Stefano Coletti wins incredible wet/dry GP2 race in Hungary
Stefano Coletti charged from 21st on the grid to win a thrilling GP2 race in changeable conditions at the Hungaroring
The Trident driver was one of the few in the field to start the race on slicks, and he was up to 12th once the majority of the field switched from wet tyres.
Just as everyone came in for tyres the safety car was deployed as Max Chilton crashed exiting Turn 2. On the restart Coletti made his way up to sixth on the first lap, and two laps later he was in third place behind Christian Vietoris and Romain Grosjean.
With everyone on slicks, the rain started to fall again, and Vietoris spun, clipping Grosjean as the championship leader tried to sneak by. That allowed Coletti into the lead, and he came in for wets at the end of lap 18 when the safety car was called for again.
Charles Pic had been the first to switch to slicks earlier in the race, but that decision was ruined when he was held up behind the safety car the first time it came out. The Frenchman did take the lead as he was one of the few drivers to then stay out on slicks when everyone pitted again under the second safety car, but he could do nothing about Coletti on the restart.
From there Coletti cruised to victory, while Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez - who had joined Coletti in starting on slicks from 24th on the grid - fought over second place in the closing laps.
Grosjean appeared to have the position covered, but Gutierrez then pounced at the final corner on the last lap to steal the place.
Behind them Giedo van der Garde came through the madness to take fourth, while Sam Bird was another to charge through the field to take fifth from 17th on the grid.
Jules Bianchi took the final point after an eventful race where he spun to the back of the field at one point. The ART driver was fighting with van der Garde after the first restart when they clashed, sending him spinning off at Turn 4.
He then decided to be the first to come back in for wets while running at the back, and raced his way into the top six following the second safety car period.
Results - 23 laps: Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Stefano Coletti Trident 45m53.864s 2. Esteban Gutierrez ART + 7.293s 3. Romain Grosjean DAMS + 7.401s 4. Giedo van der Garde Addax + 11.595s 5. Sam Bird iSport + 14.524s 6. Jules Bianchi ART + 16.646s 7. Luiz Razia AirAsia + 17.153s 8. Kevin Mirocha Ocean + 17.840s 9. Rodolfo Gonzalez Trident + 19.602s 10. Christian Vietoris Racing Engineering + 32.077s 11. Fabio Leimer Rapax + 43.201s 12. Adam Carroll Super Nova + 49.030s 13. Charles Pic Addax + 59.579s 14. Davide Valsecchi AirAsia + 1m00.461s 15. Mikhail Aleshin Carlin + 1m03.372s 16. Marcus Ericsson iSport + 1m20.478s 17. Josef Kral Arden + 1m21.280s Retirements: Jolyon Palmer Arden 21 laps Johnny Cecotto Ocean 19 laps Dani Clos Racing Engineering 16 laps Julian Leal Rapax 15 laps Pal Varhaug DAMS 13 laps Luca Filippi Coloni 13 laps Fairuz Fauzy Super Nova 8 laps Max Chilton Carlin 7 laps Michael Herck Coloni 1 lap
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