Fabio Leimer
GP2 Media Service
The Rapax Team completed their 2011 stint in the GP2 Main Series today at Monza in a positive fashion, by cruising to a spectacular podium finish with Fabio Leimer while Julian Leal was punted out and put out of contention on lap 1 at the Ascari complex. Starting from the outside of the front row, Leimer beat poleman Bianchi but was passed, as well as the Frenchman, by Vietoris, who cruised to the lead. After having moved back on Bianchi, who had followed into the German's path, Leimer went back to catch the tails of the leader. He tried to make his move twice, but positions stayed the same through the day and he settled for a great second-place finish, celebrating the team's last race of 2011 on the podium. The teams and drivers of GP2 won't be resting on their laurels now, with the first collective test of the postseason scheduled late this month. Rapax, as well as their rivals, will also be taking part in a non-points race meeting next November.
Fabio Leimer
“It hasn't been one of my best starts today. Like happened yesterday, I got too much wheelspin and Vietoris breeze past both me and Bianchi. Then at the following braking, Vietoris forced me to lift off early an Jules got by too. My pace was great though, and I managed to get the second spot back from him, and close in to the leader really quickly. I tried to pass him a couple of times at Roggia, but he shut the door on me and I didn't want throw away a great result with a contact, so I just settled. While I was trying to catch him, I went too hard on my rear tires, so I decided to stay in second and control the tire wear in the closing stint of the race. I really want to band myself and to the team a well-deserved podium finish in the closing race of the season."
Julian Leal
“My race lasted just a couple of corners. While braking before the Ascari chicane, I've been pushed on the grass by Gonzalez, and I was forced to hit the beakes with two wheels still on the grass. At that point I became just a passenger and went hard into the barriers. I'm quite disappointed because Gonzalez tried to do the same in the straight before, changing lanes multiple times, and pulling alongside him proved quite difficult. I find hard to accept such an ending, without a single lap completed, after all the work done with the team."
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