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Improving the GP2 Asia Series (17 posts)

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Felipe Bomeny said 2 years, 8 months ago:

Frankly, last year’s GP2 Asia Series was terrible. It was only four rounds, at two tracks, in the middle east. Why call it the Asia series, then? Also, the Asia series is too short, and I like the series because we get to meet up-and-coming rookies, like say Rossi and Vietoris last year. I know the drivers are on holiday, but geez, only Bahrain and Dubai?
This is my ideal calendar for an extended Asia series:
Shanghai
Korea
Suzuka
Macau
Sepang
Qatar (night race)
Yas Island

Maybe they could do Sentul or Zhuhai, because A1GP isn’t alive anymore.

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Red Andy said 2 years, 8 months ago:

One of the biggest problems for GP2 Asia is that they don’t have a big series to follow around like the main series does with F1; I suppose the long and the short of it is that GP2 Asia doesn’t have enough following to run as a standalone series (the calendar cutbacks last year were to do with a lack of money). A winter series, especially at a level just below F1, is a good idea but needs to be properly marketed and sensibly run in order to succeed.

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Felipe Bomeny said 2 years, 8 months ago:

Yes, here in America, they don’t even televise it. I think if they did, then more people would watch it and it would gain more support.

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Prisoner Monkeys said 2 years, 8 months ago:

One of the biggest problems for GP2 Asia is that they don’t have a big series to follow around like the main series does with F1

Yes they do: Formula 1. The main series ends at Monza, which is also the end of the European season. GP2 Asia could pick up Formula 1 from Singapore, or if that’s too tall an order, then start following them in Japan. You’d get Suzuka, Korea and Abu Dhabi for sure (you could probably have Brazil, too, even if it isn’t – strictly-speaking – Asia), and when the new Formula 1 season resumes, you’d get Bahrain, Australia, Malaysia and China.

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wasiF1 said 2 years, 8 months ago:

I agree they should extend the calender.

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US_Peter said 2 years, 8 months ago:

If they followed the Asian F1 races though that would leave a pretty giant hole in the middle of their calendar.

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Prisoner Monkeys said 2 years, 8 months ago:

They already do have a giant hole.

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nik said 2 years, 8 months ago:

They should race in Australia – in Sydney, I would go and watch it.

And as others have suggested, they should follow the end-of-season F1 fly-away races. And they could also race at Macau during the Grand Prix there, which is in November

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SteveMovieVoice said 2 years, 8 months ago:

This years Asia series should be a bigger draw though, as the new cars are racing in Asia first. Many F3, GP3 and F2 guys would be looking to get a budget for that, so hence why GP2 Asia needs a longer calendar.

And surely the race weekends would be livened up in Asia with something other than Formula BMW pacific or Porshe Carrera Cup Pacific on the support package. My weekends seem more complete with GP2.

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gpcampbell said 2 years, 8 months ago:

Im assuming the Calendar is much the same as last year? 2 weekends (4 races) for both Bahrain and Yas Island?

Thing is as GP2 is a spec series they can just leave all the gear there over the winter so there is very little travel costs involved. However there is a bizzare gap from the last race of the F1 calendar to Feburary when the other 3 rounds take place.

Ideas could include a title sponsor (something that bernie for some reason shys away from) and also better TV deals. In the UK getting it on the BBC in the off-season would be a big big plus!

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US_Peter said 2 years, 8 months ago:

Does anyone know if GP2 Asia is actually happening this year? When you go to gp2series.com there’s a link at the top of the page than just links back to the homepage. It’s got some text when you hover over the link that just says “coming soon.” If they’re starting as support for some flyaways you’d think there’d be some info by now.

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SouthAussie94 said 2 years, 8 months ago:

Im not sure if this is happening for the 2010/11season, but with the 2009/10 season, one of the Bahrain rounds was a double header with the V8 Supercars. That explains the massive gap in the calendar.

I agree with PM though about pairing with the closing races of the F1 season, having a mid-season break and then going to the opening races of the next F1 season. It seems logical.

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Prisoner Monkeys said 2 years, 8 months ago:

Ideas could include a title sponsor (something that bernie for some reason shys away from) and also better TV deals.

I’m pretty sure Bernie doesn’t control the rights to GP2. He may endorse it, and arranged to have it follow Formula 1, but he doesn’t have the same degree of control over it.

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gpcampbell said 2 years, 8 months ago:

CVC hold about 70% of the commercial interest in GP2

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2817941/CVC-takes-wheel-with-GP2.html

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SteveMovieVoice said 2 years, 8 months ago:

The costs would be sky high, but what about a GP2 World Series? Attending most f1 races with a few new standalone events elsewhere. A new Formula 3000. (A dream, it would never happen)

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