04/2010 MAGAZINE

BRAZILIAN FIESTA

THIRD WIN IN A ROW FOR IACONELLI AND IN MAGNY-COURS

GROSJEAN TAKES RACE 1 AGAIN PODIUM AND DISAPPOINTMENT FOR ONIDI  RACERACE REPORT REPORT - -BRNO MAGNY-COURS GROSJEAN TAKES ALL

Pole and Race 1 success for Grosjean in France

 Round 07 The first Auto GP race in Magny-Cours was a real heart-breaker: won after a really bad start and a gift from lady luck: actually it was Tambay who led nearly the whole race but with just two laps to go a fuel Miguez leads Pantano and Rosenzweig pressure issue stopped his car. The some very quick laps he climbed back in his maiden Auto GP race, ahead of Charouz-Gravity Racing driver really to second, then inheriting the win from . The Czech driver made deserved success because his race Tambay. Second was , up four places after starting from the was just flawless: he passed from 3rd making a wonderful one-two result for 9th spot of the grid. Behind Jan were to first position thanks to a great start, DAMS. The brit was fast at the green his team-mate Esteban Guerrieri and an and then he managed to keep Grosjean light and then he fought with Grosjean hard fighting duo: and at bay, making no mistakes despite the during the first laps. Then he lost Carlos Iaconelli battled for the whole huge pressure from his rival. After contact with the leaders due to a little race, and in the end the Italian driver Tambay’s retirement Grosjean sailed mistake at the pit-stop, and settled for was ahead, passing his Brazilian rival on towards his second win in the series, 2nd place, his best result in Auto GP up last lap. Iaconelli, anyway can be happy and clinching the fastest lap of the race to now. Behind Tappy, took because P8 meant the Race 2 pole he secured enough points to win the his third podium finish of the season. position. weekend classification: after the bad The Lazarus driver gained one place at Besides Tambay, bad luck hampered start from pole he dropped to fourth the start of the race, and then overtook also Stefano Bizzarri and Giorgio place, and so DAMS decided for an also Esteban Guerrieri thanks to a good Pantano: the RP driver had to start from early stop strategy. With fresh rubber race pace and pit-stop strategy. the pits for a problem with the steering Romain pushed a lot and thanks to took a surprising P4 rack, while the former GP2 champion 2 WHO’S THE LEADER

ROUND 05 1. Romain Grosjean (DAMS) 21 laps in 31’50”336 2. Duncan Tappy (DAMS) +7.211 3. Fabio Onidi (LAZARUS) +11.541 4. Jake Rosenzweig (SUPERNOVA RACING) +12.746 5. Jan Charouz (CHAROUZ-GRAVITY RACING) +17.810 6. Esteban Guerrieri (CHAROUZ-GRAVITY RACING) +22.688 7. Edoardo Piscopo (DAMS) +22.943 8. Carlos Iaconelli (DURANGO) +23.333

ROUND 06 1. Carlos Iaconelli (DURANGO) 16 laps in 25’55”458 2. Jan Charouz (CHAROUZ-GRAVITY RACING) +1.606 3. Edoardo Piscopo (DAMS) +2.971 4. Duncan Tappy (DAMS) +5.404 5. Esteban Guerrieri (CHAROUZ-GRAVITY RACING) +7.254 6. (SUPERNOVA RACING) +11.645

DRIVERS CLASSIFICATION 1. Edoardo Piscopo 32 points MORAL 2. Romain Grosjean 30 points 3. Jan Charouz 24 points WINNER 4. Duncan Tappy 24 points 5. Carlos Iaconelli 24 points Even Romain Grosjean had to 6. 23 points recognize that 7. Fabio Onidi 18 points should have won the first race in 8. Adrien Tambay 17 points Magny-Cours: “I’m very sorry for 9. Jonny Reid 11 points Adrien who is a good friend of 10. 8 points mine – said Romain – he did a perfect race and, even if I was 11. Vladimir Arabadzhiev 8 points Charouz, Iaconelli and Piscopo on Race 2 podium close, passing him would have been difficult. The French driver of was slowed by a wheel nut issue during settle for second. Piscopo was third, Charouz-Gravity Racing passed his pit-stop. and opted for a save driver to grab four from 3rd to 1st place with a perfect start, and then led nearly valuable points useful to keep the series the whole race, retiring with just  Round 08 lead. Behind him was team-mate two laps to go due to a fuel Call him “Mister Race Two”: Carlos Duncan Tappy, ahead of Charouz-Gravity Iaconelli won the Auto GP short race in Racing’s Esteban Guerrieri. Magny-Cours, exactly as he did in Imola Meanwhile, the race was just a few and Spa. Starting from pole position, metres long for Romain Grosjean and Iaconelli had to keep at bay a charging Fabio Onidi: the Italian driver stalled his Jan Charouz in the first laps, and then car at the start and the frenchman of extended his lead creating a 1”5 gap DAMS couldn’t avoid him. Who made that he managed to keep until the the most of this crash was Jonny Reid: checkered flag, taking another six points: the kiwi of SuperNova was really quick thanks to this he is now third in the off the line and he managed to pass pressure problem. After the race championship, tied on points with Julian Leal. Then he did no mistakes he was really disappointed: “I Duncan Tappy and Jan Charouz. The despite a lot of pressure from the can’t believe what happened. I Czech driver was the only one able to Trident driver, grabbing one point. was taking 10 points and Piscopo was 9th, a bad position for the threathen Iaconelli’s lead: with a great Very unlucky performance for Giorgio second race start. I was getting start he overtook Piscopo, who was Pantano: he recovered up to 9th place back in contention for the title, starting in front of him, and then he tried with a good first half of the race, fighting and now I have nothing. There’s to put some pressure on the Durango with Rosenzweig for a long time. Then, just one good thing: I got back the right feeling with the car, so I driver in the first corner and at the after being passed by the US driver he hope I will keep this momentum in Adelaide hairpin. Anyway Iaconelli didn’t had to retire due to an issue with the the next races”. make any mistake and Charouz had to gearbox control unit”.

