It was a full of action race today in Monaco as no less than 8 cars have been eliminated in the first meters of the race. James Calado and Esteban Gutierrez managed to survived the chaos but the british driver has been forced to change his front wing by the race control. However the car was too damaged and James had to retire.

Esteban finished the race in 8^th and score one point.

The next race will take place in Valencia at the end of june.

Lotus GP had a difficult race today in the GP2 Series. The team scored a few more points thanks to James Calado who brought back his car in P7.

Esteban Gutierrez had a contact with the barrier and couldn't finished the race as the car was too damaged. He was classified 23rd.

Race 2 is scheduled tomorrow after the F1 qualifying.

Lotus GP secured another podium finish at this weekend’s Spanish round of the 2012 GP2 Series Championship, courtesy of James Calado. After taking second spot in practice, James went on to secure a sensational pole position, his maiden pole in the series, in the opening minutes of the session. Under scorching conditions, James put in a determined lap that his more experienced rivals were unable to better, leaving second placed man two tenths of a second behind.

Unfortunately, he didn’t get the best of starts but managed to hang onto the lead. However, pit strategy that saw him change all four tyres together with driving to combat tyre wear, saw him slip back to second place at the end, his maiden rostrum finish in a GP2 feature race. The difference between changing two tyres and 4 tyres during a pit stop is estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 seconds.

Starting seventh for race two, the young Englishman fought brilliantly to finish fourth, his second podium finish of the weekend just a fraction of a second out of reach.

Meanwhile, teammate Esteban Gutiérrez did not have a good weekend in comparison. Finishing 18th in practice, the Mexican went on to qualify down in eleventh place, due to yellow flags ruining both of his fast laps. Up until that moment he had set the two fastest sector times and was on his way to pole position. He moved up a place to secure the final point of the day in the feature race, setting the fastest lap in the process. A stronger race two saw him move up three places after winning some strong on track battles to eventually cross the line in P7.

With this result, James Calado moves up to third place in the championship with 69 points, ten ahead of his teammate in fifth place on 59. The team still sits second in the teams championship with 128 points to their credit.

James Calado:

Qualifying was tough because we did not know what to expect with the car’s handling on the soft tyre because we had never used it before. We thought they would last one lap which proved to be the case and I was lucky to put everything together right on the first lap. This first pole position, it was a fantastic feeling. I had an average start and it was tight going into the first corner but I managed to keep the lead. I opened up a gap and maintained it. We pitted early and I think it was a good decision but Van der Garde only changed two tyres and maybe it made the difference. Anyway, he came out ahead of us and then I had to try to attack him, to defend my position because Coletti was fast and I had to save my tyres. I think I managed it quite well and I am happy with this first podium in a feature race. On Sunday, I tried everything to get around Valsecchi and get another podium but it was just impossible. But the most important is that the car was really good and well balanced, we got some very good points for me and for the team and I can't wait to race in Monaco.

Esteban Gutiérrez:

We had the pace, a fantastic car and the determination to succeed but the unexpected can always happen and that's what ruined our qualifying session with yellow flags on both my fast laps. I hoped we could turn our luck around in the race but I struggled a bit with tyre temperatures at the beginning of the race, I had slower cars ahead of me and it was difficult to overtake. I was able to push hard with my second set of tyres and a clean track. I clocked the fastest lap and got two points for that, which gives me an idea of the result we could have secured with a bit of luck in qualifying. I had a great start in the sprint race and gained as many positions as I could but then I had to make a compromise to save my tyres. At the end of the day, five points is better than nothing and more importantly we know we can fight for pole and win. Let's hope luck will be on my side from now on and that we will be able to get the results we deserve in Monaco.

Frédéric Vasseur:

The greatest satisfaction of the weekend comes from the collective success on all levels: performance, use of the tyres, the results; all together. James displayed perfectly the potential of Lotus GP with his first pole position and then two very good races. Esteban was incredibly fast in qualifying but yellow flags cut his wings twice and he suffered the consequences throughout the weekend, because being down in the middle of the pack, he got into a false rhythm in the race and his results did not portray his real talent, but it Is a given.

Race 2 of the GP2 Series in Barcelona gave more points to Lotus GP, with both cars of James Calado and Esteban Gutierrez finishing in the top 8, respectively 4th and 7th.

The next race will take place in Monaco's street in 2 weeks time.

