Valsecchi returns to winning ways with sprint race victory at Monza

Local hero Davide Valsecchi has returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since Bahrain at the beginning of the season, as the Italian driver dominated a flawless lights to flag victory ahead of the Racing Engineering of Luiz Razia. British driver Jolyon Palmer was able to finish 3rd, after a frenetic closing lap at Monza.

At the start, Davide Valsecchi enjoyed a fabulous getaway as the DAMS driver stormed into the lead of the race. Marcus Ericsson was lucky to avoid contact through turn 1, as the Swedish driver completely missed his braking point and flew across the grass, cutting the final corner. Ericsson adhered to the rules and naturally gave the positions he gained back, as Davide Valsecchi set to opening up a gap to Fabio Leimer in 2nd.

Fabio Onidi’s race ended on the second lap, as the Italian driver missed his braking point for turn 1, and slammed into the unsuspecting Ocean Racing Technology of Nigel Melker. The two drivers joined the second Ocean Racing Technology of Victor Guerin in retirement, before the Lotus of Esteban Gutierrez became the fourth retirement after running wide at turn 11 and skipping across the gravel into the barriers.

GP2 returnee and feature race winner Luca Filippi endured a frustrating sprint race, as the Italian driver was forced to pit on lap 6. After the Coloni mechanics changed Filippi’s tyres, the Italian driver then stalled the engine and therefore lost further valuable track positions. Whilst Filippi fumbled at the steering wheel in the pits, fellow countryman Davide Valsecchi was beginning to open a gap over Fabio Leimer in 2nd.

As the race entered it’s closing stages, tyre wear and an urge to finish further up the field created the usual freneticism which the GP2 Series has become renowned for throughout the motor sport fraternity. Stefano Coletti ran wide at turn 1, thus falling down the order and allowing Johnny Cecotto jr. to have a chance at overtaking Max Chilton. The Venezuelan driver completed the overtake through turns 4 and 5, with Chilton just lightly damaging front wing in the process.

The iSport International duo of Jolyon Palmer and Marcus Ericsson became locked in a grueling battle for 3rd, with the two team-mates almost colliding through turn 1. Luckily for iSport, both Palmer and Ericsson ran wide at turn 1, instead of prematurely ending each others race. With the two team-mates jostling for position, this enabled Stefano Coletti to close up on the rear of Ericsson’s car, and eventually the Italian driver found a way around the Swede through turn 1 for 4th.

Julian Leal was battling for position with Sergio Canamasas further down the order, with the latter striving for his first points finish of the season. In a desperate attempt to keep the Spaniard at bay, Julian Leal ran wide at turns 4 and 5, bouncing dangerously over the kerbing and launching his Trident Racing car into the air. The Colombian driver bounced back to earth with a bump, but was miraculously still ahead of Canamasas.

As the last lap of the race drew to a conclusion, the battle for the final podium position gathered extreme momentum, as Stefano Coletti, Jolyon Palmer, Johnny Cecotto jr., and Max Chilton all jostled for position. As the pack negotiated the final corner, it was the iSport International of Jolyon Palmer who emerged top, finishing 3rd behind Fabio Leimer and eventual race winner Davide Valsecchi.

This was the Italian driver’s first victory since Bahrain at the beginning of the season, and has enabled Valsecchi to open up a 25 point lead in the Drivers’ Championship over the Arden International of Luiz Razia. As the GP2 Series now prepares to head to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the season finale in Singapore, Luiz Razia will be in desperate need of a competitive and trouble free weekend if he has any wishes of clinching the 2012 GP2 Series Drivers’ Championship.

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