I’ve posted about my trip to the German Grand Prix recently, and of course I watched some GP2 at Hockenheim 2014, this being one of the key support events for the Formula One European rounds. We arrived at Hockenheim mid way through practice on Friday, and like most of the crowd, took shelter from the rather warm sun. Stefano Coletti did not seem too put off by the baking conditions, setting the fastest time in his Racing Engineering car.
Free Practice 2 for Formula One followed, and when that finished, we started a tour of the circuit, watching the GP2 qualifying session from various parts of the track, which although exciting and giving a good perspective of the whole course, did mean that taking photos was a bit more of an effort. I did take some, as Jolyon Palmer’s DAMS set the fastest time ahead of the ART Grand Prix car of Stoffel Vandoorne and Coletti’s Racing Engineering.
The first race took place on Saturday, as normal, after the Formula One qualifying session, and we headed off into the paddock during the race, and happened to find ourselves watching the drivers get out of their cars and prepare for the podium, with New Zealander Mitch Evans on the top step for Russian Time, alongside second place Stoffel Vandoorne and Jolyon Palmer in third. It was a little odd having just us, the television crew, officials and the grid girls there to watch. The lack of other media was at stark contrast to those around the Formula One drivers in the same position the next day. It had been a great race, and the three drivers looked understandably delighted to be on the podium.
The GP2 cars gathered at the end of the paddock, ready for the next day.
Sunday’s race was still warm, but had the added complexity of also being on a wet track. Vandoorne was having a good weekend, finishing third, behind Felipe Nasr’s Carlin, and the Stefano Coletti, who seemed to be holding tightly on to his trophy when we bumped into him in the paddock just after the race.
It was another good weekend for GP2, a series which seems to find not only talent, but also exciting motor racing events. We saw the cars after the race, getting ready for their journey to Hungary.
Here are a few photos from GP2 over the weekend, I hope you like them.