James Calado took the second step of the podium for the first race in Barcelona. The british driver was starting from pole position and despite a faultless drive he couldn't build a gap big enough to hold on P2 during the pit-stops.

Esteban Gutierrez couldn't do better than 10, having started 11th. Added to that, the young mexican did the fastest lap of the race.

The start of race 2 is scheduled at 10:20 tomorrow morning.

Following an interesting practice session this morning, Lotus GP realised strong performances this afternoon during the qualifying session. Sadly Esteban Gutierrez couldn't take advantage of his speed has he met a yellow flag on his flying lap. He finished P11 hile he has the best sector 1 and 2.

James Calado will start from pole position ! The young driver of the Racing Steps Foundation drove a clean lap that nobody could threat. That's the first pole position of the british driver in GP2 Series.

Round three of this year’s 13 round GP2 Series Championship took place in Bahrain’s searing temperatures once again with both Lotus drivers opted to sit the practice session out after completing just one installation lap in order to save their tyres as much as possible. With just an hour between practice and qualifying, there was little room for error. Without the benefit of F1 rubber on the circuit, lap times were slower than those of last weekend.

It turned out to be a difficult qualifying session, mainly in terms of traffic and while Estaban was a lot quicker than appeared, he was forced to settle for 13th on the grid after failing to improve on his final run. Meanwhile James Calado was unable to find the perfect balance on his car and like his teammate, found it hard to find enough grip in the front end.

After a decent start in race one, Estaban found himself with a damaged front wing due to contact with one of his rivals, forcing him to pit earlier that planned. As a result his tyres were forced to undergo a longer than normal stint. After being the first driver to pit for fresh rubber, the Lotus GP driver fought hard to get back into a points position (10th).

Tyre degradation was higher than expected in race two and despite a brilliant drive from Esteban, slicing through the field before making it to P3 in the final laps, his tyres failed him and he was unable to hold onto the final spot on the rostrum.

Meanwhile, teammate Calado, had a tough weekend. After stalling on the grid in race one he was forced to start from pitlane. This was followed by two pitstops, one unscheduled due to massive tyre degradation. Although he finished 16th overall, he set the fastest lap of the race.

On the reversed grid in race 2, James had a better balanced car beneath him and got off to a good start, winning a few close battles with his nearest rivals to finish the event in 12th place.

The Championship now heads to Barcelona in Spain with Gutierrez third in the drivers’ championship on with 54 points, nine points clear of fourth place while James is in sixth place with 29 points. Lotus GP is still second in the team championship with 93 points.

Esteban Gutierrez:

Qualifying was frustrating and we all know it’s the key to a good weekend. I tried to gain a few positions at the beginning of the first race but it was the other way around and my wing was badly damaged in an early contact, dropping me down to 21th position. I had to wait for the pit stop window to be opened in order not have to pit twice. But our strategy was very good and I was happy with the balance of the car. It was good to fight back to 11th and I was happy to hear a driver got penalized which landed me one point, a nice reward for the team after such a difficult start to the weekend! The second race was very interesting because I knew I had to push hard in the first few laps to gain some decisive positions, but all the same it degraded my tyres and I paid the price in the end. 4th position was not so bad but I would have liked a better result and I know it can only come from a better qualifying. Having said that, the team's and the car's performance was really good and it's encouraging for the future. We need to work hard to be sure we're always in position to fight for the top spots in qualifying, to help with track position in the race, strategy and tyre management.

James Calado:

It was a terrible weekend with the same car handling troubles we had last weekend. We thought we fixed it but the car was under-steering and it was destroying my front tyres, I just couldn’t find any grip. The front end tyre was so badly damaged that I had to pit twice in the first race which was already destroyed after I stalled on the grid. We changed all we could change: dampers, suspension and everything. It's very frustrating to know that you can't find the same basis as your rivals and use your full potential. We have to fix this handling problem in time for the Spanish races and I know this team is capable of an incredible good work. I will keep the faith; we'll bounce back in Europe.

Frédéric Vasseur:

It was an extremely frustrating weekend because the results do not reflect the good work, inspired strategies and raw speed of Esteban and James. We chose to sacrifice a little in qualifying for the race, hoping that we would benefit from fresh tyres, but Esteban was blocked twice in traffic on his fast laps with both sets of new tyres. If you put all the sector times together, he got the 3rd fastest lap, but he was 10 places further down on the grid! Starting P13, our strategy was a bit screwed and definitely dead when Esteban had contact at the start which damaged his front wing. He was brilliant, smart and very fast. Fourth position in the second race is a good recovery but it does give justice to Lotus's and Esteban's potential. James's weekend was a nightmare with a technical problem in qualifying and a recurring handling problem in the race, which we have to address without delay.

