gp2-dpr-david-price-racing-monza-diego-nunes-michael-herck-asia-series

The 2008 GP2 season drew to a close this weekend at the Monza circuit, supporting the Italian Formula One Grand Prix. Uncharacteristically bad weather for this event shaped the fortunes of the David Price Racing (DPR) team. Diego Nunes and Michael Herck both fell out of yesterday’s Feature race which compromised their points goal, having to start towards the back of the grid for today’s Sprint race.

This morning the two drivers avoided the dramas that others endured, to make it to the GP2 chequered flag for the final time this year. Michael Herck, starting 19th, finished in 17th place, while Nunes improved from his 21st place start to cross the line in 15th position. It was treacherous weather conditions as the grid formed for yesterday’s Feature race, the penultimate race of the season.

After a wet practice session and dry qualifying session, Nunes claimed 17th place grid slot and Herck took 24th place. The lack of visibility and standing water resulted in the race starting behind the safety car, with the cars being released to race after two tours of the Monza track. Both DPR drivers improved their positions after the opening lap with Nunes lying 13th and Herck in 20th. Incidents ahead of Herck a few laps later promoted him to 18th, while Nunes improved to 12th place until mid distance when rival Alvaro Parente passed him on the front straight while the young Brazilian was battling with gearbox woes.

The majority of the field, including the DPR drivers, opted to delay their mandatory pitstop until the track dried, and with the rain abating the cars created a dry line, prompting Luca Filippi to change to slick, dry weather tyres. Herck, staying out while others pitted, moved up to 14th place but after putting on dry tyres at his stop he was caught out by the damp conditions, sliding off track and ending his race.

Meanwhile Nunes was struggling with gearbox problems which ended his race before he had reached his tyre change stop. Both drivers, having failed to finish the Feature race were starting towards the back of the grid, with Herck in 19th place and Nunes two spots further back. With more rain falling overnight and this morning, the Sprint race, the final fight of the 2008 season, began in damp conditions.

Although the rain had stopped, the track was still fairly damp. The slippery, greasy track produced the customary first corner drama, although both DPR drivers were able to stay on the track, with Herck in 20th and Nunes in 21st by the end of the opening lap. As the race laps counted down, the DPR drivers settled into the race, developing a good race pace.

Nunes passed team mate Herck to trade positions, and then both made up a place to lie in 18th and 19th after seven laps. With other drivers making mistakes and the DPR drivers settling in to the race they both made up ground, with Nunes finally finishing in 15th place and Herck taking 17th position.

David Price concluded of the final 2008 GP2 event, "It was certainly a learning weekend for our drivers, with the difficult track conditions really adding to the challenge of Monza. Diego was unlucky to have gearbox issues recurring. We thought we’re resolved it in Spa, but it returned again and ended his Feature race, which was disappointing as he was running well.

Both drivers were always going to struggle to make it into the points today, but they pushed hard from start to finish and we did make up some ground. Both drivers have improved over the course of the season; we’ve seen Diego take his first points and Michael showing consistent improvement having joined the Series late, so there are plenty of positives to take away."

The DPR team will return to racing action for the GP2 Asia Series later this year.

- Alison Hill -

photos will be on automobilsport.com under PHOTOS - GP2 SERIES

Durango to race at Vallelunga 6 Hours 20.11.08

Durango will enter the next edition of the prestigious "6 Ore di Vallelunga" with a flamboyant Ferrari F430 GT2 driven by Niccolò Valentini and Marcello Puglisi. For Durango this is an official coming back to the roman race after the overall...

Trident Racing GP2 Main Series: Paul Ricard Test 13.11.08

Paul Ricard, November 12, 2008. GP2 Main Series collective tests - Day 2 AM Session: Nelson Panciatici 1:29..830 Marcello Puglisi 1:31.215 PM Session: Nelson Panciatici 1:29..066 Carlos Iaconelli 1:30.689 The second and final day of...

GP2 Series test session on the Paul Ricard circuit: Dams on top on rain too ! 13.11.08

The DAMS team was back in France for a 2-day test session on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit on 11th-12th November after their Spanish interlude in Jerez. Kamui Kobayashi, the quickest driver in the previous sessions, kept up his dominant form at...

Durango at Paul Ricard HTTT - Still bad weather, still first time 13.11.08

Even today Davide Valsecchi put his Durango at the first place of the morning, and very wet, session. While for Michael Dalle Stelle, considering the pouring rain, it has been a proper baptism. Considering the circumstances his performance is...

Trident Racing - GP2 Paul Ricard test day 1 review 12.11.08

PAUL RICARD – 3D CONFIGURATION GP2 MAIN SERIES WINTER TESTING – DAY 1 SESSION 1 #20 Julien Jousse, 14th - 01:24.479 #21 Fabio Leimer, 10th - 01:23.844 SESSION 2 #20 Julien Jousse, 18th - 1:17.472 #21 Fabio Leimer, 21st - 1:18.353 The...

Durango Test- Bad weather first time 12.11.08

Bad weather at the Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track but very good lap time for Durango, which took this morning first position thanks to a fast lap drove by Davide Valsecchi who declared: "I can say to be quite happy because Durango always give...

Perfect partnership set to lead My Qi-Meritus.Mahara to success 11.11.08

left to right: Firhat Mokhzani, Earl Bamber, Joachim Steffen, Alex Yoong and Peter Thompson They started their relationship as master and student but now, they are team-mates who are determined to bring the GP2 Asia Series team title to...

