2013 GP2 TEAMS Well, Where the F1 Paddock Used to Stand, Arden International: All Bathed in Sunshine and Glory Only a Couple Johnny Cecotto Jr

Daniel de Jong (left) and Johnny Cecotto ‘Twas Brillig During Jr (right) during GP 2 testing in Jerez the GP2 Series Winter Testing 2013 GP2 TEAMS well, where the F1 paddock used to stand, Arden International: all bathed in sunshine and glory only a couple Johnny Cecotto Jr. and of weeks ago (MIN subscribers can still read my Mitch Evans (2012 GP3 champion) ‘Twas brillig when I arrived Jerez F1 story on the magazine’s website). Back ART: James Calado and Daniel Abt in Jerez for the second time to Ma, in 2013 he developed into Caterham Racing GP2 race driver and Caterham F1 Addax Team: Rio Haryanto in February – working for reserve. HRT did worse: it developed into a and Jake Rosenzweig Motorsport Illustrated News bunch of spare parts and unemployed staff. Carlin: Felipe Nasr and does involve a bit of travelling! GP2/GP3 is really more of a touch-and-go operation: young drivers touch the steering Jolyon Palmer wheel and if they don’t perform they go. So, yes, it was brillig in the sense that it Caterham Racing: Everything is pretty basic, just how proper was terribly cold in Southern Spain (close to Ma Qing Hua and TBA racing should be. One of the touch-and-go guys 0 [yep, ZERO!] degrees Celsius, 32 degrees who goes by the name of Tom Dillmann can DAMS: Marcus Ericsson Fahrenheit), which is quite unusual for this tell you all about it: he touched, he showed and Stephane Richelmi region. I was trembling and shaking like Red some promise, he went and came back for Bull’s front wing at speed in the early hours of Jerez test (driving for Hilmer Motorsport on this Hilmer Motorsport: TBA and TBA the morning; luckily, a local bomboneria (call occasion), topped the timesheets and he’ll be it coffee shop in English) was in the process of Lazarus GP: Rene Binder and TBA touching again in 2013, albeit with the brand opening its doors to the clients. I proceeded new RUSSIAN TIME GP2 team. It’s safe to say MP Motorsport: Daniel de Jong with a direct injection of café con leche (3 cups there’s always been a bit of common ground and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs of) and it did start me up! The ensuing mad ride between Russians and French, let’s compare it to to the circuit in one of the city’s “user-friendly” pelmeni with champagne, it’s a cultural thing. Racing Engineering: white cabs relieved me of yet another portion Continuing with the Russian theme, the wind Fabio Leimer and Julian Leal of my hard-earned cash, but then a trip to Jerez of economic change wiped out iSport for 2013 wouldn’t be complete without getting ripped Rapax: Stefano Coletti and Tiago Monteiro’s Ocean squad sank on the off by taxi drivers. Smile, you’re in Europe! and Simon Trummer way to some unpleasant discoveries, all courtesy GP2 paddock is nothing like the F1 of Portuguese government’s lack of payment. RUSSIAN TIME: paddock, literally: there’s no glamour, there’s Also, no more Coloni, the wall finally fell for them Tom Dillmann and TBA no glitz, there are no celebrities, no nothing, – actually it should be the checkered flag, no? to quote Flavio Briatore, “dammit, not a single As the engines started their morning song, Trident Racing: TBA and TBA motorhome!” I did spot a former HRT F1 truck I forced my way into various garages: I had *TBA = To be announced being used by GP2’s newcomers MP Motorsport, people to see and questions to ask. First stop even HRT’s former development/test driver – Racing Engineering, our friends who were Ma Qing Hua could be spotted in the paddock, MARCH 20, 2013 | MOTORSPORT ILLUSTRATED NEWS | 31.

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