The teams and drivers of the 2012 GP2 Series started their final stint of the season today at the Spa-Francorchamps, as the series will line-up for three races in the next four weeks. The Belgian round of the series featured Race 1 and for Trident Racing it proved an extremely positive run with two cars entering the points zone. In addition to that, Julian Leal, who finished in seventh place, will be taking-off from the front row in Race 2. Stphane Richelmi, who had started the final lap in 8th, lost control at the final corner and lost one spot, ending up in 9th.
Leal, who started in 16th, was off to a great start and immediately recovered 4 spots. After five laps, the race went in full-course yellow condition and was subsequently red-flagged due to an heavy crash that involved Dutchman Nigel Melker. During the safety-car period, Leal was called back to the pits while Richelmi stayed on-track, climbing up to 2nd.
After more then an hour of suspension with the track official restoring the track's safety conditions, the race was back underway. Leal continued in his recovery, while Richelmi held onto second place until 2 to go, when he made his mandatory stop. Even though the Race 2 pole position was clearly in his frame, Richelmi provided the team with an impressive performance after having started in 23rd.
The final race of the GP2 weekend at Spa-Francorchamps will be taking-off tomorrow at 10:30 AM (with live coverage in Italy by RAI 2). Leal will be starting from the 2nd position on the grid, followed by Richelmi in Row 5.
Julian Leal, 7th
It's been a good race. Our strategy played out pretty well and I'm proud to have handed my team a really deserved yet elusive result so far. Today's seventh place is really valuable also because it came without lucky incidents or coincidences, but only with a consistent race from start to finish. I hope to complete this great weekend with a top-notch Race 2 performance as I will be starting from the front row. I want to thank the team but I hope to thank them better tomorrow"
Stphane Richelmi, 9th
If someone had told me that I would have ended up in 9th I would have never believed it. I couldn't be more satisfied with the result we got today. Of course I'm still a little bitter for what happened at the last corner. My rear tires were wearing out but with a more careful approach to the corner I could have avoided to be passed going off the corner. Yet there are so many positives. I held second place for a long time, lapping on some extremely quick marks, and the strategy proved correct. Now I hope to score more points in Race 2 and end this weekend in the best possible way.
