Esteban Gutierrez wins incident filled GP2 Feature Race

Esteban Gutierrez has taken his first GP2 victory of the 2012 Season in a highly entertaining and incident filled feature race around the Valencia Street Circuit, which included a huge incident for Fabrizio Crestani who was tipped into a barrel-roll by Jolyon Palmer on lap 17. Marcus Ericsson came home 2nd, with Luiz Razia 3rd for Arden.

At the start pole-man James Calado stormed into the lead, whilst behind him carnage ensued when Jolyon Palmer spun and collected fellow countryman Max Chilton. Luckily for them both, they were able to continue albeit with slight damage to Palmer’s car. By the end of the first lap Calado was way out in front, whilst Palmer pitted for a new front wing. Nigel Melker became the first retirement of the race, when the Dutchman drove straight on at turn 12 and tapped the barriers.

By lap 7, the first pit stops were being made as Championship leader Davide Valsecchi was one of the first drivers to pit. Victor Guerin stalled in the pits, as Felipe Nasr, Tom Dillmann and Max Chilton all peeled into the pits a lap later. Action and excitement was in abundance on track, as Gutierrez tapped Giedo van der Garde offline, a move which greatly benefited Fabio Leimer who streamed past the duo.

By lap 11, the majority of the field had completed their compulsory pit-stops, when Tom Dillmann’s visibly askew rear-wing departed company with his Rapax car. This left the wing lying on the track, but not for too long as Rodolfo Gonzalez smashed through the wing leaving debris strewn across the track. This incident brought out the safety car, ruining James Calado’s race as the Brit had yet to pit.

After four laps under the safety car, the race returned to green flag conditions as James Calado continued to lead out on track. However, the race was quickly back under safety car control once again as Crestani was tipped into a frightening barrel-roll by Palmer, as Nasr slowed on the bridge section of the track causing a concertina-effect on track.

Felipe Nasr subsequently retired as the safety car returned to the track, however leader Calado remained out on track refusing to make his compulsory pit-stop. Once the track had been cleared of the stricken Venezuela GP Lazarus car, the race was resumed as a melee ensued as a gaggle of cars jostled for position into the final corner. Razia was able to sneak up to 2nd place, as Calado continued to lead at the front. However, Razia quickly lost several positions as Gutierrez then Ericsson found a way around the Brazilian.

The safety car was called upon yet again only moments later, when Gonzalez tipped the remaining Venezuela GP Lazarus driver of Giancarlo Serenelli into a spin and subsequent retirement. However, the safety car mistakingly picked up the wrong part of the pack, thus enabling Calado to make a lightning-quick pit stop and resume in 11th position. Eventually the safety car found the leaders, and after only three laps under safety car conditions, the race was once again resumed with a 10-minute time limit now in force.

The race ran relatively incident free for the remainder of laps, as Gutierrez shrugged off Ericsson’s pressure and took his first GP2 race victory since the sprint race at Valencia last year. Swedish ace Ericsson came home 2nd, ahead of Razia in a very important 3rd place. With Johnny Cecotto jr. enduring a penalty, Championship leader Davide Valsecchi will assume the reverse grid pole for tomorrows sprint race which has all the ingredients to be yet another scintillating race.

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