Josef Kral is GP2's most recent winner, having won the series' sprint race Sunday morning in Belgium. Marcus Ericsson was the winner of the feature race the day before.
It was the combination of a good start by Kral with a bad start for front row starters Felipe Nasr and Julian Leal that put the Czech driver in the lead. He was also helped by multiple crashes throughout the field. James Calado, Luiz Razia and Davide Valsecchi all lost time in scuffs.
The suspense therefore was not to see who would win, rather who would complete the podium, and in what order. As it happened, going into the final corner, Nasr put the move on Calado and out-dragged him at the exit.
The day before, Ericsson played the safety car outings to perfection to win the feature race.
The Swede was quick off the line and rapidly on the back of pole-sitter Rio Haryanto. He eventually grabbed the lead from him on the second lap, on the approach to Eau Rouge.
Nigel Melker then brought the safety car out when he crashed around the same corner. On lap 6, when the pit-lane opened, Ericsson decided to stop, which proved to be the right decision since the race was later red-flagged for the workers to finish fixing the barriers damaged by Melker.
When the race resumed, all those who hadn't pitted were force to go in, giving Ericsson a clear track to work with. He cruised to the checkered, followed in the distance by Calado and Valsecchi.
In the championship, Razia and Valsecchi are now tied for first place (204), ahead of Calado (160) and Gutierrez (150).
Feature race results – GP2 (Spa-Francorchamps)
1 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport – 25 laps 1:55'35"519
2 - James Calado - Lotus - 11"530
3 - Davide Valsecchi - Dams - 13"604
4 - Josef Kral - Addax - 15"093
5 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham - 15"482
6 - Luiz Razia - Arden - 16"903
7 - Julian Leal - Trident - 26"615
8 - Felipe Nasr - Dams - 28"903
9 - Stephane Richelmi - Trident - 29"230
10 - Rio Haryanto - Carlin - 29"558
11 - Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 31"182
12 - Max Chilton - Carlin - 32"160
13 - Daniel De Jong - Rapax - 37"340
14 - Nathanael Berthon - Racing Engineering - 39"130
15 - Simon Trummer - Arden - 49"935
16 - Fabio Onidi - Coloni - 54"918
17 - Johnny Cecotto - Addax - 58"783
18 - Ricardo Teixeira - Rapax - 1'25"639
19 - Rene Binder - Lazarus – 1 lap
20 - Stefano Coletti - Coloni – 3 laps
Fastest lap by Esteban Gutierrez 2’00”083
Retirements
Lap 21 - Victor Guerin
Lap 18 - Jolyon Palmer
Lap 11 - Sergio Canamasas
Lap 2 - Nigel Melker
Lap 1 - Fabio Leimer
Lap 1 - Rodolfo Gonzalez
Sprint race results – GP2 (Spa-Francorchamps)
1 - Josef Kral - Addax – 18 laps 36’59"474
2 - Felipe Nasr - Dams - 5"109
3 - James Calado - Lotus - 5"290
4 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport – 6"335
5 - Fabio Leimer – Racing Engineering – 11”041
6 - Stephane Richelmi - Trident - 24"694
7 - Rio Haryanto - Carlin - 25"227
8 - Stefano Coletti - Coloni – 25”957
9 - Julian Leal - Trident - 26"257
10 - Jolyon Palmer – iSport – 27”441
11 - Daniel De Jong - Rapax - 32"681
12 - Fabio Onidi - Coloni - 35"830
13 - Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 35"928
14 - Rodolfo Gonzalez – Caterham – 37”222
15 - Ricardo Teixeira - Rapax - 37"867
16 - Simon Trummer - Arden - 38"347
17 - Rene Binder - Lazarus – 41”470
18 - Victor Guerin – Ocean – 47”175
19 - Nathanael Berthon - Racing Engineering - 52"735
20 - Luiz Razia - Arden - 56"434
21 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham – 1’19"121
22 - Max Chilton - Carlin – 1’22"927
Fastest lap by Max Chilton 1’59”201
Retirements
Lap 9 - Sergio Canamasas
Lap 9 - Davide Valsecchi
Lap 1 - Johnny Cecotto
DNS – Nigel Melker
Championship
1. Razia & Valsecchi 204 points; 3. Calado 160; 4. Gutierrez 150 5. Van der Garde 141; 6. Chilton 124; 7. Leimer 103; 8. Ericsson 89; 9. Nasr 85; 10. Cecotto 80
It was the combination of a good start by Kral with a bad start for front row starters Felipe Nasr and Julian Leal that put the Czech driver in the lead. He was also helped by multiple crashes throughout the field. James Calado, Luiz Razia and Davide Valsecchi all lost time in scuffs.