3  RACE REPORT - MAGNY-COURS FRENCH DOMINANCE

Tappy was second in the first race in Magny-Cours

After 4 events out of six, place with 24 points, and in the earnings Piscopo lies third with DAMS emerged as the the Italian’s team result is classification: Romain 102.500 euros team to beat in Auto GP. really remarkable because Grosjean won both the and Duncan Tappy With its drivers often in the it has been reached with weekends he contested is fourth with 80.000 euros. top spots of each session, just one car. and took home 160.000 If you’re looking for the French outfit actually DAMS leads the pack also euros, while Edoardo an explaintation for this leads all the series dominance, you should standings: in the drivers Edoardo listen to Duncan Tappy: classification Edoardo Piscopo “What I can say is that Piscopo leads with a two DAMS are a really point advantage over team- good team, with a proven mate Romain Grosjean, working method and a while Duncan Tappy is third perfect understanding with 24 points, tied with between all team Carlos Iaconelli and Jan members. Then there Charouz. Thanks to this is a lot of cooperation results, Dams stretched between the drivers: we their lead on the are working together, competition in the Teams sharing impressions and standings, with a 41 points datas, and there are no gap on the second placed secrets. Maybe outfit, Charouz-Gravity this is what is giving Racing. Durango and us the edge on our SuperNova are tied on 3rd competitors”.

GROSJEAN 1. Romain Grosjean 160.000 euro 7. Jan Charouz 73.333 euro IS THE NEW 2. Luca Filipp 115.000 euro 7. Fabio Onidi 38.333 euro CHIP LEADER 3. Edoardo Piscopo 102.500 euro 9. Vladimir Arabadzhiev 30.000 euro 4. Adrien Tambay 80.000 euro 10. Giorgio Pantano 15.000 euro 4. Carlos Iaconelli 80.000 euro 11. Adrian Zaugg 13.333 euro 4. Duncan Tappy 80.000 euro 12. Celso Miguez 12.500 euro

