Gp2 Finale Abu Dhabi *ovbiously spoilers*

[Allyc85]

So final round of the Gp2 season and Britains Sam Bird has a very good chance of taking the title, while James Calado has an out side shot. Gp2 has been so much better than F1 this year, hopefully people like Cecotto or Canamasas dont get in the way of what should be a brilliant title fight!

As it stands and the points courtesy of the good people at Autosport.

TITLE SITUATION

With 48 points on offer this weekend, five drivers can still win this year's GP2 championship.

However, with four points on offer for pole position on Friday. Coletti and Calado could be out of the title picture before the start of race one.

Standings

1 Fabio Leimer 179
2 Sam Bird 172
3 Felipe Nasr 148
4 Stefano Coletti 135
5 James Calado 134

Points available

Race one pole position: 4
Race one win: 25
Race one fastest lap: 2
Race two win: 15
Race two fastest lap: 2

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111006

[designndrive62]

I for one am hoping for a Sam Bird championship. Would love to see him win it and with a new team as well.

[Altrezia]

I hope Sam gets it. I think he's ace - consistently fast in whatever he sits in.

GP2 is cracking.

[m444ttb]

Also really enjoy GP2 and Hope Sam does it this weekend. It seems to have come good again after a few less interesting seasons. Perhaps that's because the first season I watched was 2006 and it's nice to have Brits in the mix.

[moffspeed]

totally agree - but why are they so pants at pit stops ?? So many races decided by dodgy wheelguns , loose wheelnuts etc...

[Allyc85]

James Calado now out of the title fight after being handed a 5 place grid penalty for forcing another car off track

[Allyc85]

Rossi on pole after Ericsson had his best lap taken away for exceding track limits. Good to see Bird out qualify Leimer!

Cant believe how badly such a great team like ART have fallen. No pace in the car and literally the wheels have fallen off their season with Abt losing one and giving the car a good kick! Really sad to hear about Callado retaliating towards another driver and forcing them off the track, not a good advert to Force India..

Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Alexander Rossi Caterham 1m48.931s
2. Sam Bird Russian Time 1m49.241s +0.310s
3. Jolyon Palmer Carlin 1m49.376s +0.445s
4. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 1m49.485s +0.554s
5. Tom Dillmann Russian Time 1m49.672s +0.741s
6. Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden 1m49.680s +0.749s
7. Jon Lancaster Hilmer 1m49.827s +0.896s
8. Felipe Nasr Carlin 1m49.829s +0.898s
9. Stephane Richelmi DAMS 1m49.835s +0.904s
10. Dani Clos MP 1m49.846s +0.915s
11. Mitch Evans Arden 1m49.864s +0.933s
12. Marcus Ericsson DAMS 1m49.910s +0.979s
13. Sergio Canamasas Caterham 1m49.951s +1.020s
14. James Calado* ART 1m50.002s +1.071s
15. Rio Haryanto Addax 1m50.334s +1.403s
16. Nathanael Berthon Trident 1m50.446s +1.515s
17. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Hilmer 1m50.510s +1.579s
18. Stefano Coletti Rapax 1m50.534s +1.603s
19. Julian Leal Racing Engineering 1m50.553s +1.622s
20. Simon Trummer Rapax 1m50.634s +1.703s
21. Jake Rosenzweig Addax 1m50.809s +1.878s
22. Rene Binder Lazarus 1m50.884s +1.953s
23. Daniel de Jong MP 1m50.906s +1.975s
24. Daniel Abt ART 1m50.907s +1.976s
25. Vittorio Ghirelli Lazarus 1m51.493s +2.562s
26. Gianmarco Raimondo Trident 1m52.311s +3.380s

• Will drop to 19th with grid penalty.

[Pkh72]

Bugger

[m444ttb]

To say that didn't go to plan would be something of an understatemt! I didn't see most of the race as I had to go out. Did Sam give any reason for the stall?

[Allyc85]

I missed the start of the race as I hadnt realised it was before F1 qualifying

Gutted for Sam Bird who has blamed an over heating clutch for the stall, which also gave him grief at his pit stop. Still a great season winning 5 races with a new team. Not sure what 2014 holds for him with so few seats left in F1.

As for Leimer I think he is a good champion, but a bit like last years champ theres nothing about him that screams start quality to me, and I think a 3rd driver spot is the best he wil get.

[anonymous-user]

Allyc85 said:

I missed the start of the race as I hadnt realised it was before F1 qualifying

Gutted for Sam Bird who has blamed an over heating clutch for the stall, which also gave him grief at his pit stop. Still a great season winning 5 races with a new team. Not sure what 2014 holds for him with so few seats left in F1.

As for Leimer I think he is a good champion, but a bit like last years champ theres nothing about him that screams start quality to me, and I think a 3rd driver spot is the best he wil get.

The thing is there are several drivers in F1 who are far from 'screaming quality' as you put it. If he can find the money, he has a chance, as does Bird. Or any of several others come to that.

I don't see anyone around in the lower formulae at the moment who looks good enough to make it purely on ability.

[m444ttb]

Interesting to note that Calado, in his podium interview this morning, saying he most likely won't be back in GP2 next season. Wonder what that means for him? Full time FI testing role or something more involved?

[designndrive62]

m444ttb said:

Interesting to note that Calado, in his podium interview this morning, saying he most likely won't be back in GP2 next season. Wonder what that means for him? Full time FI testing role or something more involved?

I wouldn't have thought there was much point just taking a testing role anymore. Unless your racing these days everyone forgets about you. 3rd driv testing role is a consolation prize to those that won't make it any more so would imagine he has got the force India or marussia seat

[Allyc85]

Calado has been testing a Mercedes DTM car in the last few days, so maybe a DTM drive with 3rd driver outings in F1 practice?

Anyone see the F1 midweek report? Gp2/3 commentator Will Buxton got pretty worked up about the lack of chances for Gp2 champions in F1