The Nürburgring will host penultimate round of the 2014 Auto GP season. For the second year in a row the series managed by Enzo Coloni returns at the historic German venue and it's Kimiya Sato (Euronova Racing) to enter as the championship leader with 182 points. The Japanese, who ended as a runner-up in the 2013 Auto GP season and is also off to his rookie year in GP2, missed the first Italian round at Monza but continues to lead the way thanks to five victories and eight podium finishes. After the last event in Zeltweg, the Virtuosi UK drivers are on the championship's virtual podium. Hungarian Tamas Pal Kiss just returned to the podium and has a total of 138 points, just five more than Italian teammate Andrea Roda, back from scoring his maiden win in Race 2 in Austria. Kevin Giovesi (FMS) in lining-up in fourth place after joining the Caterham Formula 1 programme in the summer break.Following him are both Super Nova International drivers. Markus Pommer was very unlucky at Imola and Zeltweg, but hopes to get back to the podium for his home race this week-end in Nürburgring. Sixth place belongs to Michela Cerruti. The Italian female racer became the first woman driver to win a top-end European open-wheel competition in Race 2 at Imola and wrote her name in the motorsport history. She was also announced for a regular ride in the new FIA Formula E championship, and continues her important partnership with BMW in GT competition.
Cerruti will also share the Super Nova International garage with returning team-mate Francesco Dracone, while Japanese Yoshitaka Kuroda will be back with Euronova Racing. Italian Michele La Rosa (MLR71 by Euronova), who scored a podium finish in the inaugural race of Marrakech (Morocco) this season stands in 7th. Not too far away from him, Giuseppe Cipriani (Ibiza Racing Team) will try to score as many points as possible to leapfrog Sam Dejonghe, who stopped his program after hitting the podium at the Hungaroring. Auto GP is powered by 550hp engine of Zytek, and partnered by Kumho Tyre. The Korean manufacture uses the Series as development program for new tyre construction to be transferred for everyday's use on the road. As usual, Kumho Tyre will bring two compounds, Medium and Soft.
The weekend's program will be starting on Friday 15th with a 45-minute round of free practice at 11.25, while qualifying will go underway at 16:20. Race 1 is set to take place on Saturday 16th with live TV streaming on the official Auto GP website t 16:45 (and tape-delayed coverage on Eurosport at 19:00). Race 2 will be held on Sunday 17th at 16:25 (again live on the Auto GP website and tape-delayed on Eurosport at 17:45). A live timing service will also be available on www.autogp.net.