4 THE NEWCOMERS

Auto GP hailed two newcomers in Brno: Esteban Guerrieri stepped in for Natacha Gachnang at Charouz-Gravity Racing, while following Giorgio Pantano’s move to Euronova, Jake Rosenzweig drove the #9 SuperNova car. Both drivers boasted an impressive debut performance, clinching valuable points at their first appearance in the series. It was not a surprise because their talent is well proven: both are racing in World Series by Renault at the moment and while Guerrieri is 4th in the standings with 3 wins up to now, Rosenzweig made an impression in Spa clinching a dominating pole on a soaking track. In Auto GP both drivers were really fast straight out of the box, with Guerrieri taking second place in the Qualifying session and Rosenzweig posting the 5th fastest lap. Then, at the start of Race 1 Guerrieri was a bit slow and Rosenzweig made the most of it, passing him and closing the race in an amazing 4th spot. His Argentinian rival was 6th meaning a second row start for Race 2: he was again slow off the line, but ESTEBAN GUERRIERI JAKE ROSENZWEIG managed to grab 5th place anyway, while Rosenzweig’s second (RA) (USA) race was ruined by a mistake at the start of the warm-up lap. TEAM: CHAROUZ-GRAVITY RACING TEAM: SUPERNOVA Jake stalled the engine and was demoted to the back of the grid, and starting from the last position he boasted an amazing BIRTHDATE: January 19, 1985 BIRTHDATE: April 14, 1989 recovery to 9th place, fighting with Pantano and even 2009: , 2009: F3 Euro Series overtaking the former GP2 champion. Ws by Renault GROSJEAN AND TEAM STANDINGS 1. DAMS, 90 points FILIPPI TO GP2 2. Charouz-Gravity Racing, 49 points 3. Durango 24 points Auto GP keeps being a great Romain had a very important 3. SuperNova 24 points stepping stone for drivers task: thanks to his talent and 5. Euronova Racing, 23 points aiming to GP2. This weekend experience he was meant to the Main Series 6th event in analyse the reasons why the 6. , 18 points Hockenheim saw two Auto GP d'Ambrosio/DAMS pairing has 7 , 13 points drivers on the grid: been unable to fully unlock its Besides Luca Filippi, driving potential so far this season. 8. RP Motorsport, 6 points for SuperNova as he already Despite a very unlucky wee- did in Silverstone, also Romain kend, Romain managed to Grosjean got back at the whe- show that the French team's el of the -Renault. The car is very fast: in Race 2 he Frenchman, 2nd in the series recovered from P19 to 6th pla- standings two points adrift ce before retiring due to a from Piscopo, contested the race incident with Pastor Mal- Main Series races with DAMS, donado. the same team that fields him At the moment this should be in Auto GP. Following his a one-off commitment for Gro- astounding performances in sjean, with D’Ambrosio due to the series (in just two events, take back his seat for the next Spa and Magny-Cours, he clin- races, but it shows anyway ched two wins and one how well the Auto GP concept second place) Grosjean was is working: key people in chosen by Gravity Manage- motorsport are looking at the ment to step in for Jerôme series with great interest D’Ambrosio, taking the seat of thanks to a really high quality Filippi in SuperNova's GP2 car the Renault F.1 liveried car. grid.

5  THE RACE 2 KING

IACONELLI WON THE SECOND RACE 3 TIMES OUT OF 4 AND NOW TARGETS THE TITLE

Carlos Iaconelli “Obviously yes. 8 points is get better. I was just a bit I had good chances of undoubtedly is Auto GP’s not a huge gap with two unlucky because on the winning Race 2 also king of Race 2. On 4 full events to contest. last lap, when all the starting from the third spot events contested until now Anyway, I also know that others were posting their of the grid. You never he won the second race 3 to really challenge for the quickest lap, I made a waste some sure points on times, once starting from title I have to improve. mistake. So I had to start purpose in motorsport, P2 on the grid and twice Winning Race 2 isn’t from P12”. because you don’t what’s starting from pole. The enough because the big You always won Race gonna happen in the next Brazilian’s pace is so good points are awarded in Race 2 starting from the race”. that when he starts in front 1, so I have to look for front row. Some he usually manages to better results in the the people in the paddock You have at least 5 control the race, slighthly first race too”. suggests that rivals for the title, improving the gap over his finishing 8th in the who do you think will rivals lap by lap. Thanks to What do you think you first race has become be the most difficult his wins he is now third in need to improve to a strategy for you and to beat? the standings, just 8 points aim for a Race 1 Durango. “Even if Piscopo is ahead, adrift from Piscopo. success? “That’s not true. Just look I think that Grosjean will “Basically I just need to at Magny-Cours: in Race 1 be the one to beat. In just So Carlos, now you secure a better start I was fighting with two events he made more have an 8 points gap position, because our race Guerrieri for 6th place, points than all of us, so from the leader: with pace is actually very good. then we touched and I he’s the benchmark. 38 points still up for With Durango we are went off, that’s why I Anyway they are all good grabs do you think working to improve in finished in P8. I would drivers, Edoardo, Charouz, you can really have a qualifying and in Magny- have preferred getting two Tappy, beating them all will shot at the title? Cours things seemed to more points, also because be a really difficult task.

