Davide Valsecchi News http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/rss.xml Davide Valsecchi en Copyright by Davide Valsecchi press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) News RSS 2.0 generation class http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Monza calls for comeback race http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/64/monza-calls-for-comeback-race.html The ninth and final round of the 2011 GP2 Main Series started today at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza with the running of practice and qualifying. Racing at the Italian venue has always been special for Davide Valsecchi, who has finally hit his home race again, and at the end of qualifications, the Como-based racer wounded up in 14th at the end of qualifications. Despite not being top-notch, the result proved good for Davide, as it confirmed a positive trend started after a really troubled early run in practice.

"Compared to practice we made giant steps forward in terms of set-up - commented Davide - I have to say that qualifying has been weird today, because the track's conditions worsened in the second part of the run, and I've been one of the few drivers to improve my early marks with my second set of new tires. We did a good job after this morning's session, but we're still facing some tough situations before the start of race 1. Monza usually provides some good room for recovery, although you need a consistent performance. I think that tire wear will be crucial, because the rear tires tend to become an issue here. My starting position isn't great, but I'll start with the clear goal of fighting back to the points zone."

The first race of the weekend, set to run on a 30-lap distance, will be starting tomorrow at 15:40, with live TV coverage on Raisport 1, while the closing 21-lap sprint  will take-off at 10:30 on Sunday (live broadcast on RAI 2).

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/64/monza-calls-for-comeback-race.html Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Tough start plagues Davide's race 1 at Monza http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/64/tough-start-plagues-davides-race-1-at-monza.html After a first-lap contact, Davide Valsecchi was forced to an unscheduled pit for repairs at Monza.
Davide Valsecchi definitely had higher expectations for Monza. In race 1 of the GP2 Main Series' Italian weekend, which once again provides the championship with a charming closure, Davide ended up in 20th. His day was conditioned by a contact happened at Prima Variante right after the start and by the resulting front wing damage. Davide had to go back to the pits for repairs and rejoined way down the order and far from the learing pack.

"It's been an incredibly tough race - told the Italian - and I'm really disappointed for not having been able to play the game and aim at a points finish. After having made my way back to the track with the new wing, my pace kept improving considerably, especially after the second stop. I think a tire got damaged in the tangle too and things improved dramatically with the second set on. I hoped for a safety-car condition, as it was the only chance I had to get back in contetion, but nothing particular happened and stayed there through the end".

The final race of the GP2 weekend at Monza is scheduled for tomorrow on a 21-lap distance, and will be broadcasted live in Italy by RAI 2 at 10:30. Davide will take-off from the 10th row on the grid.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/64/tough-start-plagues-davides-race-1-at-monza.html Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A weekend to forget at Monza http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/64/a-weekend-to-forget-at-monza.html Valsecchi rounds out tough weekend at Monza with an off-track exit
Race 2 of Monza's GP2 Main Series weekend ended up bad for Davide Valsecchi, who was forced to retire after 12 laps by an off-track exit at Parabolica. At that point though, a contact at the start had already conditioned the day from the first corner.

"I always try to stay clear of all the potentially risky situations happening in the early stages of the races - said Davide - but I haven't be lucky in doing so this weekend. In both races I got stopped by T1 contacts that damaged my car or made me lose ground and any attempt to enter the points zone futile. I don't think I would have been able to end up into the top-10. After the tangle I was called to a fierce recovery while I was not sure that the car was ok. It's disappointing to end the season this way, but things never played out in my favour this weekend".

With the completion of the last 2011 round of the GP2 Main Series, teams and drivers will now be refocusing on testing, while a non-points race will be held alongside the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix on the next November.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/64/a-weekend-to-forget-at-monza.html Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A tough day at Spa-Francorchamps http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/63/a-tough-day-at-spa-francorchamps.html As the GP2 Series went finally back on-track after its summer break, teams and drivers lined-up at Spa-Francorchamps for the 8th round of the 2011 season. At the end of a really tough qualifying session, Davide couldn't do more than ending up in 21st place as he experienced a concerning gap towards the front spots.
 
"When you end up 5 seconds away from the pole laptime - explained Davide - that means there's a serious issue to look after. We have to investigate the problem with the whole team in order to discover what's happened and find a solution. Inside the cockpit, it seemed like it was really difficult to drive hard. The car was so nervous I was almost going off-track in each corner. My weekend is now an uphill one but I'm working hard with our staff to be able and recover some spots in the two races we'll be facing."
 
The first race of the Spa-Francorchamps schedule is set to take-off tomorrow at 15:40, with live coverage in Italy by RaiSport 1. Race 2 will round the series' Belgian weekend out on Sunday, with the start scheduled at 10:30 (live on RAI2).

