In 2010, DAMS made a clean sweep in Auto GP with the teams' and drivers' titles (Romain Grosjean) as well as its three drivers monopolizing the final podium. No luck for its rivals, as the French squad is back with the same ambitions in 2011!
The redoubtable 2010 driver line-up has been succeeded by a new generation that is just as fearsome. With talent, youth and already a certain amount of single-seater experience, the three new DAMS drivers have the qualities it takes to go for victory.
Adrien Tambay (20) - Born 25-02-1991. French. He is the son of former F1 driver, Patrick Tambay. In 2010 in Auto GP, he scored a win and a podium finish with the Charouz-Gravity team.
"I'm really happy to be joining DAMS in Auto GP this year. It's one of the great teams that has won in all the championships in which it has raced, and that includes Auto GP. I hope to be able to build on the basis of my experience last year so that we have a really good season together. The test in Barcelona went off pretty well, and with hard work and all-out involvement we can achieve our objectives."
Rio Haryanto (18) - Born 22/01/1993, Indonesian. He was fifth in the 2010 GP3 Championship with one victory and won the Formula BMW Asian Pacific Championship in 2009.
"It's a great joy for me to join the DAMS team in Auto GP this year. It's the squad that won the series in 2010, and I'm convinced that we'll have a competitive car from the green light. Auto GP will also help me to understand a more powerful racer and progress in my career."
Sergei Afanasiev (23) - Born 25/03/1988, Russian. Third in the 2010 F2 Championship with four podiums.
"Joining the DAMS team is a privilege. It dominated the championship last year and it'll provide us with an excellent car. I know that I can progress thanks to the team and the series, which is an important step towards my objective - to join my fellow-countryman in Formula 1. We can do it together!"
The 2011 Auto GP Championship consists of seven rounds starting with Monza on 14th May. On this occasion and throughout the rest of the season the races will be twinned with the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) shown on Eurosport. The schedule is the same: 30 minutes free practice then 30 minutes qualifying. Race 1 is on Saturday with an obligatory tyre change. Race 2 will be held on Sunday with a reversed grid depending on the results of the first event.
The cars have evolved thanks to a new aero package concerning the barge boards and the rear wing in particular, which has boosted performance. In Barcelona, the car was only 4 seconds slower than a GP2 and quicker by the same margin than a WSR.
The circuits are almost the same as in 2010 despite a recent change. The Hungaroring has replaced Marakech on 4-5 June. DAMS is already well advanced in the basic setups. The French team is tackling the season with a cast-iron morale and is determined to repeat last year's success.
