2013 Sepang GP2 Series round
The GP2 race at Sepang in 2013 was the first running of the GP2 Series 2013 season and was held from 22 to 24 March at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang instead.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 Main race
- 3.3 sprint race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Evaluation team
Reports
Background
There were six debutants in to this race weekend: Mitch Evans, Daniel Abt, Ma Qinghua, Conor Daly, Kevin and Adrian Quaife - Hobbs Giovesi. Evans, Abt and Daly went before in the GP3 series, Quaife - Hobbs in the Auto GP, Ma was previously a test driver in Formula 1 and Giovesi drove in the European F3 Open and Italian Formula 3 Championship.
Three team got into the series a new. MP Motorsport, Motorsport Hilmer and Russian Time.
With James Calado went to a former winner of this race.
Training
Qualifying
In qualifying, Stefano Coletti scored the pole position before last year's winner in the sprint race Calado. Third fastest was Felipe Nasr.
During qualifying it was jr an incident between Sam Bird and Johnny Cecotto. Initially Bird Cecotto had hindered on his fast lap, so this could not improve his time. In response, Cecotto urged shortly afterwards Bird of the track, Bird had to dodge on the grass. Bird was consequently demoted by the stewards for three starting positions. The behavior Cecottos evaluated the stewards as " unacceptable response " and locked him out of qualifying. Bird therefore had to start from eighth race, Cecotto from position 26
Main race
At the start Coletti defended his leadership. Behind him, there were shifts in position. Fabio Leimer started well and improved from position four to two. Nasr remained in third place, Calado was new fourth. Shortly thereafter, Nasr and Calado, of which Evans benefited and both overtook dueled. Calado won the duel against Nasr, who was then at position five. For Marcus Ericsson was the race after a collision with Palmer in the first lap to the end.
After the first round Coletti led before Leimer, Evans, Calado, Nasr and Trummer.
A short time later, Calado sat on the start -finish straight alongside Evans and drove on the outer web of the first curve along beside him, only to have an advantage in the subsequent curve and to position themselves in front of him.
While braking into the last corner in the fourth round Quaife - Hobbs launched an overtaking maneuver against his teammates Daniël de Jong. The two MP Motorsport pilots collided and both had to finish with suspension damage the race.
Meanwhile drove Leimer faster times than Coletti and could close the gap to him. Coletti had claimed his tires stronger and now had to keep behind him, until the pit stop window opened Leimer. He succeeded and went at the end of the sixth round in the box.
Meanwhile, the race for Abbot after a spin without contact was ended with another vehicle.
After the pit stops Coletti had continued to hold the lead from Leimer. But even on the harder tire compound began Coletti problems get. To position around eight began a duel for the reserve grid poles. Evans initially defended his seventh position against Stéphane Richelmi. When he dared to overtake, Bird take the chance and overtook both in a maneuver. Richelmis overtaking failed initially, but Evans was not to keep him behind in the position.
Six laps completed Leimer again Coletti on, even Calado came closer. In the following round Leimer overtook on the outside rail and took the lead of the race. Shortly after, Calado could walk past Coletti.
Leimer won the race ahead of Calado and Coletti. Richelmi was at the end aft and the pole position had thus secured for the sprint race. The fastest lap and thus two additional points had retracted Bird.
Sprint race
As the riders started in the warm-up lap, Jolyon Palmer choked from his vehicle and was overtaken by the whole field. He was pushed into the pit lane then where the engine is restarted. Palmer then had to start behind the field from the pit lane.
At the start of the race Kevin Ceccon stopped. He was also pushed into the pit lane and took the race with a lap behind. Coletti started from position five well and placed at the far left in the braking zone for turn one. He turned parallel with the Richelmi this one and went to the next left turn in the lead. Bird, however, was started bad and had lost several positions.
In the tumult of the start-up phase Calado drove the car in front of him Leimer with his front wing at the rear, then the front wing broke off and wedged under Calados vehicle. Because of Calado had no control of his car and slid into the front of him -turning competitors. He met Julian Leal and Bird, after the race was ended for all three drivers. Following the race Calado was punished with a transfer back to ten starting positions in the following main race.
After the first round Coletti led before Richelmi, Nasr, Evans, Cecotto and Leimer.
At the beginning of the second round overtook Nasr Richelmi at the end of the start -finish straight and took position two. Meanwhile, Coletti had already moved out a lead.
In the back of the pack Palmer and Ericsson began to work forward. After 18 rounds Palmer was already in twelfth place. Meanwhile, it came out on top two position battles. Nasr was dense moved up to Coletti and Evans went pressure on Richelmi. The latter is under braking six laps before the end of the last corner and had to Evans can happen.
Coletti had, as it did in the main race, problems with the tires. This time, however, he could defend his lead and secured his third victory in the GP2 series. Nasr was second ahead of Evans, Richelmi, Cecotto and Trummer. Palmer, however, had managed to position nine. The fastest lap led Nathanael Berthon, because he has not scored in the top ten, the points went to the second fastest, Coletti.
Message list
All teams and drivers used the Dallara chassis GP2/11, engines from Renault Mecachrome and Pirelli tires.