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/63/a-tough-day-at-spa-francorchamps.html Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Davide drives superb recovery race at Spa-Francorchamps http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/63/davide-drives-superb-recovery-race-at-spa-francorchamps.html The first race of the 2011 GP2 Main Series at Spa-Francorchamps started with a dry racetrack today, though all the drivers knew that the rain would have come soon. And as it turned out, after 11 laps out of 24, the weather conditions came into play. At that point, everybody had to be back to the pit-lane for  rain tires, and while everybody was expecting an exciting second part of the race, a series of contacts forced to a lengthy safety-car neutralization that eventually lasted until the final lap when almost no changes happened to the charts.

"First thing I want to say is that compared to yesterday's qualifications we proved extremely competitive - said Davide - unfortunately, the race was conditioned by the safety-car and after having fought back in the first ten laps we got stuck behind it for most part of the day. Our car was pretty good on the wet and it's a pity not to have profited of a serious chance to get even more spots back. The forecast for tomorrow looks good, but things can change quickly here at Spa-Francorchamps. I would like to end our weekend with a points spot, but it won't be easy"

Davide ended up in 10th, and will be taking-off from the 5th row spot on tomorrow's grid for race 2. The closing heat of the weekend is set to start at 10:30, with live coverage on RAI2.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/63/davide-drives-superb-recovery-race-at-spa-francorchamps.html Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Off to a comeback race http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/62/off-to-a-comeback-race.html The first race of the GP2 Main Series at the Hungaroring won't provide a lot of strategy options for Davide Valsecchi, as the Italian will have to recover from 24th place. The 7th round of 2011 started in a tough way for the Italian who'll be forced to take-off from the back of the pack. In qualifying held today, Davide couldnt do more than 14th, but he'll also have to serve a 10-spot penalty on the grid due to an infringement committed at the Nurburgring.

“The penalty was already taken into account – explained Davide – but what got me really concerned is that I just couldn't get a good grip with the car. In qualifying, I simply had no chance to complete a full flying lap on new tires because they kept wearing out in a few corners. Now we're investigating the causes, to avoid the same problem on tomorrow's race 1. It's something that could be really hard to face for us...”

Race 1 is set to take-off tomorrow at 15:40, and will be run on a 39-lap distance, with live coverage by Rai Sport 1.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/62/off-to-a-comeback-race.html Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Davide doesn't back down http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/62/davide-doesnt-back-down.html Davide Valsecchi expected a tough race today at the Hungaroring, as he was forced to take-off from the back of the pack. His instinct though didn't allow him to surrender, and he started to fight back right from the start, taking 5 spots back. Then, together with the team, he decided to play a gable by anticipating the pit-stop.

"After having entered the pit-lane earliest than possible, I rejoined with no slower cars in front, and for several laps I clocked some fast laptimes.
Then, unfortunately, the others made their stops too, and I was stuck again in traffic. I hoped to come close to a points spot, but I haven't been that lucky today. In the final corner, while I was in 12th, I was hit by Aleshin and lost control, losing 4 spots in the last few meters. In general, in the latest laps I wasn't in great shape with the tire wear".

Davide ended up in 16th under the checkered flag, and due to this result he will be taking-off from row 8 on Race 2, starting at 10:30 with live coverage in Italy by Rai 2.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/62/davide-doesnt-back-down.html Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A tire lottery! http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/62/a-tire-lottery.html The closing race of the Budapest round of the 2011 GP2 Series has been heavily conditioned by some tough weather conditions which made things almost unpredictable over the full distance. Before the beginning of the race, a slight rainfall made everyone on-track, including Davide, opt for a start with wet tires. Then the track started getting progressively drier, forcing the team to call the Italian back to the pits for a change to slicks.

“At that point I gave all I had – told Davide – and once back on-track I pushed incredibly hard in spite of the treacherous conditions we had to face. I recovered several spots and at one point I was running in second behind Pic. Then we delayed the following move back to rain tires, and when I did the pit-stop I was already out of the top-10. At that point, a good result was already precluded.”

Davide ended the race in 14th place. The GP2 Main Series will now be enjoying a 4-week summer vacation. The penultimate round of 2011 will be held at the Spa-Francorchamps venue on the last weekend of August.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/62/a-tire-lottery.html Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Looking for a boost http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/61/looking-for-a-boost.html The sixth round of the 2011 GP2 Main Series at the Nurburgring started off today for Davide Valsecchi. At the end of qualifying, held this afternoon, Davide clocked the 18th fastest laptime and will take-off for race 1 from the 9th row of the grid.

The first day of racing activity at the Nurburgring started on a tough note, partly due to an off-track exit in practice happened after just 8 laps. Davide experienced more issues in qualifyingg as he suffered from a general lack of performance.

“The feeling I got from the car is that it was really well-balanced, but the laptimes have never been fast. Together with our technical staff we have to investigate the nature of the problem. It could well be something engine-related, but we still have to analyze the data. I was sure I would have done well and I wasn't expecting to start Race 1 so far down the grid...”

