GP2 news

Dams gets to grips with new GP2 car

Just a few days after racing in the second round of the Asian GP2 Championship, the DAMS team and its two drivers, Kamui Kobayashi and Jérôme d'Ambrosio, were hard at work on the Paul Ricard circuit for two days' practice with the new car, which will be used in this year's GP2 Championship.

Eric Boullier, Team Manager commented, "It was important for us to understand the reactions of the new GP2 Series car, and not to run before we could walk. Our drivers also needed some time to familiarise themselves with this new machine. We were not really going for a time given the specific nature of the Castellet layout. Being quick here is no real guarantee of being competitive on the circuits hosting the championship. Overall, it's been an encouraging two days. I'd like to thank the team for all the hard work they've put into solving the teething trouble we encountered with this completely new car."

Kamui Kobayashi added, "We didn't do a lot of running on the first day because of minor reliability problems. In addition, the car needed numerous adjustments. I think we learned a lot on the second day. The car is a big step forward performancewise as well as from a driver's point of view compared to the old model. I like its handling, which is much closer to that of an F1. I'm disappointed not to have got the best out of my new tyres in the late afternoon today because of traffic. I'm confident, though, as I was sixth-quickest for most of the afternoon when everybody was on new rubber."

Jérôme d'Ambrosio concluded, "The early part of testing was a bit difficult as the car's handling posed problems for me that I hadn't met before. It's much quicker and more sensitive than the old one. Its steering seems very heavy and I found it difficult to get used to. But then everything fell into place. Finally, this test session's been very positive. We still have a lot more to learn and I can't wait to get to Barcelona to continue my preparation."

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