gulf Advisory (WGA) Supercars Championship Middle East, staged its sixth and final round and Batelco Racing team driver Ramez Azzam stormed to victory in both.

Azzam dominated the race after his fastest-lap time from Friday’s qualifying session gained him pole position and on Saturday he recorded the fastest time with a 2:24.805 seconds fourth lap.

Alba Racing Team’s Mustafa Al Khan came in second on Saturday and Azzam’s teammate Mohammed Mattar followed in third.

On Sunday, Azzam and Mattar, provided much of the entertainment in the eight-lap race as they battled it out at the front of a 15-car field. However, it was Azzam who held on for the win, 9.767 seconds ahead of his teammate. 

Batelco’s Alban Varuttii – who had already been crowned champion of the 2012 WGA series – took third spot in the final race, improving on his sixth place on Saturday.

* The third round of the GP2 series will be staged at the BIC this weekend. Valsecchi leads the overall standings with 70 points with Razia in second with 53 points.