The two GP2 Series races, which took place this weekend in Valencia, Spain, were positive in terms of work performed by both of Ocean Racing Technology’s drivers. Nigel Melker and Victor Guerin, who were aiming for Top 10 finishes, both encountered some setbacks that prevented them from achieving their goals, however. Melker abandoned in the first race and, although he started from the back of the pack, he crossed the finish line in the second race with a 13th place finish in hand. Victor Guerin, who was taking part in his third GP2 Series meeting in Valencia, finished the two races in 17th and 18th place, respectively.
In the first race on Saturday afternoon, both drivers were very responsive at the start, enabling them to gain several positions. Melker shunted at the end of the straight, in the 2nd lap, however. “It’s too bad because it could have been a good race. But my brakes failed me and I ended my race in a tyre wall,” the Dutch driver said.
Victor Guerin, who is still in a learning phase, recorded some very competitive times and made small errors which influenced the end result. At the mandatory pit stop, his engine almost stalled, and Victor exceeded the allowed pit lane speed, which forced him to make a drive through. “The pit stop went well. I shifted into first to start again, but I found myself in neutral. I had to start everything over, reinitializing the system, but the same thing happened. I lost time, and then there was the penalty…” Victor Guerin declared.
The second race proved complicated due to the grid positions of the two Ocean Racing Technology drivers. They managed to avoid all the incidents that marked the race, however, and battled each other for a long while. Melker eventually got the better of his teammate, with a 13th place finish. Guerin fell back to 18th position a few kilometers from the finish, due to heavy tyre degradation. Both drivers were extremely satisfied with the team’s performance. “I knew it was not going to be easy. I managed to recover a few positions and I am happy with what we demonstrated on the track,” the Dutch driver declared. The Brazilian driver continued his learning experience and explains, “I feel more at ease with the car and in the championship. It is important to be behind the wheel and to get more knowledge. I think that we are making progress, race after race.”
The next races of the season will take place on the Silverstone Circuit, July 6-8.