The first race of the series' German weekend is scheduled for tomorrow at 15:40, on a 34-lap distance. Live coverage will be provided by RaiSport 1.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/61/looking-for-a-boost.html Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A bad day from its beginning http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/61/a-bad-day-from-its-beginning.html Today's GP2 Series race at the Nurburgring won't be one to remember for Davide, as it turned out as one of the most ill-fated of his career. After having started well from row 8, he found the slowing car of Christian Vietoris in front of him, as the German was forced to brake hard to avoid the driver he had in front. “I tried to go around te backup on the right side of the track – told Davide – but I couldn't do anything to avoid the contact and damaged my front wing”.

After coming back to the pits to repair his front wing, another stop was needed to replace the right front tire, punctured in the contact but missed by the team's staff as it was going down slowly. Davide made it back on-track dead last, well far away from the pack, but kept recovering until the mandatory pit-stop: “I don't know what to say. The start has been good, we had gained several spots and I was hoping to end up in points. Today we didn't have a car capable to win, but ending up in 8th would have allowed us to start from the pole tomorrow at least. It's a pity.”

The closing race of the Nurburgring weekend is set to start tomorrow, on a 24-lap distance, at 10:30 AM. Live TV coverage will be provided live by RAI2. Davide will take-off from the 15th spot on the grid.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/61/a-bad-day-from-its-beginning.html Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Strategy woes plague race 2 http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/61/strategy-woes-plague-race-2.html The closing race of the GP2 Main Series weekend at the Nurburgring started with Davide on row 6, and under an heavy rainfall. He began to fight his way up immediately though, reaching the points zone in just a few laps. At that point, the rain stopped and all the team started to call their drivers back to the pit-lane for slick tires. Unlike them, Davide, who had inherited the lead in the meantime, was left on-track in an attempt to gamble on the possible return on the rain. He started losing ground on his main followers, and he eventually hit the pits 6 laps after everyone else.

"The first few laps have been really good - told Davide - I overtook Filippi, who ended up in third, and while the track was drying up I was waiting for the call back to the tire change. Lap after lap they kept holding me out and I realized that they were hoping for some rain to come back falling in a few minutes. Unfortunately, it didn't happen and there was nothing I could do at that point."

Once back on-track, Davide found himself battling in the middle of a pack fighting for the last spots, and a contact with Palmer ended his day for good at lap 17. Unfortunately, bad news kept coming. After the end of the race, Davide was considered responsible for the contact, and assessed a 10-position penalty for the next race. He will be serving it in less than a week at the Hungaroring, on a racetrack which is not renowned for providing many passing opportunities.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/61/strategy-woes-plague-race-2.html Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A rainy sixth row http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/60/a-rainy-sixth-row.html In Great Britain, weather conditions often prove unpredictable, and the GP2 Main Series qualifying at Silverstone hasn't been an exception. At the British venue, it's been rain to change the outlook of qualifying and as it turned out, the starting grid proved highly conditioned by it. After having scored the 4th fastest laptime in practice, Davide Valsecchi couldn't manage more than 12th in the PM timed session. The grid was actually shaped up in the first 8 minutes, because then the rain intensified and prevented everybody to improve their marks.

“It's been a tough session – explained Davide – but I was looking forward to a chance to qualify on one of the front rows. Unfortunately, we paid an high price for the decision to start the session on old tires, as we subsequently lost the chance to profit from the new ones. It's a pity but we got a long weekend, and I hope to recover some spot on Race Day.”

The weekend scheduled at the British venue will continue saturday with the running of Race 1. The start is set for 15:40 CET, as the race will unfold on a 29-lap distance (with live TV coverage in Italy by RaiSport1). The Silverstone event will be rounded out by Race 2, set for Sunday at 10:30 (RAI2).

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/60/a-rainy-sixth-row.html Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Silverstone leaves bitter feelings http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/60/silverstone-leaves-bitter-feelings.html The results scored at Silverstone have not been the same expected by Davide Valsecchi at the start of the championship's British round. After the hard luck suffered yesterday in qualifying, the car's race 1 performance hasn't been perfect due to a set-up which did not suit the tough weather conditions that hit the venue. The race started under a thick rain, with wet tires, but then the track started to dry, forcing everybody to move to slicks, but the situation didn't improve.

“We suffered from lack of traction with all kinds of track conditions – said Davide – on the wet I kept losing tons of seconds compared to the fastest drivers, and when we moved to slicks the situation did not improve. In the final laps I saw that the tire thread was almost intact and that proved the set-up was too conservative and we didn't take advantage of the full potential of the tires. It's a pity, I thought I could have scored some much better results this weekend.”

The closing race of the Silverstone weekend is scheduled for tomorrow on a 23-lap distance, with the start set for 10:30 CET. Davide will take-off from the 14th spot. The RAI network will provide live coverage of the races in Italy.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/60/silverstone-leaves-bitter-feelings.html Sat, 09 Jul 2011 20:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Davide looks forward to the Nurburgring http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/60/davide-looks-forward-to-the-nurburgring.html It's been a tough weekend for Davide Valsecchi, as he ended up race 2 of the GP2 Main Series weekend at Silverstone. In the closing race of the British round, the car's performance was far from optimal, with virtually no chance to fight for a points spot.

