Rosberg takes GP2 Championship

[Dino Scuderia]

ROSBERG CLAIMS GP2 TITLE

Formula One hopeful Nico Rosberg has clinched the inaugural GP2 Series championship with victory in the penultimate race in Bahrain.

The German, who has been strongly linked with a role at Williams next season, went into the first race at the Bahrain International Circuit with a three-point championship lead and secured the title with victory.

Rosberg, son of former world champion Keke, led home an ART one-two, with team-mate Alex Premat playing the rear-gunner role in second.

Heikki Kovalainen, the pre-season championship favourite who led the standings for most of the season, was a frustrated third for Arden and saw his title hopes evaporate.

Northern Irishman Adam Carroll narrowly missed out on points and pole position for race two by finishing ninth.

The Super Nova driver was forced to start from 19th after his fastest qualifying lap was disqualified for a yellow flag infringement but he fought his way through the pack to finish in the top 10.

With the top eight reversed to form the grid for tomorrow's shorter second race, BCN's Ernesto Viso will start from pole position.

http://www.sportinglife.com/others/n...O_Rosberg.html

[Pando]

Hmm, I was hoping for Kovalainen, but Rosberg deserved it too. I think we'll see plenty of F1 battles between the two in the future. Rosberg had a place for him for him in the F1's for next season, at least as a test driver, something that Kovalainen wasn't interested in, but his not going to stay in the GP2's either... so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

[Jack_Bauer]

^^^ There had been rumours that Flavio was willing to pay for an F1 drive for Kovalainen with Minardi to give him some experience, just as he did with Fernando Alonso. Red Bull's buy out of Minardi looks to have put paid to that idea, so it'll be tough for HK to find a race seat next year at least. I think his best move would be to take a full time test/third driver role with Renault and try and put pressure on Fisichella (if he's still around in '06).

I've been hugely impressed with Rosberg. I think he'd be a much more exciting proposition as 2nd driver for Williams than Antonio Pizzonia. Plus it would probably work out better for WilliamsF1 from an advertising/publicity point of view having the son of one of their former WDCs at the wheel. It's certainly a good story for the F1 hacks to get their teeth into.

[Pando]

^^^ There had been rumours that Flavio was willing to pay for an F1 drive for Kovalainen with Minardi to give him some experience, just as he did with Fernando Alonso. Red Bull's buy out of Minardi looks to have put paid to that idea, so it'll be tough for HK to find a race seat next year at least. I think his best move would be to take a full time test/third driver role with Renault and try and put pressure on Fisichella (if he's still around in '06).

Indeed, that's why I found it surprising when turned down a 3rd driver position because he felt like he wouldn't learn what he found essential from it... Well the 3rd drivers get excluded from pretty much all the racing so idk.