Photo DR Lo tus ART started the fo urth GP2 Asia Series seaso n o n the right fo o t despite go ing into the champio nship o pener at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi with a few reservatio ns after so me very clo se winter testing. Lo tus ART delivered a stro ng and very rewarding weekend, with yo ung French driver Jules Bianchi secured a stro ng result in qualifying, seco nd, fo llo wed by his maiden win in the serial in the o pening race.
The inaugural run was red flagged o n lap o ne due to an accident invo lving Dani Clo s and Liuz Razia but thirty minutes later when it go t back underway, Bianchi, to o k to the head and never lo o ked back. He handled the po sitio n with autho rity and intelligence despite co nstant pressure fro m Ro main Gro sjean fro m get to finish
Sent back to 8th place due to the reverse grid regulatio ns in race two , Bianchi then fo ught back stro ngly to cro ss the last line in fo urth place o verall as good as securing the fastest lap o f the race. Ho wever, due to a po st race penalty fo r o vertaking under yello w flags, he dro pped back to eighth. He no w leads the champio nship with a to tal o f twelve po ints.
Meanwhile, teammate Esteban Gutierrez, who qualified ninth in his first race in the champio nship, was the highest placed ro o kie driver in the area until he was hit by a mechanical gremlin io n race o ne, which fo rced him to retire. This meant that the reigning champio n o f the GP3 Series had to start race two fro m the second o f the grid, but despite his handicap, the Mexican driver fo ught stro ngly to domesticate several po sitio ns and eventually cro ss the lie in 12th place o verall. Thro ugh the co urse o f the weekend, Estaban made the mo st o f the situatio n and learnt a big deal abo ut this very co mpetitive series.
Jules Bianchi : "What a big achievement! The winter tests were safe and we did a big job optimizing the new car with the new tyres but you never know for certain where you are standing until the inaugural speed of the season. I was positive for qualifying because I knew where I could improve, but I hit traffic and I made a few mistakes. Starting from the first row on a circle where it is exceedingly difficult to overtake, I knew the first and the first lap would be crucial. I had a respectable part and I was in the lead arriving in the first round but the red flag broke my momentum and I tried not to mean too often roughly the run during the interruption. I had a serious re-start but it was never comfortable as Romain pushed hard from the beginning to the final lap. It is the better way to start the temper and I thank the squad and all our partners. Despite our success this is no time to sleep on our laurels as we get to make certain we are in good influence in Bahrain as shortly as next week."
Esteban Gutierrez : "I cant say Im 100% happy with the way the weekend developed but at the same time the most significant affair is that I look really good within the car, I improved all the time and we are headed in the correct direction. This is a learning phase and we already take the confidence that we can struggle for points, which is a marvellous feeling for my first weekend in the most competitive series after F1. To be in the top 10 for my first pass was a decent reward for our heavy study and it opened up some good perspectives, as to complete the inaugural run in the top 8 is the key to a full weekend in the GP2 Series. Unfortunately right from the first I felt the clasp was letting me down. I raced to make some valuable experience then we decided to claim it a day. The second run was really interesting because I fought hard in the center of a strong discipline and to win lots of battles, to see the checkered flag and to deliver a faultless race when experienced drivers did not, is very encouraging. I trust we will maintain this momentum for Bahrain, but without the mechanical gremlins!"
Frdric Vasseur : "To get the temper with a win and the leader in the title is highly satisfying. We knew we could be secure after the winter tests but then again it does mean you are leaving to rule in a serial which is so competitive and enter a new car and new tyres. Jules was clever handled the weekend with perfection and it is safe to see him get the result he deserved after such hard study and a bad year in 2010. I must say Esteban impressed Lotus ART greatly in his maiden weekend in the GP2 Series. He was unlucky the transmission failed in the first race, but his commitment, raw speed and zero mistakes over the weekend bodes well for the future."
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