“Today's problem has been the same as yesterday, the lack of grip. Something quite big didn't work this weekend and I'm disappointed to have missed the chanche for a points spot. After practice, the overall performance started to fade. I hope everything will be alright for the next round...”

The GP2 Main Series will be back on-track in two weeks on the German Nurburgring racetrack, for the sixth round of the 2011 season.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/60/davide-looks-forward-to-the-nurburgring.html Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Davide takes row 4 starting spot http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/59/davide-takes-row-4-starting-spot.html The GP2 Main Series was back on-track today on the street course of Valencia, hosting the fourth round of the 2011 season. At the Spanish venue, qualifying have been highly-conditioned by two separate incidents that forced the stewards to interrupt the session. Davide scored the eight fastest laptime of the day in its closing stages, despite suffering from a fading performance level of his car compared to the latest outings.

“I hasn't been a particularly brilliant day for me – told Davide – the car's set-up was far from perfect and there have been several issues that didn't help. Eight place isn't a great result but it doesn't rule out a positive performance on tomorrow's race. We'll see how it goes, and I believe that tire management will be key in order to achieve some good results.”

The first race of the weekend will take-off tomorrow at 15:40, while race 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 (All times CET). Race 1 will benefit from live TV coverage in Italy by Rai Sport 1, while free-to-air RAI2 will broadcast Race 2 live on the following day.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/59/davide-takes-row-4-starting-spot.html Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Back on the podium! http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/59/back-on-the-podium.html The GP2 Main Series weekend at Valencia entered its decisive stage today with the running of race 1 of the fourth round of the 2011 season. After having started in 8th, Valsecchi completed an oustanding recovery by taking advantage from the race's circumstances and by not making a single mistake.

“The race took-off in a really positive way – told Davide – my start have been good and I managed to recover up to 6th place. Then we decided to anticipate our pit-stop, and that proved the right choice. I went back on-track and I pushed harder than I possibly could to gain ground on the drivers who were stopping after me. At the end of the pit-stop window I found myself in third, and while the tires' performance faded in the closing laps, I was quite pleased with how the car handled. We're still missing something in qualifying, but there's still long to go in championship and there will be plenty of occasions for trying to fix this aspect too”.

The closing race of the weekend is scheduled for tomorrow, starting at 10:30 with live TV coverage in Italy by RAI 2. Davide will take-off from 6th place.
 

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/59/back-on-the-podium.html Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Third in standings! http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/59/third-in-standings.html Thanks to a virtually perfect race, Davide scored a valuable fourth place finish today in Valencia, as he ended up in 4th on race 2 of the GP2 Main Series round held between the Spanish city's streets.

“My start has been really good – told Davide – but as soon as I approached the braking zone for the first corner I realized that Grosjean was going to hit me. I tried to stay as wide as I could on the entry, using all the space I possibly could. I got away just with a slight touch, and during the first few laps I was just checking if everything was fine. At the start I was running in 6th, then Kral, who was in front of me, spun and I started to chase Clos, who was running in 4th. I didn't think it was possible for me to get him, because he was 7 seconds in front, but eventually I managed to pass him as my overall pace was really good. What about third place in standings? Well, the season is expected to be long and tough, but I'm satisfied with what I achieved this weekend. Now I hope to stay at the front at Silverstone starting from Qualifying.”

The 5th round of the 2011 GP2 Main Series will be in Great Britain, at Silverstone, starting in a 2-week time.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/59/third-in-standings.html Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:15:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A VIP in the Principality http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/58/a-vip-in-the-principality.html The much-anticipated 2011 GP2 Main Series meeting at Monte Carlo went  underway on an high note for Davide Valsecchi. The third round of the season started one day before usual, following in a long-standing tradition of the Principality. Qualifying was held today, with Davide  ending up with a brilliant third place scored at the end of a session disrupted by several incidents. Much part of the day proved chaotic, with the track's activity often slowed down by yellow flags.

Davide displayed a perfect management of the many aspects of Qualifying, scoring the fourth fastest laptime of the day. Thanks to the on-grid penalty assessed to Jules Bianchi after Barcelona, the Air Asia racer will start from 3rd place, hand his team a well-deserved chance for a maiden podium finish at their first GP2 season.

“I really had fun today – told Davide – the car was really well-performing, and each time I was able to push I clocked some great laptimes. Our set-up proved to be well suited by the new SuperSoft tires we're going to use this weekend, and I was also surprised by their stability over long runs. I hope everything will go the right way tomorrow at the St. Devote. The braking zone in T1 is quite a critical point for everybody here, with high risk of contacts. Starting from the front end of the pack is definitely going to help, and on Race Day I hope to show the same potential of Qualifying.”

