Ernesto Viso has won Sunday’s GP2 series race at Imola, taking the first victory for iSport International in the GP2 series ahead of Nelson Piquet Jr (Piquet Sports) and Hiroki Yoshimoto (BCN Competicion.)
The race began with Hiroki making a fantastic start from pole, followed by team-mate Timo Glock. Behind them Adrián Vallés stalled his Campos Racing car, and in the haze of tyre smoke, an unsighted Lucas di Grassi slammed his Durango into the stranded car. With debris littering the start- finish straight the safety car was immediately deployed. As the cars all slowed, Michael Ammermüller was caught unawares and rammed into Alex Prémat, with the Frenchman’s ART Grand Prix car out on the spot and Michael’s Arden irreparable on its return to the pits.
The cars toured through the pitlane behind the safety car and were finally released on lap four. Ernesto had held his third place from the grid and was all over the back of Timo. Nelson was back on stunning form, passing Nicolas Lapierre’s Arden at Rivazza for fourth as Luca Filippi dispatched yesterday’s race winner Gimmi Bruni in the same place for sixth. One lap later and Ernesto got past Timo and set after Hiroki. Nelson was now right up behind Timo and made his way past the clearly slower car on lap six.
By lap eight Ernesto was tucked up behind Hiroki. The former team-mates battled hard, but in the end Hiroki just didn’t have the car under him to hold back the flying Venezuelan. Viso was through in a blur and off into a lead he would never lose. Hiroki was clearly fighting hard with his car, and Nelson slipped past for second place soon after.
Timo, now in fourth, was holding a long line of cars behind him, but was battling with a bold resolution not to lose any more places. Nicolas searched and searched, but just couldn’t find a way past the gritty German. In the end, Nicolas pushed just that touch too hard and ran over the grass at Variante Alta, allowing a grateful Filippi through to fifth, with Felix Porteiro taking sixth for Campos Racing.
Ernesto took the win, setting the fastest lap of the race on his penultimate lap. He was followed across the line by Nelson who sat just half a second in arrears at the chequered flag, with Hiroki a further 24 seconds down the road in third. Nelson now leads the championship on 25 points ahead of Gimmi Bruni in second on 18. Ernesto’s win puts him third on 16 points, tied with Michael and Nicolas.
In the teams’ championship Arden International lead on 32 points, with Piquet Sports third on 25 and Trident Racing third on 18 points.
1st Ernesto Viso – iSport International. 45:17.116 “It is amazing, it is finally here! Finally I got a win – last year was hard for me because I didn't get any wins. I knew I could get it but I didn't have a competitive enough car for a win or the championship. This season I'm very happy with my choice to come to iSport.”
2nd Nelson Piquet Jr – Piquet Sports. +0.596 “I had a bad start, but I managed to overtake and get my position back, so I'm happy. The car was really good, and I wasn't expecting to get second, but the car was so good that I could get it.”
3rd Hiroki Yoshimoto – BCN Competicion. +25.001 “I really want to win very soon – I don’t want to wait anymore. A podium is good, but it means someone is ahead of me, and I don't like that!”
