GP2 news
Kobayashi takes title as Nunes wins
25 April 2009 / Results / PhotosDAMS driver Kamui Kobayashi clinched the GP2 Asia Series title in today's feature race in Bahrain while Diego Nunes secured a second win of the season ahead of team-mate Roldan Rodriguez.
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The Toyota Formula One test driver's poor start from pole position today meant that he could not celebrate his GP2 Asia Series title on the podium, but the new champion managed to make his way back to the front of the field again thanks to an early pitstop.
With his closest rivals failing to score, most notably Valsecchi who stalled on the grid, Kobayashi's P4 finish was enough to clinch the 2009 GP2 Asia Series crown.
While Kobayashi completely mistimed the red lights going out, both Piquet drivers managed a perfect getaway, with Nunes pulling away quicker than Rodriguez to take the lead. The rest of the race looked pretty easy for the two men who never faltered and crossed the finish line in that same order, bagging eighteen points and putting their team into second place in the championship, four points clear of Campos.
Another man to shine today was Jérôme d'Ambrosio who recovered from a ten place grid penalty to finish on the podium. Quickest yesterday in qualifying, the Belgian fought his way back from eleventh, overtaking first Giedo van der Garde, then Razia and finally his team-mate for third place, whilst setting a sequence of fastest laps; this strong result gives him an opportunity to finish in the championship's top three and also gave GAMS the teams' title.
Behind the top four, iSport's van der Garde finished fifth ahead of Sakon Yamamoto. The ART racer led for a couple of laps as he pitted later than the leaders. After that, the Japanese charged through the field and worked his way to sixth. Just like Yamamoto, Trident's Davide Rigon also pitted late and benefited from fresh tyres to pass first Karun Chandhok and then Luiz Razia. The Brazilian Arden driver hence will start from pole with the reversed grid system for tomorrow.
With Kamui Kobayashi crowned champion, all eyes now turn towards the four men who can still claim the runner-up spot: Roldan Rodriguez overhauled Davide Valsecchi in the feature race, now with 35 and 34 points espectively. The flying Jérôme d'Ambrosio stands fourth on 30 points with Vitaly Petrov, who won in Malaysia, now fifth on 28.
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Paul Ricard