Race 1, set to be run on a 42-lap distance, will be taking-off at 11:15, followed by Race 2, scheduled for Saturday at 16:10. Both the GP2 Main Series heats will be televised live in Italy by Rai Sport 1, with additional coverage of Race 2 starting on RAI 2 Sunday morning.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/58/a-vip-in-the-principality.html Thu, 26 May 2011 23:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A commanding win! http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/58/a-commanding-win.html It's been a flawless run today for Davide Valsecchi at Monte Carlo. The Italian racer led from start to finish en-route to a sensational Race 1 win. Thanks to a perfect start, Davide took the lead at the first corner and never looked back, dominating today's 42 laps and leaving everybody speachless.

“Everything's been perfect! I made a great start, and I approached the St. Devote corner in the lead – said Davide – once I retained the top spot I was able to stay in control of a really long and demanding race. I pushed hard in the laps before the pit-stop, then I just focused on tire management as I was informed by the pits that I didn't need to push. With two to go, I tried to clock the fastest lap of the race, and succeeded. What I can say more?! I'm incredibly happy and I want to thank my team for having given me a perfect racecar. We were running at the top of our game today, both in terms of  performance and tire wear. It's a great win and I was proud to be praised also by the Formula 1 Lotus team. I hope this will be just the first of many great races. I think it's something that the AirAsia team really deserves.”

The final race of the weekend at  Monte Carlo will be held tomorrow on a 30-lap distance. The start is set for 16:10 CET, with live coverage in Italy by RaiSport1. Davide will be taking off from 8th place.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/58/a-commanding-win.html Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Mote points coming http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/58/mote-points-coming.html While just one day has passed after his sensational race 1 win, Davide Valsecchi was back at Monte Carlo for the second race of the GP2 Main Series weekend in the Principality. Davide managed to put together a great start from 8th place, and recovered up to 5th after the first corner. Race 2 proved long and uneventful, with drivers facing huge troubles in finding the right space to overtake.

“I'm satisfied with today's result – explained Davide – because it enabled me to get within 2 points from the championship lead. I just have one regret. I spent several laps behind Chilton, who was in fourth, and I kept controlling Filippi behind. I tried to attack Chilton more than once, and I even succeeded, though I cut the Port chicane and had to yeld. At that point, I didn't realize that Filippi was in Chilton's slipstream and I lost two spots in one. In the end though, I managed to get rid of Chilton and ended up in 5th.”

The GP2 Main Series teams and drivers will now have four weeks of rest. The championship will be back from June 24 to 26 on the Valencia street course for the fourth round of the season.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/58/mote-points-coming.html Sat, 28 May 2011 19:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Davide join leading pack at Barcellona http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/57/davide-join-leading-pack-at-barcellona.html The second round of the 2011 GP2 Main Series went underway today at Barcelona. With a much warmer weather than in preseason testing, teams and drivers had to review their set-up choices in order to achieve a good car balance. Davide was off to a great start in practice, but then in qualifying the weather conditions changed dramatically, with temperatures almost reaching the 25°C-mark.

“I'm satisfied with how my car performed today - told Davide - I just regret not to have been among the first men out when the green lights came. In what ended up being my fastest lap I had to deal with two slower cars in the third sector, and I reckon I might have lost a couple of tenths. I don't think I could have had a shot at the pole, but maybe we could have aimed at row 2. I expect a really tough race tomorrow, and the drivers able to manage their tires during their runs are definitely going to be rewarded”

The GP2 Main Series weekend at Barcelona will continue tomorrow with the running of Race 1, starting at 15:40. Race 2 will follow on Sunday at 10:35. Both this weekend's heats will benefit from a wide international TV Coverage, while the RAI network will televise both race 1 (RaiSportSat) and race 2 (RAI2) live in Italy.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/57/davide-join-leading-pack-at-barcellona.html Fri, 20 May 2011 18:30:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A valuable 5th-place finish http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/57/a-valuable-5th-place-finish.html At the end of a really consistent run, Davide Valsecchi rounded out the top-5. It's been a really valuable 5th-place finish for him, as it came at the end of a constant improvement in terms of car performance, and with a clean race that highlighted Davide's skills. After an unlucky start, he rebounded with a great recovery.

“The beginning of the race has been quite wierd – he said – because my start was really good then the car got a lot of wheelspin and I lost some positions, ending up 8th. So we opted for an aggressive strategy with an early pit-stop. Once back on-track I put together some really good laptimes and I was running in 5th when everybody cleared their stop. I'm satisfied with the result as well as with the car's performance. It's something that really makes me look forward to the rest of the season”

The final race of the weekend at Istanbul is set to start tomorrow at 10:35 Italian time, with live TV coverage on RAI2. Davide will be taking off from 4th place on the grid.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/57/a-valuable-5th-place-finish.html Sat, 21 May 2011 19:15:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi A new points finish at Barcelona http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/57/a-new-points-finish-at-barcelona.html At the end of a sensational closing stint, Davide Valsecchi cruised to a well-deserved fourth-place finish at Barcelona. It's been a new, positive day of racing for Davide, who was provided with additional motivation and momentum for the upcoming rounds of the championship.

