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GP2: Charles Pic takes win in Barcelona

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Khatir Soltani
Charles Pic wins race 1 in Barcelona thanks to an optimal pit stop strategy.

The Frenchman was standing third in the first laps behind Van der Garde, who started from pole position, and Sam Bird. But Pic took the lead after his pit stop, when he decided to change only two tires instead of four. He moved up in first position after his refueling and eventually took win.

Van der Garde, who stopped one lap after Pic, lost one more position behind Sam Bird, which offered to Addax team a great 1-2 at the end of the race. Romain Grosjean, who took 4th position, was excluded after his car failed a post-race scrutineering, and will start from the back of the grid for race 2.

That means that Fabio Leimer moved up to 8th, which offers him the pole position for race 2 (reverse grid regulation). Jules Bianchi, who clinched pole position in qualifying, had a 10 places penalty for having set his best lap under yellow flags. The Frenchman moved up to 7th in race 1, and will start from 2nd place on the grid.


Race 1 classification:
1 - Charles Pic - Addax - 34 laps
2 - Giedo Van der Garde - Addax - 1"4

3 - Sam Bird - iSport - 2"7
4 - Davide Valsecchi - Air Asia - 10"0

5 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport - 10"5

6 - Dani Clos - Racing Engineering - 16"5

7 - Jules Bianchi - Lotus ART - 16"9

8 - Fabio Leimer - Rapax - 17"4
Etc.



Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
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