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Valsecchi wins GP2 Asia opener

Davide Valsecchi opened the GP2 Asia season with a hard-earned victory over fellow category veteran Luca Filippi in Abu Dhabi

iSport driver Valsecchi had to come from behind to beat the Italian, finally taking the lead with a spectacular move in the closing stages and then pulling away again following a late safety car to win by five seconds.

Polesitter Valsecchi had initially lost his lead to ART's impressive rookie Sam Bird off the line, but was able to pass the Formula 3 graduate as they swept down the back straight for the first time.

Super Nova's James Jakes and Meritus driver Filippi also overtook Bird soon afterwards with Filippi taking second from Jakes three laps in. Filippi then ran further than Valsecchi prior to his mandatory pitstop and emerged with the lead, getting his stop completed just in time as a collision between Luiz Razia (Addax) and Christian Vietoris (DAMS) left debris on the track and brought out the first safety car.

Valsecchi put pressure on Filippi later in the race and finally won the lead battle by muscling through after a very close side by side dice through the Turn 11, 12, 13 and 14 complex. He briefly came under threat when Trident driver Plamen Kralev's spin prompted the safety car again, but had the pace to pull away and secure the win.

Filippi fended off Jakes to retain second place, with Alexander Rossi (Ocean) the top rookie in fourth place, followed by fellow newcomers Josef Kral (Super Nova) and Vietoris. Rossi and Kral's former Formula Master rival Fabio Leimer was unable to capitalise on his excellent third on the grid as his Ocean car stalled before the formation lap. Fifth place qualifier Roldan Rodriguez (Coloni) left another gap when he falled to get off the line at the start.

Bird had been on course for fourth until he retired on the penultimate lap with brake problems, which meant his countryman Oliver Turvey moved up to eighth in the second iSport car and will therefore start from reverse grid pole for tomorrow's sprint race, alongside Trident's Johnny Cecotto.

Pos  Driver              Team        Time/Gap
 1.  Davide Valsecchi    iSport      1h07m49.810s
 2.  Luca Filippi        Meritus     + 4.881s
 3.  James Jakes         Super Nova  + 6.174s
 4.  Alexander Rossi     Ocean       + 7.182s
 5.  Josef Kral          Super Nova  + 8.220s
 6.  Christian Vietoris  DAMS        + 13.300s
 7.  Johnny Cecotto      Trident     + 15.460s
 8.  Oliver Turvey       iSport      + 16.223s
 9.  Edoardo Piscopo     DAMS        + 16.715s
10.  Roldan Rodriguez    Coloni      + 16.879s
11.  Marcus Ericsson     ART         + 21.686s
12.  Will Bratt          Coloni      + 22.539s
13.  Michael Herck       DPR         + 22.881s
14.  Rodolfo Gonzalez    Arden       + 23.403s
15.  Daniel Zampieri     Piquet      + 23.786s
16.  Max Chilton         Addax       + 25.131s
17.  Fabio Leimer        Ocean       + 30.019s
18.  Sam Bird            ART         + 2 laps

Retirements:

     Charles Pic         Arden       28 laps
     Vlado Arabadjiev    Piquet      25 laps
     Plamen Kralev       Trident     24 laps
     Luiz Razia          Addax       12 laps
     Giacomo Ricci       DPR         8 laps
     Diego Nunes         Meritus     0 laps

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