6 THE RACE 2 CURSE

ONIDI COLLECTED FOUR RACE 2 RETIREMENTS: HOW BAD LUCK IS RUINING A GOOD SEASON

If Iaconelli has a very special "Well, the maths say so, but did, I scored no points in four "My relationship with Lazarus relationship with Race 2, Fabio actually I feel that given the races. That is really bad for has a part in that. I raced for Onidi seems to be under a kind of drivers we have in the the championship". that team in 2008 and we spell that prevents him from championship, aiming for the were strong, this year we seeing the second race's title win with such a gap could Who will be the hardest immediately got that feeling finish line. Up to now the be too much. Anyway I'd love to beat among your back. They are really good, Lazarus driver collected 4 to end the season on the rivals for the title? we just have to improve in retirements in Race 2, and overall podium. That's a "Grosjean is undoubtedly the qualifying and find that little this is really hampering a realistic aim, and I will do my quickest and strongest overall, gap that still separes our car potentially good season: Fabio best to achieve it". while looking at the others I from the DAMS cars. showed repeteadly that he is think that I'm on a par with among the field's most A fuel issue in Brno, a everybody. I have to say that I Also in 2010 you keep competitive drivers, clinching crash in Imola, a was impressed by Tappy and being one of the best 3 podium finishes in Race 1, driveshaft in Spa and a Tambay, they really improved starters around: tell us the most important one as mistake in Magny-Cours. a lot in this season. On the your secret. there's no help from the Just bad luck or other side, Piscopo's shape reversed grid. So, with a bit something more? doesn't look so good, so I "No I won't (he laughs). I have more luck, he could have "I don't like to think and talk don't think he can win the to say that I was always good been among the title about bad luck, you know, it's title". off the line in my racing contenders. just things that happen in career, but with this car I have racing. A racecar is a complex If don't get along well a special feeling. I think that I 14 points from the lead, machine, breaking a driveshaft with Race 2, you really found the right way to start in 38 up for grabs. Do you or a fuel pump is nothing do with Race 1, the the best possible way with the think that fighting for the special. It's just a pity that due longer one. You already Auto GP Lola, and I'm not title is still possible? to this and to some mistakes I got 3 podiums. gonna reveal that!".

7  Greetingsfrom Magny-Cours

Julian Leal The Race 1 podium

Hard braking by Charouz

Bizzarri at full speed

8 Guerrieri took 5 points on his debut weekend

Points finish in Race 2 for Reid

Pantano raced for Euronova in Magny-Cours

9  FUTURE STYLIST HOT, HOT, HOT! Magny-Cours was a very hot weekend and not only OR from a sporting standpoint. The temperature were really ENGINEER? high for the whole weekend, and this meant that the teams had to open all the car’s cooling louvers to keep the engine temperatures in the right range. All the cars were all right, but some among the teams staff had a really difficult time coping with the heat. Anyway the very hot weather wasn’t bad news for everybody: someone, like this young camera- man, made the most of A cute, blonde 6 years old girl the sun enjoying some playing with a slick tyre? Don’t tanning time! worry, it’s just routine in the Euronova box. Stephanie Gabriella, ’s daughter, grew STILL SETTING up surrounded by racing cars, drivers and mechanics, so for her a tyre is just something to play with. THE PACE Anyway, like every young lady she also likes drawing a lot: so, will she be an engineer or a stylist? And what would daddy prefere?

Auto GP keeps being the fastest feeder-series below GP2: looking at the weekend laptimes, the Lola B05/52-Zytek confirmed its dominance among the one-make series single seaters, and by a long way. In Magny- Cours the fastest lap of the races was a 1’28“180 posted by Romain Grosjean on Saturday. Compared to the fastest lap of the World Series by renault races, held on the Circuit de Nevers just 3 weeks earlier, Auto GP was 7 tenths quicker! So, despite the extreme heat hampering grip and engine performance, Auto GP is still the car to beat… 10 NEXT STOP: NAVARRA LOS ARCOS

The Navarra track is the latest born The longest one, which will be used by among the spanish circuits, and this Auto GP, is nearly 4 kms long, but gave the project managers the chance when necessary the circuit staff even to create a state-of-the-art complex. has the possibility to split the track in Like many of the racetracks which two completely separate layouts, were built in the last years, the Los something that will allow the circuit to Arcos circuit has a modular layout, host two different events in the same allowing different track configuratuons. weekend. With 15 corners, 9 right and 6 left, the track boasts every kind of challenge a driver can desire. There are 3 very fast corners, the first one, number 3 and number 7, and each one of this is followed by a tight hairpin, meaning a lot of overtaking chances and very exciting races. Opened in june with a parade and a Red Bull F.1 show in front of more than 20.000 people, the racetrack will be inaugurated by Auto GP. It’s homologated to host F.1 testing (grade T1) and this means that it has the best safety features alongside huge runoff areas. Besides that, the 800 metres main straight will mean a top speed of around 290 km/h for the Auto GP cars. CIRCUITO CALENDAR 2010 DE NAVARRA LOS ARCOS Lap distance: 3,933 km 01&02 24-25 April Brno, Czech Republic Right turns: 9 03&04 22-23 May Imola, Italy Left turns: 6 05&06 26-27 June Spa, Belgium Location: 50 kms south-west 07&08 10-11 July Magny-Cours, France of Pamplona 09&10 25-26 September Navarra, Spain Official website: 11&12 2-3 October Monza, Italy http://www.circuitodenavarra.com

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Duncan Tappy

Romain Grosjean

Edoardo Piscopo

Jan Charouz Julian Leal

Jonny Reid

Celso Miguez

Giorgio Pantano