“The early stages have been really animated - he said - In the opening laps I struggled to keeping Stefano Coletti behind, as he was faster than me in some corners. In the second half of the race the situation improved dramatically. When many other drivers started to suffer from the increasing tire wear, I kept a good pace and even got close to Sam Bird. I though I would have no problems in passing him, but my rev limiter kept going on and I couldn't try at the first corner. With two laps to go, I finally succeeded and I also caught Markus Ericsson, who was in third. Unfortunately, it was the last lap and I had to settle. I'm still happy though, and I'm already focused on Monte Carlo, where I hope to rebound after the bad luck suffered in 2010.”

The GP2 Main Series will be back running on Thursday, as traditionally happens in the Prinicpality, while race 2 will be held on Saturday.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/57/a-new-points-finish-at-barcelona.html Sun, 22 May 2011 20:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Spanish verification http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/54/spanish-verification.html The GP2 Main Series is ready for its summer tour-de-force involving four races in just 8 days. The Spanish round of the Series at Barcelona will be welcoming the teams and drivers this weekend, while the street races at Monte Carlo will be starting just seven days later. Davide Valsecchi is ready to get a confirmation of the work done so far considered the great results scored at the venue in preseason testing. Then, the bad weekend of Istanbul came, with zero points scores hitting both his championship run and his morale.

"Some mistakes were made at Istanbul - explains Davide - and when there are too many mistakes everything starts to get worse and worse, like happened in Turkey. In qualifying we entered the track with an engine temperature which was too low, and when I started my flying lap the the car stalled. I re-started backwards, as it was the only alternative and as a result I got penalized 10 spots on the grid by the stewards. I started from the back, but right when things were starting to improve again and the race was going great, one of my front wing flaps started to come off. As i was forced to an additional pit-stop, any hope for a points finish was gone. Race 2 became a test, but I have to see that the car was much more balanced on Race 1. Now this weekend can be positive after what we saw in testing. If we'll be able to start from a good spot - and I think it'll be possible - then I'm eager to verify the car's handling on a full-race run because I think it has some potential. I hope to have a good pace since the first runs of the weekend, and not to suffer from troubles and incidents."

The Barcelona weekend will be back on the series' regular schedule, valid for all the European rounds. The free practice session will be starting at
11:55 (on a 30-minute distance), followed by 30-minute qualifications (15:55). Race 1 will be held on Saturday at 15:40, followed on Sunday by Race 2, set to start at 10:35. The two races will be both televised live in Italy by RAI, respectively on RaiSportSat and RAI2.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/54/spanish-verification.html Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Istanbul unfortunate http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/56/istanbul-unfortunate.html The Istanbul Park racetrack hosted today the first round of the GP2 Main Series to start a long, nine-event schedule ending on the next September with the running of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Turkish round of the championship provided some entertaining action today with the cars hitting the track for the first, 30-minute sessions. Davide Valsecchi provided a solid performance by clocking the 8th fastest laptime at the end of qualifying, ran on dry asphalt after a rain-hit practice session.

"It hasn't been an easy session - told Davide - because after a few minutes my car died and I thought that my day was over. Luckily, I managed to re-fire, and clocked the 6th fastest mark. With my last set of new tires I was sure I would have made it to the top spots, but due to traffic and to the many yellow flags I couldn't improve. It's a pity because I was blocked by slower cars two times and there's nothing you can do".

Two hours after the end of the session, Davide was notified a 10-place penalty assessed to him for having driven part of the track on the wrong way in order to re-start his car's engine. As a consequence, he will take-off from row 9 on Race 1.

The first race of the weekend, scheduled to run on a 32-lap distance, will take-off tomorrow at 15:40. The 23-lap Race 2 will start on Sunday at 11:35 (all times local, GMT+3). The 2011 GP2 Series will benefit from a wide international TV  coverage. In Italy, national network RAI will broadcast all this season's races live.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/56/istanbul-unfortunate.html Fri, 06 May 2011 18:20:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi Front wing trouble halts Valsecchi's comeback http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/56/front-wing-trouble-halts-valsecchis-comeback.html In the first two thirds of today's opening race of the 2011 GP2 Main Series, Davide Valsecchi showed some huge potential, moving up from 18th to 8th. A spot that could have meant a pole for Race 2. Unfortunately, one of the front wing's flaps started to get loose, moving towards the under side of his car and making it extremely challenging to drive. As a consequence, race control showed Davide a black and orange flag that forced him to go back to the pits to remove the faulty component. It took quite some time to complete the job, and Valsecchi found himself at the bottom of the carts before bouncing back to 16th.

