2008–09 GP2 Asia Series

2008–09 GP2 Asia Series season
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For the main series, see 2009 GP2 Series season.

The 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series season was the second season of the GP2 Asia Series. It began on 18 October 2008 and ended on 26 April 2009 and consisted of twelve races at six events.

All teams from the 2008 GP2 Series season except for Racing Engineering took part in the competition, with the thirteenth slot being filled by Qi-Meritus Mahara. The reigning champion Romain Grosjean did not defend his title. Kamui Kobayashi clinched the title with a fourth place at the penultimate race in Bahrain.

Entry list

Team	No	Driver	Rounds
ART Grand Prix	1	Sakon Yamamoto[1]	All
	2	Nelson Philippe[2]	1
		Pastor Maldonado[3]	2, 5–6
		Nico Hülkenberg[4]	3–4
Arden Motorsport	3	Luiz Razia[5]	All
	4	Mika Mäki[6]	1
		Renger van der Zande[7]	2
		Edoardo Mortara[8]	3–6
Barwa International Campos	5	Vitaly Petrov[9]	All
	6	Sergio Pérez[2]	All
DAMS	7	Jérôme d'Ambrosio[2]	All
	8	Kamui Kobayashi[2]	All
GFH Team iSport	9	Giedo van der Garde[10]	All
	10	Hamad Al Fardan[11]	All
Super Nova Racing	11	Javier Villa[5]	All
	12	James Jakes[2]	All
FMS International	14	Andreas Zuber[2]	1–2
		Rodolfo González[12]	3–6
	15	Kevin Nai Chia Chen[2]	All
Durango	16	Davide Valsecchi[13]	All
	17	Carlos Iaconelli[14]	1
		Michael Dalle Stelle[15]	2–6
My Qi-Meritus Mahara	18	Alex Yoong[16]	1–2
		Marco Bonanomi[17]	3–6
	19	Earl Bamber[18]	1–3
		Álvaro Parente[19]	4–6
Piquet GP	20	Roldán Rodríguez[20]	All
	21	Diego Nunes[21]	All
David Price Racing	22	Michael Herck[22]	All
	23	Yuhi Sekiguchi[22]	1
		Giacomo Ricci[23]	2–6
BCN Competición* Ocean Racing Technology	24	Hiroki Yoshimoto[2]	1
		Yelmer Buurman[24]	2–5
		Karun Chandhok[25]	6
	25	Luca Filippi[26]	1
		Fabrizio Crestani[24]	2–6
Trident Racing	26	Giacomo Ricci[2]	1
		Alberto Valerio[23]	2
		Frankie Provenzano[27]	3–4
		Ricardo Teixeira[28]	5–6
	27	Chris van der Drift[2]	1–2
		Adrián Vallés[27]	3
		Davide Rigon[29]	4–6

* – team was known as BCN Competición at round one in Shanghai, before Tiago Monteiro bought over the team's assets and renamed it as Ocean Racing Technology.^[30]

Calendar

On 12 July, GP2 Series organisers announced a provisional calendar for their second season. Unlike the first season of the GP2 Asia Series, this season will start prior to the new year, and be expanded to six events from the previous five. The Indonesian round has been dropped, while Bahrain earns a second event and Shanghai earns its first GP2 races. Shanghai will also host the official GP2 Asia Series test session prior to the start of the season.^[31]

The sprint race of the second round of the championship – at the Dubai Autodrome – was cancelled due to flooding.^[32]

On 17 December, an alteration was made to the calendar, with the Losail International Circuit in Qatar replacing the February meeting in Dubai. The meeting was also moved to February 12–14 because the original date on the calendar was unsuitable, due to MotoGP testing. This event will also introduce night racing to GP2, following the circuit's lead with MotoGP and its support classes and also Formula One's night race in Singapore.^[33]

Race Calendar

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning Driver	Winning Team	Report
1	R1	Shanghai International Circuit	18 October	Roldán Rodríguez	Kamui Kobayashi	Roldán Rodríguez	Piquet GP	Report
	R2		19 October		Javier Villa	Davide Valsecchi	Durango
2	R1	Dubai Autodrome	5 December	Kamui Kobayashi	Kamui Kobayashi	Kamui Kobayashi	DAMS	Report
	R2		6 December	Race cancelled
3	R1	Bahrain International Circuit	23 January	Nico Hülkenberg	Kamui Kobayashi	Kamui Kobayashi	DAMS	Report
	R2		24 January		Jérôme d'Ambrosio	Sergio Pérez	Barwa International Campos
4	R1	Losail International Circuit	13 February	Nico Hülkenberg	Nico Hülkenberg	Nico Hülkenberg	ART Grand Prix	Report
	R2		14 February		Sergio Pérez	Sergio Pérez	Barwa International Campos
5	R1	Sepang International Circuit	4 April	Jérôme d'Ambrosio	James Jakes	Diego Nunes	Piquet GP	Report
	R2		5 April		Álvaro Parente	Vitaly Petrov	Barwa International Campos
6	R1	Bahrain International Circuit	25 April	Kamui Kobayashi	Jérôme d'Ambrosio	Diego Nunes	Piquet GP	Report
	R2		26 April		Jérôme d'Ambrosio	Luiz Razia	Arden Motorsport

Championship standings

Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top 8 classified finishers in the Feature race, and to the top 6 classified finishers in the Sprint race. The pole-sitter in the feature race will also receive two points, and one point is given to the driver who set the fastest lap inside the top ten in both the feature and sprint races. No extra points are awarded to the pole-sitter in the sprint race.

