Saturday, July 28 2012

Jolyon Palmer secured an excellent sixth place and more championship points during today's (Saturday) sun-soaked GP2 Feature Race at the Hungaroring.

Starting from third on the grid following his superb qualifying performance yesterday, Jolyon made a solid start but lost a few places early on to lie P8.

With overtaking difficult on the tight, twisty circuit, he was unable to find a way past seventh place Felipe Nasr so elected to pit on lap 12, switching from the supersoft to the medium tyres and jumping the DAMS driver in the process.

Jolyon then got the better of Josef Kral to gain a further position as the race entered its halfway mark before also dispatching Sergio Canamasas as he continued to lap on a par with the leaders. After the rest of the field had made their compulsory pit stops, Jolyon was running P6 and quickly closing in on Giedo van der Garde and the five-car train ahead of him.

However, he was unable to improve further in the closing stages to end sixth, while at the front Max Chilton secured his maiden GP2 win ahead of Davide Valsecchi and Luiz Razia.

Speaking afterwards Jolyon said: "I got an ok start but got badly shuffled out on the first couple of laps. Then I was able to keep good speed and managed to jump Nasr back at the pit stops. After that I passed Kral and a couple of others to pick up P6 and finish close to the leading pack. It's disappointing to finish there considering were we started but I'm sure we can have a better race from third on the grid tomorrow."

Tomorrow's 28 lap Sprint Race takes place at 09:35 where Jolyon will start from third on the grid.

GP2 Hungaroring, Feature Race results:
 
1. M Chilton, Carlin, 37 laps
2. D Valsecchi, DAMS, +0.6s
3. L Razia, Arden, +1.5s
4. J Calado, Lotus GP, +4.0s
5. G VD Garde, Caterham, +8.0s
6. J Palmer, iSport, +10.8s
7. N Berthon, Racing, +16.2s
8. E Gutierrez, Lotus GP, +16.8s
9. F Leimer, Racing, +17.7s
10. S Coletti, Scuderia, +19.1s