Starting Sunday’s sprint race in sixth, Esteban had a strong start and was up to P4 by the first turn before fending off Chilton to move into third by the end of the first lap. Esteban then fought his way into the lead and was looking strong for the win, until the final lap when his tyres had degraded significantly after his earlier close battles and he was passed by Davide Valsecchi.

Meanwhile, teammate James Calado was trying to get the maximum out of the new tyre regulations and just like his teammate, opted to save his tyres in qualifying and finished the session early. Settling for eighth place on the grid, he put in a brilliant drive to finish fifth in the feature race. He was one of the first drivers to pit and it paid off, as he was then able to benefit from fresh tyres and was up to 2nd when the pit-stop window closed. However, he dropped off in the final laps when his tyres started to degrade in the sweltering temperatures.

Primed for battle in race two, the young rookie started fourth but stormed to 1st at the start. From there he fought hard against many of the more experienced drivers, but despite his efforts, James slipped back to finish on the third step of the podium, his second in as many meetings.

Esteban and James now sit 3rd and 4th on the championship ladder, while Lotus GP is 2nd in the team’s standings, just 8 points shy of the current leader, DAMS.

Round three will take place this coming Friday and Saturday, held once again at the Bahrain International Circuit where the experience of last weekend will be put to good use as the team and drivers attempt to get an even better understanding of the new tyres.

“I did not know the Sakhir circuit and to come to grips with it in practice was essential in order to be well prepared for qualifying. Pole was a realistic target but I was very happy with second position because it was a big step forward after Sepang. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of time in the pits and it cost me six seconds and two or three positions. After that, it was really challenging to make up some lost ground while saving the tyres as much as I could because wear was a big concern at this track. The last laps were really exciting and I am very happy with third place. On Sunday, we made the most out of the start and the first lap. It worked well and I was third after a few kilometers. I fought hard to get into the lead and I opened a big gap, but then I suffered a lot with tyre degradation and there was nothing I could do to keep Davide Valsecchi behind me. Two podium finishes are very good for the team and for the championships. Everything is extremely positive in the team and we know the win will come in time, when we will can control every aspect – tyres, pit-stop, qualifying – with authority. I have no doubt we can do it, sooner rather than later!”

“Qualifying was a bit disappointing but I ran through all the data with the engineers and everything looked really positive for the first race. Our strategy was good and I pushed hard to climb to P2 by the end of the pit-stop window. But when you pit early, you have to do a longer last stint so my tyres were dead in the final 5 or 6 laps and I could not keep the promising second position. I decided to take a small risk at the start of the second race and it worked. Unfortunately I had an unidentified problem with the car, especially in the right hand corners. It was frustrating but I fought hard with Esteban to see if I could keep the lead. The answer was no and then I had to let Valsecchi get past as well. All in all a podium finish is good and I'm looking forward to improve in several areas, especially the handling of the car, right in time for next weekend where I can make the best use of the lessons we learnt at Sakhir.”

“The level of our performance was good and we can only be satisfied with three podium finishes out of a possible four. The most difficult parameter is the tyres, how to make the best use of them and how to keep them in their best performance window. We improved a lot in qualifying and that's greatly satisfying but we still have to work on the tyre front. Apart from this, we can be happy with our starts, our strategies and our race pace. The team is generally a bit shy at the beginning of the season but this time our positions in both championships are very promising and now we just have to build on them.”

After qualifying 6th and 15th, the two Lotus GP drivers drove superbly in Saturday’s 30 lap feature race to finish in the perfect positions for race two’s reverse grid, seventh and eighth. Esteban, who had limited time to set his car up due to contact with Johnny Cecotto in practice, fought back from P15 to take P7 from James just a few laps from the end with both drivers holding on to finish line astern, despite rain beginning to fall in the final laps. This then set the scene for a 100% Lotus front row in race two.

Starting from pole in searing temperatures, (the circuit registering no less than 50°C) James preserved his tyres brilliantly to take a lights to flag victory, finishing ahead of his teammate. Fighting their natural desire to race hard and fast, both drivers did very well to manage tyre wear under the sweltering conditions that saw very high tyre degradation throughout 22 laps of uninterrupted racing.

