GP2 Series, Round 10, Singapore – DAMS shines in Marina Bay
A top-3 finish and a good haul of points were a big relief for the French team after the Monza setback. This time Stéphane Richelmi (two 4th places) and Marcus Ericsson (7th and 2nd) were able to race at the front; they are now lying in sixth and seventh places in the drivers’ championship separated by one point: their results have helped consolidate DAMS’ fourth place in the teams’ championship.
The team showed that it was back on form as Ericsson set the third-quickest time in free practice. But the Swede was held up in qualifying and didn’t manage to string together his best sector times, so he had to make do with ninth place on the grid. On the other hand, Richelmi got it all right and set the fifth-fastest lap. On Saturday in blazing sunshine both DAMS drivers made good starts and Ericsson pulled back two places. The race then became a question of tactical choices and tyre management. The option chosen by DAMS to score a big haul of points in both races enabled the Monegasque driver to stay among the front-runners without problems. He nursed his tyres and was able to make a final charge snatching fourth place from Leimer on the last lap and just missing out on third by a whisker. A bit further back in the traffic Ericsson fought off Bird’s attacks, and held on to seventh place putting him on the front row for the next day’s race.
The Swede took full advantage of this position on Sunday and spent the whole race in Bird’s wake clinching an excellent second place. Richelmi again shone and scored another fourth place after an impeccable drive. Everybody will now enjoy a month’s rest before the final round of the 2013 championship in Abu Dhabi in which the French team has set itself an ultimate aim – 3rd place in the teams’ championship!
Francois Sicard, Managing Director: “It was a good weekend for the team even if we didn’t win. The whole squad did an excellent job in preparing the cars and the pit stops and I’d like to congratulate them. We defined a strategy to score points in both races unlike others who sacrificed Sunday. Finally, we could hardly have done better. Marcus started from too far back on Saturday in the first heat but he then made a great fight back. Stéphane drove perfectly all weekend and deserved a top-three finish. We’re going to go flat out to end the season on a high note in Abu Dhabi.”
Marcus Ericsson: “It’s such a pity I didn’t have a good qualifying session as the car was very quick and I’d like to thank the whole team for this. On Saturday I got caught up in traffic and my seventh position put me on the front row for Sunday’s race. I took advantage of it to latch on to Bird. I tried to attack him but we were equally-matched in terms of performance so I decided to safeguard my second place.”
Stéphane Richelmi: “After scoring twenty points it was a pretty satisfactory weekend that did both me and the team a power of good. It gives cause for regret that we didn’t make a better start to the season. The car was fantastic on Saturday but the outcome hinged on our tyre strategy. The choice of some teams to sacrifice Sunday deprived us of a win that was within our grasp. I’m a bit fed up with all these fourth places, and at the last round of the year I want to finish in the top three!”
Last round: Abu Dhabi 2-3 November 2013
