Evans endures electronics failures

Media release

Evans endures electronics failures

An electronics failure prevented Mitch Evans from winning in the GP2 Feature race at Silverstone on Saturday, and he endured more electrical system issues at the start of the Sunday Sprint race at the British Grand Prix round at Silverstone on Sunday.

After the disappointment of the pit speed limiter not functioning correctly in the Feature race; the young New Zealander was left stranded on the grid at the start of the Sprint race when the anti-stall system malfunctioned.

Evans couldn’t get off the line as the engine cut out twice. He had lined up 19th on the grid but was last away in the 26 car field. He chased after the pack and had recovered to 14th at the end of the 21 laps.

“What a weekend it could have been,” lamented Evans. “We found a good set up for Silverstone and I was really happy with our speed. We just need a bit of luck and we’ll be right there.”

Post race data analysis of the Saturday issue revealed that one of the speed sensors located in the front wheels failed on the warm up lap and the other ‘spiked’ and failed at the entry to the pits.

The anti stall system is activated by sensors in the rear wheels and when they failed at the second race start, the engine cut out momentarily.

Fastest lap during the Feature race meant that Evans was the fastest driver in GP2 all weekend but he scored no points and has dropped to tenth in the standing after 10 races. The sixth round of the GP2 Series is at the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring next weekend.

Jon Lancaster scored his maiden GP2 Series victory at Silverstone in the Sunday sprint race to make it two British winners on home soil this weekend. From fourth on the grid, Lancaster made a storming start as those ahead of him all suffered wheelspin.

Lancaster was tested when the safety car came out, to allow Daniel Abt's car to be recovered from the middle of the track at Farm, but the British driver took a well-judged race win by 6.5s.
Rio Haryanto finished second for Addax, well clear of ART's James Calado, who came through from eighth on the grid to finish on the podium. He had to hold off poleman Julian Leal for the majority of the race distance.

Sam Bird passed team-mate Tom Dillmann for fifth to aid his championship challenge, while Dillmann did well to hold off a charging Felipe Nasr. The Brazilian charged from 25th to seventh. Marcus Ericsson finished eighth, just holding off Alexander Rossi.

Stefano Coletti’s points lead has been shrunk to Nasr, 120 points to 98, while Bird moves up to 89 points ahead of Leimer on 66 and Calado on 52.

1st July, 2013

GP2 Series Round five – Race 10
Sprint Race Results - 21 laps:

Pos Driver               Team/Car                   Time/Gap
1. Jon Lancaster                 Hilmer                        37m 19.528s
2. Rio Haryanto                   Addax                         + 6.513s
3. James Calado                 ART                            + 7.922s
4. Julian Leal          Racing Eng.               + 8.420s
5. Sam Bird             Russian Time           + 9.348s
6. Tom Dillmann                  Russian Time           + 14.563s
7. Felipe Nasr                      Carlin                         + 14.671s
8. Marcus Eriksson             DAMS                        + 15.321s
9. Alexander Rossi             Caterham                  + 15.877s
10. Stefano Coletti               Rapax                        + 18.789s
11. Quaife-Hobbs                MP                              + 23.855s
12. Kevin Ceccon                Trident                        + 32.021s
13. Rene Binder                   Lazarus                      + 34.933s
14. Mitch Evans                   Arden                         + 35.673s
15. Fabio Leimer                  Racing Eng.              + 35.861s
16. Simon Trummer             Rapax                        + 37.838s
17. Fabrizio Crestani           Lazarus                      + 41.133s
18. Daniel de Jong              MP                              + 51.728s
19. Stephane Richelmi       DAMS                        + 85.181s
20. Sergio Canamasas       Caterham                  + 1 lap
21. Jake Rosenzweig          Addax                         + 2 laps

Retirements:
Jolyon Palmer                  Carlin                         8 laps
Johnny Cecotto Jr           Arden                         5 laps
Robin Frijns         Hilmer                        2 laps
Nathanael Berthon          Trident                        2 laps
Daniel Abt             ART                            2 laps

ENDS

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