The suspense therefore was not to see who would win, rather who would complete the podium, and in what order. As it happened, going into the final corner, Nasr put the move on Calado and out-dragged him at the exit.
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| Photo: GP2Series.com |
The day before, Ericsson played the safety car outings to perfection to win the feature race.
The Swede was quick off the line and rapidly on the back of pole-sitter Rio Haryanto. He eventually grabbed the lead from him on the second lap, on the approach to Eau Rouge.
Nigel Melker then brought the safety car out when he crashed around the same corner. On lap 6, when the pit-lane opened, Ericsson decided to stop, which proved to be the right decision since the race was later red-flagged for the workers to finish fixing the barriers damaged by Melker.
When the race resumed, all those who hadn't pitted were force to go in, giving Ericsson a clear track to work with. He cruised to the checkered, followed in the distance by Calado and Valsecchi.
In the championship, Razia and Valsecchi are now tied for first place (204), ahead of Calado (160) and Gutierrez (150).
Feature race results – GP2 (Spa-Francorchamps)
1 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport – 25 laps 1:55'35"519
2 - James Calado - Lotus - 11"530
3 - Davide Valsecchi - Dams - 13"604
4 - Josef Kral - Addax - 15"093
5 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham - 15"482
6 - Luiz Razia - Arden - 16"903
7 - Julian Leal - Trident - 26"615
8 - Felipe Nasr - Dams - 28"903
9 - Stephane Richelmi - Trident - 29"230
10 - Rio Haryanto - Carlin - 29"558
11 - Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 31"182
12 - Max Chilton - Carlin - 32"160
13 - Daniel De Jong - Rapax - 37"340
14 - Nathanael Berthon - Racing Engineering - 39"130
15 - Simon Trummer - Arden - 49"935
16 - Fabio Onidi - Coloni - 54"918
17 - Johnny Cecotto - Addax - 58"783
18 - Ricardo Teixeira - Rapax - 1'25"639
19 - Rene Binder - Lazarus – 1 lap
20 - Stefano Coletti - Coloni – 3 laps
Fastest lap by Esteban Gutierrez 2’00”083
Retirements
Lap 21 - Victor Guerin
Lap 18 - Jolyon Palmer
Lap 11 - Sergio Canamasas
Lap 2 - Nigel Melker
Lap 1 - Fabio Leimer
Lap 1 - Rodolfo Gonzalez
Sprint race results – GP2 (Spa-Francorchamps)
1 - Josef Kral - Addax – 18 laps 36’59"474
2 - Felipe Nasr - Dams - 5"109
3 - James Calado - Lotus - 5"290
4 - Marcus Ericsson - iSport – 6"335
5 - Fabio Leimer – Racing Engineering – 11”041
6 - Stephane Richelmi - Trident - 24"694
7 - Rio Haryanto - Carlin - 25"227
8 - Stefano Coletti - Coloni – 25”957
9 - Julian Leal - Trident - 26"257
10 - Jolyon Palmer – iSport – 27”441
11 - Daniel De Jong - Rapax - 32"681
12 - Fabio Onidi - Coloni - 35"830
13 - Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 35"928
14 - Rodolfo Gonzalez – Caterham – 37”222
15 - Ricardo Teixeira - Rapax - 37"867
16 - Simon Trummer - Arden - 38"347
17 - Rene Binder - Lazarus – 41”470
18 - Victor Guerin – Ocean – 47”175
19 - Nathanael Berthon - Racing Engineering - 52"735
20 - Luiz Razia - Arden - 56"434
21 - Giedo Van der Garde - Caterham – 1’19"121
22 - Max Chilton - Carlin – 1’22"927
Fastest lap by Max Chilton 1’59”201
Retirements
Lap 9 - Sergio Canamasas
Lap 9 - Davide Valsecchi
Lap 1 - Johnny Cecotto
DNS – Nigel Melker
Championship
1. Razia & Valsecchi 204 points; 3. Calado 160; 4. Gutierrez 150 5. Van der Garde 141; 6. Chilton 124; 7. Leimer 103; 8. Ericsson 89; 9. Nasr 85; 10. Cecotto 80