Ocean Racing Technology is off to a promising start in the GP2 Main Series.
The Portuguese team picked up where it left off in the offseason tests and proved to be competitive on the Istanbul circuit, which was home this weekend to the first two races in the GP2 Main Series. Unfortunately, Johnny Cecotto Jr.'s and Kevin Mirocha's raw results are not a reflection of their excellent performances. The German driver was involved in a collision during the start of the first race, which forced him to the pits for repairs. Kevin lost a great deal of time in the operation but demonstrated maturity and speed, moving up to 8th place before a blown tyre forced him to DNF just one lap from the finish line. "The car was very competitive on Saturday. It was my first race and it is very encouraging despite my 15th place result. I could not avoid the collision in the first corner, but I moved up several places after my pit stop and I could have finished in the top 10 if it weren't for a flat." Kevin Mirocha explained, "Sunday, the car's balance was not as good but we had the potential to reach the checkered flag in the top 10." Like his teammate, Johnny Cecotto Jr. was not immune to incidents. The Venezuelan driver shunted in the first race and finished the second in 13th place despite a drive through penalty, without which he would have been a serious contender for the top 10. "It's frustrating because we were among the fastest, especially Sunday when my car was excellent. Unfortunately I was penalized for not having correctly positioned my car on the starting grid. Without this error, the top 10 was largely within our reach. We didn't score any points, but I am not worried about the upcoming races because although we were unlucky, the performance is there." Tiago Monteiro was of the same opinion as his drivers. The Ocean Racing Technology director emphasized the crew and drivers' good performance throughout the weekend in Turkey. "The team's overall performance was very good and that is both important and encouraging for the future. We are satisfied with the performances of both our drivers. A flat and a penalty prevented Kevin and Johnny from scoring points but they proved that the fundamental work in the winter tests has been fruitful. Sunday we were in the three fastest teams in the field and we managed the tyres well, which confirms that they will be a decisive factor in the final result of every race this year, like in F1. We have to analyze the results from Istanbul and continue working, but we are confident and motivated." In two weeks, the GP2 Main Series will hold the 3rd and 4th races at the Catalunya circuit in Barcelona. In Spain, Ocean Racing Technology hopes to avoid misadventures and be able to translate its competitiveness as well as its drivers' competitiveness into points.