James leaves Malaysia in third place with a total of 19 points while Esteban is close behind on 18. Lotus GP now heads to Bahrain for round two with 37 points to build on.

James Calado:

First of all, I would like to thank the team and my partners for this fantastic start to the season. I had my first taste of the series last year in Abu Dhabi and it certainly was very sweet and I think we built from there and from our good winter tests. Qualifying was a big boost for me because I expected to be 4 or 5 tenths off the polesitter, but in the end the gap was just 144 thousands of a second. After starting 6th I was a bit disappointed at the end of the first race, but in hindsight it was not that bad! It allowed me to secure my first championship points and to start from pole on Sunday. I just made sure that I had a clean start so I could lead the pack into the first turn, then open up a gap that would not allow Esteban to have a go. From then on it was all about tyre management because degradation was incredibly high. There was no need to try and open up a big gap, even though it was a strange feeling not to be able to push hard. I loved every single lap.

Esteban Gutierrez:

The key to my weekend was the mistake I made in practice because I had only four laps under my belt. The team had to repair the car and we barely knew where we were going in qualifying, especially as I still had to learn the circuit which is not the easiest on the calendar. It is so close here, one tenth and you lose two or three positions on the grid. I set the early pace but then a yellow flag and a little bit of traffic did not bode well for us. But I gained several positions at the start of race 1 and steadily progressed through the field. I did have a moment during my pit stop when I ran wide onto the grass but all in all it was a good recovery to finish in P7 after starting 15th. I knew my only chance of winning the second race was to take the lead in the first corner. I was side by side with James but he did not make a single mistake and I was not going to do anything silly. Managing tyre wear was very important because the track temperature was well over 50°C , the highest of the weekend. This was a very good weekend for us and it bodes well for the future. This was a very nice start to the season, but we must continue working and improve things in order to achieve even better results.

Frederic Vasseur:

Everyone always impatiently awaits the first weekend of the season to know if all their hard work over the winter went in the right direction and the end result realized our hopes with a very beautiful double podium finish and overall an excellent management of the event from everyone in the team. In Sepang, there were many new parameters: when and how to use the two tyre specifications, learning the circuit, managing the heat. James raced without fault and deserves his victory while Esteban did incredibly well given the hitch in free practice that left him with very little track time. It is not very often you have two drivers in such great physical and mental shape that they are able to win races right from the start of the season and I am delighted that this is the case for Lotus GP. We identified several areas that need to be improved, namely qualifying and we will work hard to be even more powerful in Bahrain. I thank and congratulate all the members on the team as well as our partners who have to us allowed to approach this season with serenity and efficiency.

Qualifying and race simulations, pit-stop training : nothing has been forgotten before the start of the season in two weeks.

The team is happy with the job accomplished and has confidence for the upcoming season which will start in Bahrain Sepang, Malaysia on March 24 and 25th.

First blood, first pole, first win, James managed track conditions, tyres, and more experienced competitors ideally, in order to bring home his first GP2 Series win.

Esteban Gutierrez first set the tempo with the best time in the free practice session with a half-second lead over second place. Unfortunately, the Mexican driver suffered a transmission problem in qualifying and started from 8th position on the starting grid for the first race. In fourth position going around the first corner, he was bumped by a competitor and had to have his rear wing changed. Starting in 21st in the second race, Esteban moved up to 5th place despite the inherent difficulties in overtaking on the Yas Marina circuit.

Esteban Gutierrez:

“We did great in practice but it's in qualifying and in the race that things count and even though we had the sheer speed and the good balance on the car we had a problem with the gearbox and could not complete the qualifying session, which compromised our weekend. Having said that, eighth on the grid was not that bad and I had a good start, I gained several positions but I soon felt somebody hit me hard by behind. My rear wing was badly damaged and I had no choice but to enter the pitlane to change the wing. I resumed my race dead last and fought back but, having lost so much time, I could not do better than P21. With nothing to lose in the second race, I had a lot of fun and some great battles. On the positive side, I'm sure we can build on this interesting experience for next season. We leave with a positive balance. Personally this has helped my confidence, both mentally and emotionally. Now we look into the future and the things to come. I want to thank all my sponsors and Lotus ART for what has been a fruitful rookie season in the GP2 Series. I can't wait for 2012 to start.”

