GP2 Barcelona - changes, changes

[Martin Haven]

For the Barcelona weekend there are likely to be a few changes to the GP2 format...

Firstly, the drivers are going to be trusted to drive their very own cars away from the grid at the start of the race, just like a big boys' racing series, instead of having to follow a chap in a Merc, all crocodile fashion, like naughty little boys...

That's right - a standing start will be attempted! At least, on Saturday... if it all goes Pete Tong, expect that nice Bernd Maylander to get more GP2 race mileage on Sunday... And Ernesto Viso to be about 5000 metres behind the car in front again... what WAS that all about???

So, that's the starting dealt with. Easy, huh?

What about the stopping?

As in Imola's Sunday race, that will be handled by those nice men at Brembo, who are to supply brake calipers, pads and discs.

So, whoa and go fixed.

Lots of power, not enough grip, field full of young (excepting that nice Mr Artam) chargers desperate to impress any F1 boss not in his 7-story paddock "multi-facility" ivory tower (ie none! "What's that bloody noise? How's a man expected to have a meeting???) How do we make a cod's of it?

Pit-stops! That's how! They have them in F1 and that's the "Pinnacle of the sport"TM... We've GOT to have them...

Sadly, no-one has learned the lesson of Imola's 2-stop fiasco... (Clearly they didn't have to either watch it on Eurosport or - marginally worse still - try to commentate on it...) as the pointless and race-destroying stops are to remain.

Well, kind of...

There should be just one compulsory stop this time - but there WILL be some point to it (other than trying to run down jay-walking bosses of rival teams, obviously... hmmm, thinks.... anyone suggested THAT to liven up F1??? ) Drivers will have to change 2 tyres.

Just like F1... erm, I mean, World Series by Renault... Damn! Eyes may have drifted off the ball slightly there... cribbing ideas from lesser series...

Oh, and those 2 points you can get for tossing it into the gravel early then bolting on new tyres and having a banzai attack on the fastest lap?? Forget it... now only classified finishers qualify for THAT lottery - meaning having completed 90% of race distance.

So they're confident that at least SOMEONE will go 90% of the way, then...

Another potential loose cannon on the track and in the championship ironed out...

Next time out... only red cars from Italy allowed to win - as long as they come from Maranello...

By the way - did ITV manage to make sense of it last weekend? Hopefully they managed to get the breaks in when nothing much was happening... At last - James Allen gets just a tiny glimpse of what the rest of us have to work with !!!

Enjoy the race folks...

Knowlsey, your hosts will be Carlton Kirby and Gareth Rees. I shall be clearing out the garden shed and having a barbeque!