Difference between revisions of "2011 Supercup Abu Dhabi Grand Prix"

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  2011 Supercup Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Race details
2011 Supercup season
Date	March 30th, 2011
Official name	2011 Supercup Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Location	Yas Marina Circuit Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Course	Permanent Racing Facility 3.451 mi / 5.554 km
Distance	28 laps, 96.628 mi / 155.512 km
Weather	Sunny
Pole position
Driver	Bart De Vos	Malta Force GP
Time	1:45.971
Fastest Lap
Driver	Bart De Vos	Malta Force GP
Time	1:46.354
Podium
First	Bart De Vos	Malta Force GP
Second	David Jundt	Nijo Racing
Third	Georgios Davakos	Nordsjoen Racing

Report

Bart De Vos made it two out of two in the GPVWC Supercup as he fought his way to victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Belgian driver had to fend off attacks from both Sam Millar and David Jundt before opening a decisive gap, while behind the leaders an entertaining race unfolded.

The start saw a rare mistake by Bart de Vos, who went wide at turn 1 when starting from pole and allowed Millar to clinch P1, as behind them an accident almost occurred when Mal McKee and Chris Williamson got too close for comfort. Gavin Thomas was less fortunate and was hit straight on by the Ulsterman, while Adam Smith managed to avoid the mayhem around him and had gained 7 positions by the time the first lap was over.

Three laps of close battling between De Vos and Millar ensued, until a contact ended the Scotsman's race. The incident started as coming out from turn 8, the two drivers went side by side and made contact. The Malta Force of De Vos touched the rear tyres of Millar's Williamson Dynamics car, sending the latter into the wall heavily - a second DNF in two races for one of the pre-season title favourites. Controversially, De Vos sustained no damage from the contact and was able to go on. A protest was been lodged over the incident, but the GPVWC Disciplinary Committee later considered it a racing incident and no further action was taken.

The battling allowed David Jundt to climb into the lead, followed by Liam Hatchell and Georgios Davakos, who traded positions in an equally fascinating fight. However, De Vos was quick to recover positions and found himself on the tail of Jundt, pulling a decisive passing move into turn 8, just moments before Davakos passed Hatchell for 3rd.

By the halfway point in the race, positions had crystallized, with the only changes in the midfield being when both the Red 5 Racing cars of Ben Morgan and Gavin Thomas suffered heavy crashes which led to DNFs. A late battle between Paul McKenna and Dan Rusu led to a drive through penalty for the CP Lotus driver, but up ahead there were no more shocks as De Vos crossed the line first for the second time in as many weeks.

Classification

Qualifying

Race

Standings after the Race