James Calado:

“One word: awesome! This weekend was the perfect rehearsal before 2012 and we made the most of it thanks to Lotus ART and Racing Steps Foundation. I had so many things to learn with the pit stop, the tyre management and above all the need to drive at 70% of what I was able to in order to be in good shape for the last laps. Lotus ART helped me a lot to develop these skills and I have to thank them. There's still a long way to go before the 2012 season starts but I feel confident. I made sure to stay away from the chaos in the first race. From then on, 8th was the best I could achieve and I stuck to this aim. Starting from pole was an incredible feeling on Sunday. I tried to open a gap but Ericsson caught me and I knew with his experience it was always going to be tough. I was not too worried because I could manage my tyres and because I was faster than him in the last sector. It was tight but I could keep a small gap and we made it. It's really good to win the award from Pirelli and it makes things a bit easier for next season. I'm looking forward to the start of winter tests!”

Frederic Vasseur:

“Unlike many rookies who crack under pressure, James never let doubt creep in and he had a perfect weekend, particularly his second race. Esteban missed out on success in qualifying and in the first race, but he confirmed on Sunday that he is an exceptionally gifted driver. Finishing the year with a win and an excellent performance level is very encouraging and motivating for the work we that awaits us this winter and next year.”

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT TIME LAPS GAP KPH TIME OF DAY

1 6 E. GUTIERREZ MEX Lotus ART 1:50.442 16 181.039 10:43:55

19 5 J. CALADO GBR Lotus ART 1:52.665 2.223

0.019

17 177.467 10:38:51

Along with Esteban Gutierrez, Racing Steps Foundation driver James Calado will be taking part in the Abu Dhabi races, November 12 & 13 2011, and will be racing for the team in the 2012 championship.

Runner up in the GP3 series in his first year in the sport, James brought home one win, six podiums, and one pole position, but he also met every one of Lotus ART’s human, technical, and sporting expectations. The collaboration between Lotus ART and James therefore follows the team’s logic and James’ career profile.

James Calado:

“This is excellent news because it allows me to climb up an additional level very early in the season and I will then have the time to prepare myself for the challenge of the GP2 Series. I could not dream of a better team to meet this challenge with. Lotus ART's tremendous expertise and approach have no equal and with Lotus ART I know that I have everything I need to integrate myself quickly and well into this extremely competitive championship. Lotus ART and I have demonstrated what we can do in the GP3 Series and I hope that we will do the same in the GP2 Series. I am again grateful to the RSF for supporting me in my next step up.”

Frederic Vasseur:

“James’ performances in his first year in the GP3 Series was a key reason for continuing our collaboration in the GP2 Series. James impressed Lotus ART with his professional approach and his ability to face every race situation: safety car, changing track conditions, starting from the back of the grid, he was spared nothing and James always rose to the task with a remarkable state of mind and performances which enabled him to compete for the title down to the last race. I believe that James has the potential to pull the team to the top and to win races in 2012.”

Graham Sharp:

Speaking of James’ confirmed 2012 plans, Racing Steps Foundation founder Graham Sharp said: “James’ progress since he became a part of the Foundation has been really impressive. Each season he has raised his game to meet the new challenges of new formulae with maturity, dedication and professionalism as a result of which he’s more than earned the Foundation’s backing for a Lotus ART GP2 seat.”

Since the first day of their collaboration in 2009, Lotus ART and the Mexican driver have fulfilled their joint objectives. The first champion in the history of the GP3 Series in 2010, Esteban was one of the best rookies in the GP2 series, where he brought home his first win in 2011. This extension of the partnership between Esteban and Lotus ART is the logical continuation of a fruitful collaboration. The first step in the 2012 project will take place in the form of tests at Barcelona, in which Esteban will participate, on October 19 and 20 as well as with Abu Dhabi races in November.

Frederic Vasseur:

"Esteban's involvement in the team's plans is rewarding on the sporting and human level and I am sincerely delighted that we will be able to continue the adventure together. I think that we still have some great chapters to write together and I hope that the combined know-how of Lotus ART and Esteban will result in a synergy that both parties will be able to take advantage of in 2012, which will be a pivotal year."

Esteban Gutierrrez:

"I'm happy to have our plans sorted for next season this early as it will give us a good amount of time to keep on going with our preparations for next year, with a good rhythm. I feel very grateful to all the people in the team for their work and integrity which has been a key for acquiring the right experience as a driver. This has been an important decision for next season and we are looking forward to making the most of the opportunity to perform in a very competitive way. I would like to thank all the other teams that expressed interest in having me on their team, I'm sure we will have great competition together keeping our good relationship."

