PROMISING SEASON IN GP2 FOR KENNOL
After an amazing 2013 season who saw Fabio LEIMER offer KENNOL its first FIA GP2 World Champion title, expectations were high for the 2014 season, but so were questions… Finally, we are proud to have found highly talented young drivers this year, with italian future star Rafaele MARCIELLO, and the team’s worst nightmare last season when competing against us, Stefano COLETTI !
We are overall quite happy from the insights we gained.
Thomas COUYOTOPOULO, Sporting Director
▌ IN GP2, YOU HAVE TO RESTART ALL OVER AGAIN WHEN YOU WIN…
FIA GP2 Series may be the ultimate step before Formula 1, there are some rules, and one of them is pretty clear: you win the World Champion title, you cannot compete anymore in GP2 Series. Why? Because these series are not dedicated at providing a career for longtime drivers. It’s a step ahead for young talents, future stars among the elite of world driving. Which is why, even if very happy after the crown of Fabio LEIMER last season, we were really wondering what kind of drivers we would find this year to replace him…
Rafaele MARCELLIO is an italian raw talent. And the attention that raises in great teams about him is no mistery for those who saw him driving and setting a car. Racing Engineering is lucky this year again to have such a good young driver, because his position in the Ferrari Driver Academy might make him soon an exclusive Ferrari driver. On the other hand, in order to bring some experience to the line-up, what a better idea than bringing home the former best enemy, Stefano COLETTI?! The Austrian driver was Fabio LEIMER’s worst nightmare last year, at the beginning of the season, winning everything. At the first half of the championship, he was even 50 points ahead of the future World Champion then!
▌ LOADS OF PROMISES FOR 2014
The final GP2 pre-season test has now ended in Bahrain, prior to the opening round of the year, which takes place at this very same circuit from 4-6 April on the same card as round 3 of the Formula 1 World Championship. The test went well for MARCIELLO, with good results on both qualifying and long runs. Over the three days, the Ferrari Driver Academy student completed 156 laps and was fifth fastest with a 1.39.704. Stefano COLETTI was slower overall, by 7 tenths over the week, but he managed to perform quite well in the end, setting good race pace times, taking advantage of intelligent use of his tyres sets. The Pirellis were available in 2 sorts of compound, the same teams will be provided with during the season.
“I’m very pleased with how pre-season testing has gone, especially these last three days in Bahrain. One of our aims was to find the best set-up for qualifying and we are now on the right road. I used the Supersoft tyres for the first time in a qualifying run with good results. The long run, in race trim, confirmed the positive trend we had already seen at the previous Abu Dhabi test, especially in terms of tyre management. Looking at our technical preparation as a whole. I am optimistic about my first GP2 race of the season.” said, full of maturity MARCIELLO.
▌ THE 1ST GRAND PRIX WILL SET THE PACE
Teams and drivers will return to Sakhir in two weeks for the opening round of the tenth season of the category which will commence on April 4th at Bahrain International Circuit. The F1 will be there too, after their first rounds in Australia and Malaysia, which saw many surprises. Let’s hope that tension and suspens will animate the FIA GP2 races too!