Earl Bamber: The Model Driver 11.11.08

Winning races is second nature to Earl Bamber, but he is still finding it uncomfortable handling the fame which comes with success. Bamber, who hails from Wanganui, has been part of the My Qi-Meritus.Mahara driving stable for the past four...

The ART Grand Prix team is pleased to announce a new partnership with Pastor Maldonado 10.11.08

...for the upcoming 2009 GP2 European Championship Season. As well as contesting the European season, Maldonado will also contest three rounds of the GP2 Asian series. He finished fifth overall in 2008 with one win, and sixty points to his...

Three Italians in France 06.11.08

For the next week GP2 Main Series test days at Paul Ricard Durango will work with three Italian drivers: the official driver Davide Valsecchi, the good Marcello Puglisi and the eighteen years old rookie Michael Dalle Stelle from Padova, who raced...

Trident Racing - last news 04.11.08

Trident Racing is glad to announce the team`s new managing, following to the re-organization for the upcoming 2009 season. Two new managers will be directing operations in the GP2 Asia and Main Series, and International Formula Master. Starting...

Trident Racing Jerez de la Frontera, test day 2 31.10.08

October 30, 2008 AM Session #20 Chris Van der Drift, 12th (1`25"405) #21 Alberto Valerio, 22nd (1`26"137) PM Session #20 Bertrand Baguette, 23rd (1`28"434) #21 Alberto Valerio, 16th (1`26"358) The collective GP2 Main Series 2-day test...

BCN Competicion statement 31.10.08

With ref. to some news announced in an internet site about our Company, BCN Competicion would like to inform that at this moment we are in negotiation discussing a commercial operation that will be decided before end of November 2008....

Jerez, official testing session: DAMS tops the time sheets again! 31.10.08

The DAMS team had a couple of days’ testing programmed on the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain. After his rostrum finish in the opening round of the 2008-09 Asian GP2 Series Championship, Kamui Kobayashi confirmed his status as the series...

Durango - The beautiful GP2 31.10.08

Durango closed succefully the GP2 Main Series tests at Jerez. Even today Davide Valsecchi has been very fast clocking the second absolute time of the two days. Davide’s good job has been confirmed by the satisfying twelfth time taken by Carlos...

Trident Racing - GP2 Main Series: Jerez test, Day 1. 30.10.08

AM Session #21 Chris Van der Drift, 21st (1:26.990) #20 Edoardo Mortara, 19th (1:26.854) PM Session #21 Chris Van der Drift, 15th (1:26.345) #20 Edoardo Mortara, 19th (1:26.803) The second of the three postseason collective GP2 Main Series...

Durango's Davide Valsecchi continues to go fast 30.10.08

Very good performance for Davide Valsecchi at the end of the first GP2 Main Series test day at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. During the morning session he clocked the fastest time, in the afternoon he finished seventh, but his morning time is...

Durango test Italy Brazil... 2 to 1 28.10.08

Together with Davide Valsecchi at the wheel of the second Durango car for this week GP2 Main Series test at Jerez de la Frontera, there will be the drivers Marcello Puglisi and Carlos Iaconelli. The italian and the brazilian will drive one day...

Bamber steps onto the podium for My Qi-Meritus.Mahara in race 2 at Shanghai 20.10.08

Malaysian Alex Yoong and New Zealand rookie Earl Bamber started respectively from 13th and third to finish the 24-lap second race of their GP2 Asia series career in ninth place and second places respectively. Bamber's startling runner up...

Fast debut in China for Durango's Valsecchi 09.10.08

First test day of the new GP2 Asia Series championship in Shanghai with just one Durango car driven by Davide Valsecchi. The Monza winner has immediately been fast clocking the second time during the morning session and the seventh, with a...

Iaconelli to team with Valsecchi at Shanghai 08.10.08

The good brazilian driver Carlos Iaconelli will be once more at the wheel of a Durango car for the opening of the GP2 Asia Series in Shanghai. Ivone Pinton declared: "Considering the good feedback Carlos gave us at Paul Ricard, it has been...

Trident Racing GP2 Series: Paul Ricard, Testing session. 29.09.08

Le Castellet - Circuit Paul Ricard, 3D configuration Collective GP2 Main Series Testing Session Cumulative testing results: 6th Chris Van der Drift: 1:13.468; 20th Narain Karthikeyan: 1:13.862; The GP2 Main Series was back on track just...

Campos test Paul Ricard 28.09.08

D’AMBROSIO, HO- PIN TUNG, SERGIO PEREZ Y PETROV RUEDAN CON EL EQUIPO CAMPEON DE GP2 2008 Durante los días de hoy y de ayer se han celebrado dos jornadas de test en el circuito de Paul Ricard en el que han participado 27 pilotos en jornadas de...

Durango - A very good effect 27.09.08

The rain actually closed the second and last GP2 test day with one hour advance. Despite this problem, which not allowed the last fifteen minutes of "fireworks" trying to set the fastest lap, Durango ended the Paul Ricard tests with complete...

DAMS : Tests HTTT 25 et 26 Septembre 2008 : Carton Plein ! 27.09.08

L’équipe DAMS a effectué deux jours d’essais sur le circuit Paul Ricard, les 25 et 26 septembre. Kamui Kobayashi, au volant d’une des deux monoplaces, n’a pas fait dans le détail puisqu’il a terminé avec le meilleur temps des quatre...

[:: previous ] [ next ::]