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 series in the o pening race.
The first 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 header 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 finish note in fo urth place o verall as well 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 run in the champio nship, was the highest placed ro o kie driver in the country 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 back 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 twelfth 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 safety and we did a big job optimizing the new car with the new tyres but you never know for sure where you are standing until the first speed of the season. I was prescribed 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 extremely hard to overtake, I knew the initiative and the first lap would be crucial. I had a good role and I was in the lead arriving in the 1st round but the red flag broke my momentum and I tried not to think too often about the run during the interruption. I had a serious re-start but it was never comfortable as Romain pushed hard from the first to the final lap. It is the best way to get the season and I thank the team and all our partners. Despite our success this is no time to rest on our laurels as we get to create sure we are in good work in Bahrain as soon as next week."
Esteban Gutierrez : "I cant say Im 100% happy with the way the weekend developed but at the same time the most important affair is that I feel very good within the car, I improved all the time and we are headed in the right direction. This is a learning phase and we already have the assurance that we can fight for points, which is a wonderful feeling for my first weekend in the most competitive series after F1. To be in the top 10 for my first walk was a decent reward for our heavy report and it opened up some good perspectives, as to finish the inaugural run in the top 8 is the key to a good weekend in the GP2 Series. Unfortunately right from the start I felt the hold was letting me down. I raced to fix some valuable experience then we decided to claim it a day. The 2nd run was very interesting because I fought hard in the substance of a hard discipline and to win lots of battles, to see the chequered flag and to have a faultless race when experienced drivers did not, is very encouraging. I believe we will keep this momentum for Bahrain, but without the mechanical gremlins!"
Frdric Vasseur : "To get the season with a win and the leader in the claim is extremely satisfying. We knew we could be good after the winter tests but then again it does mean you are leaving to rule in a series which is so competitive and introduce a new car and new tyres. Jules was clever handled the weekend with perfection and it is good to see him get the event he deserved after such hard work 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 inaugural race, but his commitment, raw speed and zero mistakes over the weekend bodes well for the future."
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