Bianchi beats Grosjean to GP2 win
Ferrari Formula 1 junior driver Jules Bianchi claimed a vital maiden GP2 win to start his Asia series campaign in perfect style
Bianchi beat polesitter Romain Grosjean off the line at the start of the Abu Dhabi evening race, and withstood intense pressure from his fellow Frenchman throughout the race.
Grosjean's DAMS team brought him in for his mandatory stop a lap earlier than Bianchi's ART squad, and what could have been an inspired decision fell flat when Grosjean was slow away, which condemned him to following the incoming Max Chilton down the pitlane.
Both Charles Pic and Fabio Leimer left their stops until late as fears over the longevity of the Pirelli tyres proved unfounded, but once they finally pitted Bianchi and Grosjean had a straight fight to the flag.
A series of fastest laps from Bianchi broke Grosjean's resolve and his victory was secured. Davide Valsecchi had a quiet run to third, a brilliant return for the AirAsia team on its debut.
iSport's Marcus Ericsson stole fourth from Addax's Giedo van der Garde on the final lap of a race than ran to time rather than its full distance due to a huge accident at the start. Dani Clos stalled on the line and his Racing Engineering car was hit at full pelt by AirAsia's Luis Razia, who was briefly launched into the air. Pal Varhaug (DAMS) was also eliminated in the chaos, from which all three drivers emerged unscathed.
Josef Kral was sixth for Arden, Sam Bird (iSport) seventh and Chilton (Carlin) eighth, which gave him reversed-grid pole for tomorrow. However, he passed Trident driver Stefano Coletti for the place by cutting the chicane so could well be penalised.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Jules Bianchi ART 1h22m04.643s
2. Romain Grosjean DAMS + 6.681s
3. Davide Valsecchi AirAsia + 12.794s
4. Marcus Ericsson iSport + 14.001s
5. Giedo van der Garde Addax + 15.198s
6. Josef Kral Arden + 20.601s
7. Sam Bird iSport + 24.412s
8. Max Chilton Carlin + 31.866s
9. Stefano Coletti Trident + 36.809s
10. Charles Pic Addax + 37.411s
11. Fabio Leimer Rapax + 40.252s
12. Rodolfo Gonzalez Trident + 48.587s
13. Michael Herck Coloni + 59.963s
14. Jolyon Palmer Arden + 1m07.206s
15. Johnny Cecotto Super Nova + 1m08.136s
16. Andrea Caldarelli Ocean + 1m37.978s
Retirements:
James Jakes Coloni 32 laps
Oliver Turvey Ocean 32 laps
Nathanael Berthon Racing Engineering 24 laps
Julian Leal Rapax 19 laps
Fairuz Fauzy Super Nova 19 laps
Esteban Gutierrez ART 18 laps
Mikhail Aleshin Carlin 10 laps
Dani Clos Racing Engineering 0 laps
Luiz Razia AirAsia 0 laps
Pal Varhaug DAMS 0 laps
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