Race Report
2012 Formula 1 British Grand Prix
GP3 SERIES
Circuit: Silverstone (GB), Length 5,901 km, 07th / 08th July 2012, Rounds 7 & 8
www.silverstone.co.uk
JENZER MOTORSPORT 2012:
Robert Visoiu (ROM), Patric Niederhauser (CH) and Facu Regalia (ARG)
Podium for Niederhauser in Silverstone
The GP3 Series reconvened on the demanding new Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, racing as one of the support races for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. This was their fourth outing supporting the 2012 Grand Prix Programme.
Race One Qualifying
Sunday, 07/07/12, 08.45 – 09.15, Weather: Overcast, 15°C
In contrast to Friday‘s free practice, when it rained heavily, the track was practically dry. Our new driver Facu Regalia made the most of the improved conditions and claimed 14th on the grid for Race One. Robert managed 18th while Patric, who made a big mistake on what should have been his fastest lap ended up 19th. Some penalties were handed out after the session and that moved all of our drivers up two places in the order.
Race One Grid | |||
---|---|---|---|
1st | Mitch Evans (NZ) | MW Arden | 1:51.892 |
2nd | Aaro Vainio (FIN) | Lotus GP | 1:52.216 |
3rd | Antonio Felix da Costa (POR) | Carlin | 1:52.233 |
12th | Facu Regalia (ARG) | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:53.549 |
16th | Robert Visoiu (ROM) | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:53.861 |
17th | Patric Niederhauser (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:53.893 |
GP3 Series
Race One (30 Minutes)
Saturday, 07/07/12, 16.20, Weather: Sunny, 18°C
It was raining hard in the afternoon, which meant that the Formula 1 qualifying session was delayed, as were the GP2 and GP3 Series races that were scheduled afterwards. Finally, towards the end of the afternoon the rain eased off a bit. The start of the first GP3 race went well with no notable incidents despite the very wet track and the fact that all the drivers had opted for slick tyres. Patric soon noticed that it was getting easier to run faster and faster and managed to gain a place per lap to move up the order, and by half distance he was up in 10th place. Robert also managed to overtake during the second part of the race and finished in 12th. Facu, who had made the best start of the three, was 11th at the end of lap one but then lost ground, finally crossing the finish line in a respectable 14th. Conditions were difficult, and it was not easy to judge how much faster you could drive each lap as the racing line became ever drier. Looked at from this angle all our drivers delivered very good performances. After the race though Robert was penalised for crossing the finish line twice because he missed the entrance to parc fermé the first time. He was demoted three places on the grid for the second race.
The grid for the second race of the weekend is set by reversing the order of the first eight finishers in the first race, with the rest of the places set according to finishing order in the first race.
Results Race One | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Antonio Felix da Costa (POR) | Carlin | 27:14.410 | |
2nd | Mitch Evans (NZ) | MW Arden | Gap | 7.062 |
3rd | Aaro Vainio (FIN) | Lotus GP | Gap | 8.783 |
10th | Patric Niederhauser (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
12th | Robert Visoiu (ROM) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
14th | Facu Regalia (ARG) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
Fastest lap: Antonio Felix da Costa (POR) in 1:53.951 |
Race Two Grid | |||
---|---|---|---|
1st | Kevin Ceccon (I) | Ocean Racing Technology | |
2nd | Alex Brundle (GB) | Carlin | |
3rd | Tio Ellinas (CYP) | Marussia Manor | |
10th | Patric Niederhauser (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | |
13th | Facu Regalia (ARG) | Jenzer Motorsport | |
15th | Robert Visoiu (ROM) | Jenzer Motorsport |
GP3 Series
Race Two (30 Minutes)
Sunday, 08/07/12, 09.15, Weather: Overcast, 18°C
The track was still very wet and it was a very difficult decision as to which tyres to mount for the race. Jenzer Motorsport opted, like half of the field, to start on rain tyres. As a result Patric was able to make up several places in the first few laps of the race and even managed to take the lead for two laps (out of a total of 14 laps). Robert had made equally good progress and was in an excellent 3rd place. Facu took less risks and although he gained some places he then lost them again. In the end he was still able to bring it home in the top ten with a more than respectable 9th in only his second race in the series. From lap 7 onwards many teams decided to call their drivers in for a tyre change while Buller and Daly, who had started on slicks, were now able to take advantage of their tyre choice and qucikly moved up the order. Patric couldn’t defend his lead and had to let them both through as did Robert. Patric did, however, manage to defend his 3rd place from Ellinas, who was also now on slicks and moving rapidly through the order. Patric was delighted to clame the last step on the podium while Robert crossed the line in an excellent 5th place. This was a very good result especially considering just where our drivers had started the race from!
Results Race Two | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | William Buller (GB) | Carlin | 29:49.526 | |
2nd | Conor Daly (USA) | Lotus GP | Rückstand | 8.577 |
3rd | Patric Niederhauser (CH) | Jenzer Motorsport | Rückstand | 30.017 |
5th | Robert Visoiu (ROM) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
12th | Facu Regalia (ARG) | Jenzer Motorsport | ||
Fastest lap: Tio Ellinas (CYP) in 1:59.829 |
Championship standings after 8 out of 16 races:
1st Mitch Evans (NZ), 100 points; 2nd Aaro Vainio (FIN), 89 points; 3rd Antonio Felix da Costa (POR), 58 points; 4th Daniel Abt (D), 54 points; 5th Patric Niederhauser (CH), 50 points; 6th Conor Daly (USA), 45 points; 7th Tio Ellinas (CYP), 45 points; 12th Robert Visoiu (ROM), 22 points
12th/13th May | 2012 Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana | Barcelona (E) |
26th/27th May | 2012 Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco | Monte Carlo (MC) |
23nd/24th June | 2012 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe | Valencia (E) |
7th/8th July | 2012 Formula 1 British Grand Prix | Silverstone (GB) |
21st/22nd July | 2012 Formel 1 Grosser Preis von Deutschland | Hockenheim (D) |
28th/29th July | 2012 Formula 1 Ing Magyar Nagydij | Budapest (HU) |
1st/2nd September | 2012 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps (B) |
8th/9th September | 2012 Formula 1 Gran Premio d’Italia | Monza (I) |
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