Feature race points

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
Points	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Sprint race points

Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers.

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Points	6	5	4	3	2	1

Drivers' Championship

Pos Driver SHI DUB BHR LSL SEP BHR Points 1 Kamui Kobayashi 2 Ret 1 C 1 6 4 18 2 7 4 5 56 2 Jérôme d'Ambrosio 9 5 7 C 2 3 5 7 Ret DSQ 3 2 36 3 Roldán Rodríguez 1 6 3 C 6 23 Ret 17 4 12 2 Ret 35 4 Davide Valsecchi 8 1 2 C 5 2 6 5 8 3 16 Ret 34 5 Vitaly Petrov 5 Ret 5 C 10 12 3 2 6 1 19 11 28 6 Nico Hülkenberg 4 4 1 3 27 7 Sergio Pérez Ret 7 6 C 8 1 2 1 Ret 6 12 9 26 8 Diego Nunes 12 Ret Ret C 13 22 11 12 1 4 1 6 24 9 Sakon Yamamoto 3 14 8 C 17 11 Ret 14 12 Ret 6 4 13 10 Javier Villa 4 3 9 C 9 5 13 10 19 18 15 12 12 11 Edoardo Mortara 3 8 7 4 Ret 17 Ret 16 11 12 Giedo van der Garde 10 DNS 4 C 7 14 12 8 14 10 5 7 11 13 Luiz Razia Ret 17 10 C 14 9 8 6 Ret Ret 8 1 9 14 Earl Bamber 6 2 Ret C 11 7 8 15 Pastor Maldonado Ret C 7 2 Ret Ret 7 16 James Jakes Ret 11 12 C 22 Ret 9 9 3 Ret 10 14 7 17 Davide Rigon 14 15 Ret 13 7 3 6 18 Chris van der Drift 7 4 Ret C 5 19 Yelmer Buurman Ret C Ret 13 Ret DNS 5 11 4 20 Hamad Al Fardan 15 Ret Ret C 12 Ret Ret Ret 9 5 Ret 17 2 21 Álvaro Parente 17 16 11 9 Ret 13 1 22 Marco Bonanomi 20 10 16 11 Ret 14 14 8 0 23 Rodolfo González 16 Ret Ret 19 10 8 Ret Ret 0 24 Hiroki Yoshimoto Ret 8 0 25 Alex Yoong 14 9 Ret C 0 26 Karun Chandhok 9 Ret 0 27 Giacomo Ricci 13 Ret 13 C Ret 16 Ret 13 16 15 11 10 0 28 Fabrizio Crestani 14 C Ret 17 10 21 15 16 18 15 0 29 Mika Mäki Ret 10 0 30 Carlos Iaconelli 11 Ret 0 31 Renger van der Zande 11 C 0 32 Yuhi Sekiguchi Ret 12 0 33 Michael Herck 16 16 15 C 18 18 15 Ret 13 Ret 13 Ret 0 34 Nelson Philippe 17 13 0 35 Frankie Provenzano 15 15 19 20 0 36 Kevin Nai Chia Chen Ret 15 18 C 21 21 18 23 20 Ret Ret 18 0 37 Alberto Valerio 16 C 0 38 Ricardo Teixeira 17 19 17 Ret 0 39 Michael Dalle Stelle 17 C 19 20 20 22 18 20 Ret 19 0 40 Adrián Vallés Ret 19 0 Andreas Zuber Ret Ret Ret C 0 Luca Filippi Ret Ret 0 Pos Driver SHI DUB BHR LSL SEP BHR Points

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

Notes:

• † — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Teams' Championship

Pos Team Car No. SHI DUB BHR LSL SEP BHR Points 1 DAMS 7 9 5 7 C 2 3 5 7 Ret DSQ 3 2 92 8 2 Ret 1 C 1 6 4 18 2 7 4 5 2 Piquet GP 20 1 6 3 C 6 23 Ret 17 4 12 2 Ret 59 21 12 Ret Ret C 13 22 11 12 1 4 1 6 3 Barwa International Campos 5 5 Ret 5 C 10 12 3 2 6 1 19 11 54 6 Ret 7 6 C 8 1 2 1 Ret 6 12 9 4 ART Grand Prix 1 3 14 8 C 17 11 Ret 14 12 Ret 6 4 47 2 17 13 Ret C 4 4 1 3 7 2 Ret Ret 5 Durango 16 8 1 2 C 5 2 6 5 8 3 16 Ret 34 17 11 Ret 17 C 19 20 20 22 18 20 Ret 19 6 Arden Motorsport 3 Ret 17 10 C 14 9 8 6 Ret Ret 8 1 20 4 Ret 10 11 C 3 8 7 4 Ret 17 Ret 16 7 Super Nova Racing 11 4 3 9 C 9 5 13 10 19 18 15 12 19 12 Ret 11 12 C 22 Ret 9 9 3 Ret 10 14 8 GFH Team iSport 9 10 DNS 4 C 7 14 12 8 14 10 5 7 13 10 15 Ret Ret C 12 Ret Ret Ret 9 5 Ret 17 9 Trident Racing 26 13 Ret 16 C 15 15 19 20 17 13 17 3 11 27 7 4 Ret C Ret 19 14 15 Ret 19 7 Ret 10 My Qi-Meritus Mahara 18 14 9 Ret C 20 10 16 11 Ret 14 14 8 9 19 6 2 Ret C 11 7 17 16 11 9 Ret 13 11 BCN Competición Ocean Racing Technology 24 Ret 8 Ret C Ret 13 Ret DNS 5 11 9 Ret 4 25 Ret Ret 14 C Ret 17 10 21 15 16 18 15 12 FMS International 14 Ret Ret Ret C 16 Ret Ret 19 10 8 Ret Ret 0 15 Ret 15 18 C 21 21 18 23 20 Ret Ret 18 13 David Price Racing 22 16 16 15 C 18 18 15 Ret 13 Ret 13 Ret 0 23 Ret 12 13 C Ret 16 Ret 13 16 15 11 10 Pos Team Car No. SHI DUB BHR LSL SEP BHR Points

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

Notes:

• † — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

References

1. Sakon Yamamoto: official GP2 Asia driver of ART art-grandprix.com
2. Freeman, Glenn (ed.) (October 2008). "Japan leads GP2 Asia charge". Autosport 194 (3): 22–23.
3. "Maldonado to race for ART in 2009". autosport.com. 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
4. "Hulkenberg takes pole on GP2 debut". Autosport.com. 2009-01-22. Archived from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
5. "Razia joins Arden, Villa to Super Nova". GPUpdate.net. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
6. GP2: Trust Team Arden Confirm Mika Maki and Luiz Razia for GP2 Asia 2008/09
7. "Van der Zande to replace Maki in Dubai". GPUpdate.net. 2008-10-27. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
8. "Mortara signs for Arden". autosport.com. 2009-01-21. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
9. Campos Racing
10. "Van der Garde joins iSport for Asia Series". GPUpdate.net. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
11. "Al Fardan joins GFH iSport". GPUpdate.net. 2008-09-23. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
12. "Gonzalez joins Fisichella for GP2 Asia". autosport.com. 2009-01-21. Archived from the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
13. "Durango and Valsecchi extend contract". GPUpdate.net. 2008-09-23. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
14. GP2: Iaconelli to team with valsecchi at shanghai durango.it
15. "Durango signs teen for Asia campaign". crash.net. 2008-12-01. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
16. My Team Qi-Meritus.Mahara signs Alex Yoong
17. "Bonanomi replaces Yoong at Meritus". autosport.com. 2009-01-17. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
18. GP2: Meritus confirms Kiwi to second seat crash.net
19. "Parente joins Meritus for Qatar". autosport.com. 2009-02-11. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
20. GP2: Piquet GP & Rodríguez together for GP2 Asia and GP2 Main Piquet GP official site – 23.09.2008.
21. GP2: Diego Nunes second car in GP2 Asia Series Piquet GP official site – 07.10.2008.
22. "Sekiguchi joins DPR for Asia campaign". crash.net. 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
23. "Driver changes aplenty in Dubai". crash.net. 2008-12-04. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
24. "Ocean sign Crestani as second driver". autosport.com. 2008-12-02. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
25. "08/09 GP2 Asia Series – Round 6". GP2 Asia Series. 2009-04-23. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
26. GP2: Filippi back with BCN crash.net
27. "Trident names new pairing.". crash.net. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
28. "08/09 GP2 Asia Series – Round 5". GP2 Asia Series. 2009-04-02. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
29. "Rigon replaces Valles at Trident". autosport.com. 2009-02-10. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
30. "Tiago Monteiro confirms the acquisition of GP2 team". tiagomonteiro.com. 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
31. "GP2 Asia 2008–09 Calendar". UpdateF1.com. 2008-07-12. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
32. "Floods force cancellation of Dubai race". autosport.com. 2008-12-06. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
33. "Qatar night race for Asia Series". autosport.com. 2008-12-17. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-17.

External links

• GP2 Series official website
• GP2 Asia Series fansite