"At the beginning it was great - told Davide - I had a great start and when I hit the points zone I was very satisfied for what I had achieved. Then the front wing started to bend each time more and ended up under my car, which became really hard to drive. When they called me back to the pits, I knew that my fight for a top spot was over. I felt bad because it made all the good work done become useless. However, there's not too much to do in such cases…"

Race 2 will be starting tomorrow, on a 23-lap distance, at 11:35 local time (10:35 Italian time). Rai 2 will provide live TV coverage, while Davide will take-off from the 16th spot.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/56/front-wing-trouble-halts-valsecchis-comeback.html Sat, 07 May 2011 20:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/51/.html press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/51/.html Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/49/.html press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/49/.html Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/50/.html press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/50/.html Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200 Davide Valsecchi http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/48/.html press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/48/.html Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi Imola GP Disqualifiacation http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/46/imola-gp-disqualifiacation.html As a consequence to the irregularity found on the floor of Davide's car, he's now forced to start race 2 from last place on the grid.

"After a strong race 1 it certainly is not enjoyable having to start race 2 with all my competitors ahead of me - commented Davide - I'm sad for my fans who have showed up to support me here in great numbers. I feel strong and I'm confident that tomorrow I would have celebrated another podium finish."

Davide and Team Air Asia are forced to having to use tomorrow's race as a test, in order to try and improve the car for the upcoming races of the GP2 Main Series.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/46/imola-gp-disqualifiacation.html Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi a good feeling and regret http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/55/a-good-feeling-and-regret.html After the round scheduled at Al Sakhir was cancelled, the GP2 Asia Series was back on-track today at Imola, with the Italian venue replacing the Bahrain one. Davide had a good chance to prove strong in front of the home crowd, though qualifying proved tougher than planned. Ninth place didn't meet Davide's expectations, especially considering he was standing in 4th with just 10 minutes to go.

"I hoped to end up into the top-5 - told Davide - but after having clocked some good laptimes with my first set of new tires, we made a set-up modification that didn't pay off. We lost pace with the second set and due to the worsened handling of the car  I just couldn't improve."

The 35-lap race 1 will be taking off at 14:00 with live TV coverage will be provided in Italy by Rai Sport 2. The race weekend at Imola will be the start of a really demanding journey for Davide, since right on Monday he'll be off for Melbourne, where he'll make his official F.1 debut in the free practice of the Australian Grand Prix.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/55/a-good-feeling-and-regret.html Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi The comeback begins http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/55/the-comeback-begins.html After qualifying in 9th at Imola, Davide promised he would have been back to the top, and that's what he delivered at the end of race 1. On yesterday's qualification, he faced an hard luck and didn't manage to wound up better than a spot on row 5. On today's race he provided an amazing comeback to take the 6th spot under checkered.

"I was quite confident before the start – told Davide – because with the team we had planned a pretty aggressive strategy. Our plan was to stop early and take full advantage of fresh tires. Unfortunately, after just one fast lap, I found some slower cars in front which had opted for the same strategy. I had to ease my pace from my best laptime (1:30.4) to over 1:31. It's a bit of a shame because we were prevented from using all we had in terms of potential, though I still managed to get three spots back. Without that traffic we could have aimed at 4th place, not more”.

The 6th place scored at Imola allowed Davide to retain third place in standings and provided him with a spot on row 2 for the final GP2 Asia Series race of the weekend. The start is scheduled for tomorrow at 14:00, with live coverage in Italy by RaiSport 2.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/55/the-comeback-begins.html Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi A race spent as a test http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/55/a-race-spent-as-a-test.html On the last race of the 2011 GP2 Asia Series today at Imola, Davide Valsecchi took off from last place due to a penalty assessed to him by the stewards, who excluded him from race 1. A slight yet decisive technical oversight by the team caused his car to be too low by just some millimeters and, at the end of the post-race checks, the scrutineers had to disqualify him. As a consequence, Davide ran an aggressive race 2 and started climbing back since the early stages.

"Of course, when you start from the rear you don't have a lot of chances to aim at the top of the charts - told Davide - so I spent the race as a testing session to collect some data which will definitely help us through the season. The feedback has been extremely positive, and that somehow increased the regret over yesterday's penalty because I could have definitely had my say for victory. Despite making a nice start, I got stuck in traffic and had to settle for 17th. My fastest lap has been pretty good, and while we still probably have some work still to do before being able to win races, I think we made a good step forward."

Starting from tomorrow, Davide will be fully-focused on his official Formula 1 debut, as he'll be running in the free practice sessions for the Australian Grand Prix. A long flight to Australia will lead him to his maiden day as a racer running in the World's top racing series.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/55/a-race-spent-as-a-test.html Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi Test Lotus, Davide did not disappoint http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/43/test-lotus-davide-did-not-disappoint.html Spectacular Davide! The debut of the Lotus Formula 1 test driver on the Barcelona circuit has  confirmed our expectations. The time 1'25''405 obtained in the fastest lap earned him the congratulations of the British team and also of race engineers,surpassed only by Webber and Heidfeld who had run in the morning. After Davide were  Hulkenberg, Button, Perez, Buemi, followed in turn by Razia (third Lotus driver), far from Davide over 1''5.