Jules and Esteban both had a great performance in the first race, moving up to 8th and 9th places, respectively. In the second race, Jules fell back to third position in the first corner, and wrapped up his season with a podium, which in turn secured him a podium in the drivers' championship, while Esteban moved up to 6th place, which enabled him to walk away with a final point for the season, one in which he was one of the few rookies to secure a win.

Jules Bianchi : "The Monza races sum up the whole season: with highs and lows. We finished the year on the podium for the championship, and that is a good result overall. Handicapped by a technical problem during the session, I lost big in my last qualifying lap because there were two yellow flags, and P19 on the starting grid forced me to take risks in the race. Moving up to 8th place, and the pole position for the second race, was therefore a lesser evil in terms of the championship. Unfortunately, I skated too much at the start and once in 3rd position we were not fast enough to catch up with Vietoris and Leimer. After a difficult start to the year – I was in 15th after 8 races – we managed to get back on an even keel but we were too far behind. Nevertheless, we demonstrated that we were among the fastest and that we had the technical and human potential to play the top roles and that is what we need to keep in mind for the future."

Esteban Gutierrez : "After an encouraging practice, I lost control of the car and hit the barriers in qualifying. It was my mistake and it cost us dearly. I was 25th on the starting grid and had nothing to lose. The key was a good start and good timing for the pit stop. I gained several positions in the first lap and we were the first to pit to change tyres. I was very happy to take the chequered flag in 9th position, even though one position higher would have given me the pole position for the second race. I wanted to secure a point to finish the season on a high note and I made it. I learned a great deal this season, Lotus ART supported me all the time and it bodes well for the future."

Frederic Vasseur : "At the start of the year our goal was the title, and we cannot be satisfied with 3rd place but the competition was very strong and we paid dearly for our inconsistency at the start of the year. That said, I am proud of Lotus ART because the team never gave up and managed to resolve its problems starting from midseason. Jules and Esteban each won a race and they managed to pull the team up. The second part of the season is very encouraging for the future."

Tomorrow, Jules will start on pole position.

Qualifying in 3rd and 9th positions on the starting grid respectively in the first race, Jules Bianchi and Esteban Gutierrez crossed the finish line in 2nd and 14th places. On Sunday, Jules moved up from 7th position to finish in 2nd place, thus moving from 4th place to 3rd in the overall ranking, one point out from 2nd placed Giedo Van der Garde. At the same time, Esteban fell one spot in the ranking, down to 7th place.

Jules Bianchi:

“I had a very good start and I was lucky to be on the right side because it was dryer than the left. Then I tried to stay behind Christian Vietoris. At first he was a bit quicker but I closed the gap. Having said that, there was no way I'd have tried something stupid. I needed this second position, so did Lotus ART, and we secured it. On Sunday, it was the opposite: I decided to go on the outside but it was the wrong choice because I was a bit closed in. I was P8 but I could push and gain a lot of positions. I want to end the season in a good way, but mainly, we have to keep our momentum. It’s important to look at it race by race and not focus too much on the championship. It would be important to finish second, but I don’t think about that. I try my best race by race, try and be quick every time.”

Esteban Gutierrez:

“We had some trouble in qualifying, with the mixed conditions and a some yellow flags. It was a classic decoy and unfortunately I could not avoid it. My start was good on Saturday but I collided with Giedo Van der Garde which cost me some positions. It changed my strategy because when you are behind the aerodynamics change and things did not go our way: the rain came in and because of the low temperature the car switched into the safety mode! Sunday was much better because we found the way to climb up the field. In terms of set-up our strategy was risky but I had nothing to lose and it worked. It's too bad I missed a few points but it was a good experience.”

Frederic Vasseur:

“This is definitely a very good weekend for Jules. He found the right pace the whole weekend and he did some great overtaking manoeuvres in both races. He is now 3rd in the drivers' championship and our goal is to finish it as a runner-up in Monza in a fortnight. Esteban had some bad luck in qualifying and in the first race, but he recovered well. He was one of the very best on Sunday thanks to some great tyre management and great raw speed. He would have deserved a few points but one must not forget he's a rookie surrounded by 17 drivers who are competing in their second season in the series, at least.”

Esteban Gutierrez has been less lucky has he faced engine problem and couldn’t do better than 14th.

The race has been interrupted for a long time by the safety car before the restart was given just for one lap.

Esteban Gutierrez did very well too as he came back just out of the point (7th) while he started 16th.