Disappointment in the season’s opening event at the Yas Marina circuit as a post race penalty robs Max of a points finish and a problem at the start of the sprint race limits his performance…….

There were many positives for the British teenager as the 2011 GP2 Asia Series kicked off in Abu Dhabi. Strong pace during practice and qualifying was a great boost to Max and the newly formed Carlin GP2 team, but unfortunately the results didn’t reflect the progress that was made.

Max had started from a strong seventh place on the grid on Friday and crossed the line 8th, but was later handed a 20 second penalty for having deemed to have gained an advantage at the chicane, dropping him to 12th place. Then as he lined up for the start of Saturday’s sprint race, he couldn’t engage first gear and had to start very cautiously in second gear. Understandably slow away from the grid, Max dropped to the back of the field and despite a determined drive, he ended up in 18th place.

“I will leave Abu Dhabi really disappointed with the results”, Max commented after the event, “But at the same time there has been a lot of encouraging signs. The Carlin team gave me a fantastic car – impressive for their first ever outing in GP2 – and I know that the season will be a good one. I feel I’m driving well, the car is fast and we can’t always have the sort of luck like this weekend. So I’m looking forward to the next races in Bahrain and the whole of the year. It’s been really positive apart from the results.”

Max had got away well at the start of Friday’s feature race and was running strongly in 6th place, pressuring Marcus Ericsson as the pair eased slightly away from their pursuers. Positions remained unchanged until the pit stops began. Max came in for new tyres as scheduled and whilst his stop appeared to pass without incident, he returned to the track having lost three places.

The remainder of the race involved a close battle with Stefano Coletti for eighth place, which would also earn the final point and pole for Saturday’s sprint race. The duo battled hard, with Max getting the gap down to just 0.2 seconds on several laps, but Coletti took advantage of the track limits several times to just stay ahead.

On the penultimate lap Max managed to pass Coletti. However, officials later deemed he had jumped the chicane and despite Coletti also having exceeded track limits, Max was given the penalty which meant that instead of starting Saturday’s race from pole, he would have to line up on the sixth row.

Chances of a good result in Saturday’s sprint race were over really before the race had begun as Max found he couldn’t get first gear on the grid. Slipping the clutch away in second gear, he dropped back rapidly and found himself at the back of the field at the end of the first lap.

He battled on and managed a great pass on Pal Varhaug round the outside of turn 11, got by Oliver Turvey and also benefited from a couple of retirements and penalties to come home in 18th place.

Max and the GP2 teams now get just a few days rest, before track action gets underway again in Bahrain from Thursday 17th February.