"I'm very happy with how things went. Although the pilot of my nature leads me to think that I could go even faster - David said - but that's okay: It was the first experience on the car, and theoretically in the less easy day,  the morning's first session when the track is not rubberized. I think the team was happy with my job, and it matters more than the time on the chronometer. "

"After the first two rounds for the installations, I returned to the pits to adjust the driver's seat. There were several problems: I could not see out of the small windscreen and I hurt my arm. We have arranged more or less the case, then I did six laps of aerodynamic test and six others with hard tires. It was not easy getting comfortable with the car. Compared with the HRT I tried in Abu Dhabi, has been more difficult to establish the feeling, perhaps because this car is more sophisticated. But it is also faster. And we have seen - David told us at the end of the day - the last stint we removed the soft tires and pull out gasoline. We were now down to 3rd ". It seemed to fly, it was electrifying. I felt strong, I was fine. Eventually I returned, but the team told me to push out and the tires were finished and I had a spin. Luckily I did not hit anything."

Davide was obviously very pleased at the end of the day, although he has also made a turnoff without consequences, as to add: "First I want to thank the Lotus Team for the opportunity they gave me today. It has been a great experience, and I hope to build a future with the team."

And if good morning starts in the morning, the future promises to beclearly exciting, as the Team Lotus, in consideration of the excellent results obtained by Davide naturally has confirmed its intentions, making Davide's officially the new team's test driver. So much so that Lotus has announced that David will race as part of the team in Friday practice on the circuits of Australia and Malaysia.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/news/43/test-lotus-davide-did-not-disappoint.html Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi The champion is back! http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/54/the-champion-is-back.html The fourth season in the GP2 Asia Series history finally took off today at the Abu Dhabi racetrack. Reigning Champion Davide Valsecchi was off to an extremely positive start, running a Dallara for the newcoming Air Asia team, fielded by F1's Team Lotus owner Tony Fernandes. Despite being part of a brand-new squad, Davide ended up qualifying in third place and will be starting tomorrow's Race 1 on the second row, right behind polesitter Romain Grosjean.

"I'm really satisfied with the work we've done today - told Davide - the team did an incredible job, and kept working in the right direction. We're just at the start of a new project, and our early goal was to stay into the top-5, so we're plenty satisfied with third. Both me and the team will keep working just as hard, as we're aware that we still need something more to fight for the pole. Tomorrow's race will be full of unknowns, since everybody will be at their first race with the new Dallara and the Pirelli tires. Let's wait and see…".

The 2011 season will kick-off with Race 1 at 13:55 CET (16:55 local time, GMT+4), with live coverage in Italy by RaiSport 2.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/54/the-champion-is-back.html Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:45:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi GP2 Asia, the first podium for Davide http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/54/gp2-asia-the-first-podium-for-davide.html First race and first podium for Davide. Making its debut in the GP2 Asia 2011 season on the single seater Dallara of the Air Asia Team Davide was awarded third place in Abu Dhabi, confirming the already exciting test results. Rose to the top step Bianchi, followed by Grosjean, among the favorites to win the Asian Championship and also the Main Series. The race has been stopped due to a spectacular accident that unfortunately involved a teammate of Davide, the Brazilian Razia, thankfully unhurt.

"First of all I'm glad we ended the first race with my new team on the podium and thank the team for their work - said Davide at the end of the race - It 's important that we have now shown to be at the top. Now we gave to find out why we were not able to be more aggressive and closer to the leaders throughout the race. Anyway,here is very difficult to overtake. I'll start from the third row, and I do not know what to expect. But of course the race will be decided in the early laps, as there will be no pit stops and overtaking is difficult indeed. Today I started well, so I hope it is tomorrow”.

Race 2 will be broadcast tomorrow at 2pm on Eurosport 2 and Rai Sport2.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/54/gp2-asia-the-first-podium-for-davide.html Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:25:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi Fantastic duel with Bianchi http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/54/fantastic-duel-with-bianchi.html David confirmed all expectations and closed in third place yesterday, today, our champion has bitten the Abu Dhabi track, winning the fourth. So today werent jubilant toast but a better placement that puts Davide to the third place of the provisional overall standings with nine points in GP2 Asia,just after White (12points) and Grosjean (10 points).

For the next few races is therefore outlines an exciting head to head, where every start and the ability to not make mistakes can really make a difference as to who will rise to the top step of the championship 2011.

Today's race ended with the victory of David Cole as he finished in fourth place after an exciting duel with Bianchi, who had passed the last lap. Struggle that has not spared, however, the cheap shots as the French, Ferrari F1 test pilot, missed a curve to be able to recover two seconds separating him from the car of David. "I think he skipped the chicane, that’s not regular", said David at the end of the race. And he was right: Whites was in fact punished for the maneuver, dropping to the eighth place.

]]> press@davidevalsecchi.it (Davide Valsecchi) http://www.davidevalsecchi.com/en/contain/54/fantastic-duel-with-bianchi.html Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:45:00 +0100 Davide Valsecchi