Auto GP World Series 2012 season

The Auto GP World Series season 2012 was the 14th season of the racing series, which was held for the third time under the name Auto GP . For the first time the addition World Series was used. The name also reflects the fact that races were held outside Europe for the first time.

Rule changes

technical changes

As of the 2012 season, the cars will have an overboost button . When this button is pressed, the output is temporarily increased by 50  bhp . A driver can call up this extra performance ten times per race.

Kumho Tire replaced Michelin as tire supplier for the 2012 season. Two mixtures ( Prime and Option ) were provided on each race weekend, both of which had to be used over the course of a dry race weekend.

Sporting changes

The second race will be just as long as the first race from the 2012 season. In addition, a mandatory pit stop also had to be completed in this race. The starting line-up was still determined using the reversed grid method, which means that the eight best drivers in the first race started in reverse order and the remaining positions were allocated according to the race result. Therefore, reduced points were still awarded in the second race, although the point system for this race was modified. As in the first race, the top ten drivers also received points here. Previously, points were only given to the first eight drivers. The scoring system for this race was 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1.

Teams and drivers

All pilots drove with the Lola chassis B05 / 52 , engines from Zytek and tires from Kumho .

team	No.	driver	Race weekend
Campos Racing	01	Facu regalía	1-5
		Pippa man	7th
	02	Giuseppe Cipriani	1-7
	03	Max Snegirev	1-7
SuperNova International	10	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	1-7
	11	Víctor Guerin	1-5
Ombra Racing	23	Adderly Fong	1, 4
		Yann Cunha	2, 3
		Antonio Pizzonia	6th
		Antonio Spavone	7th
	45	Giancarlo Serenelli	1-5, 7
		Rafael Suzuki	6th
Manor MP Motorsport	32	Daniël de Jong	1-7
	33	Chris van der Drift	1-6
Euronova Racing	12	Sergei Sirotkin	1-7
	14th	Antonio Spavone	1-5
		Sergio Campana	6th
		Kōtaro Sakurai	7th
MLR71 Racing Team	05	Sergio Campana	1-5
		Giacomo Ricci	7th
	71	Michele La Rosa	1-7
Virtuosi Racing UK	06th	Matteo Beretta	1
		Sten Pentus	2
		Francesco Dracone	3-7
	07th	Pål Varhaug	1-7
Zele Racing	08th	Giacomo Ricci	1, 3
		Matteo Beretta	2
		Sten Pentus	4, 5
		Sergio Campana	7th
	09	Peter Milavec	2
		Juan Carlos Sistos	5
		Antonio Pizzonia	7th

Changes in the drivers

The following list contains all drivers who took part in the 2011 Auto GP season and who did not start for the same team in the 2012 season as in 2011.

Drivers who have changed their team:

• Giuseppe Cipriani : Griffitz Durango → Campos Racing
• Francesco Dracone : Ombra Racing → Virtuosi Racing UK

Drivers entering or returning to the Auto GP World Series:

• Matteo Beretta : European F3 Open ( RP Motorsport ) → Virtuosi Racing UK
• Sergio Campana : Italian Formula 3 Championship ( BVM - Target Racing ) → MLR71 Racing Team
• Yann Cunha : British Formula 3 Championship ( T-Sport ) → Ombra Racing
• Chris van der Drift : Formula Renault 3.5 ( Mofaz Racing ) → Manor MP Motorsport
• Adderly Fong : British Formula 3 Championship ( Sino Vision Racing ) → Ombra Racing
• Víctor Guerin : Italian Formula 3 Championship ( Lucidi Motors ) → SuperNova International
• Pippa Mann : IndyCar Series ( Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing ) → Campos Racing
• Peter Milavec : EuroBOSS Series ( Zele Racing ) → Zele Racing
• Sten Pentus : Formula Renault 3.5 ( EPIC Racing ) → Virtuosi Racing UK
• Antonio Pizzonia : Superleague Formula ( Alan Docking Racing ) → Ombra Racing
• Adrian Quaife-Hobbs : GP3 series ( Marussia Manor Racing ) → SuperNova International
• Facu Regalía : Italian Formula 3 Championship ( Arco Motorsport ) → Campos Racing
• Giacomo Ricci : Time out → Zele Racing
• Kōtarō Sakurai : British Formula 3 Championship ( Hitech Racing ) → Euronova Racing
• Giancarlo Serenelli : LATAM Challenge Series ( Re Racing ) → Ombra Racing
• Sergei Sirotkin : Formula Abarth (Euronova Racing by Fortec ) → Euronova Racing
• Juan Carlos Sistos : European F3 Open ( Emiliodevillota Motorsport ) → Zele Racing
• Max Snegirev : FIA Formula 2 Championship → Campos Racing
• Antonio Spavone : Formula Abarth ( JD Motorsport ) → Euronova Racing
• Rafael Suzuki : Time out → Ombra Racing
• Pål Varhaug : GP2 series ( DAMS ) → Virtuosi Racing UK

Drivers who have left the Auto GP World Series:

• Sergei Afanassjew : DAMS → FIA GT1 World Championship ( Valmon Racing Team Russia )
• Samuele Buttarelli : TP Formula → FIA Formula 2 Championship
• Kevin Ceccon : Ombra Racing → GP3 series ( Ocean Racing Technology )
• Fabrizio Crestani : Lazarus → GP2 series (Venezuela GP Lazarus)
• Pasquale Di Sabatino : TP Formula → WTCC ( bamboo engineering )
• Luca Filippi : SuperNova → GP2 Series ( Scuderia Coloni )
• Rodolfo González : Campos Racing → GP2 series ( Caterham Racing )
• Rio Haryanto : DAMS → GP2 series ( Carlin )
• Kevin Korjus : DAMS → Formula Renault 3.5 ( Tech 1 Racing )
• Jon Lancaster : SuperNova → GP2 series (Ocean Racing Technology)
• Fabio Onidi : Lazarus → GP2 series (Scuderia Coloni)
• Adrien Tambay : Campos Racing → DTM ( Abt Sportsline )
• Giovanni Venturini : Griffitz Durango → Formula Renault 3.5 (BVM Target)

Drivers who do not yet have a contract for a racing cockpit 2012:

Marco Barba Stefano Bizzarri

Adrián Campos Jr. Adam Carroll

Bruno Méndez Adrian Zaugg

Changes in the teams

• The racing driver and businessman Michele La Rosa entered the Auto GP World Series in 2012 with his own team, the MLR71 Racing Team . The racing team planned to use three vehicles, but only entered with two drivers.
• The newly founded British team Virtuosi Racing UK took part in the Auto GP World Series for the first time in 2012. The racing team was founded by the entrepreneur Declan Lohan. Andy Roche and Paul Devlin will lead the team . Roche has been active in motorsport for over 20 years and was most recently technical director at Super Nova Racing in the GP2 series . He was already working for the team when he was in Formula 3000 and won the championship title with several drivers. Devlin has also been with Super Nova for the past seven years, most recently as chief mechanic. He also takes on this position at Virtuosi UK.
• The Austrian racing team Zele Racing returned to the Auto GP World Series in 2012. The racing team was already active in the racing series in 2004 .
• Euronova Racing , the team of the former racing driver Vincenzo Sospiri , returned to the Auto GP World Series in 2012. Euronova Racing competed in the Auto GP in 2010.
• DAMS , the preseason championship team, did not compete in the Auto GP World Series in 2012. In addition, TP Formula , Lazarus and Griffitz Durango were no longer at the start.

Changes during the season

• Matteo Beretta switched from Virtuosi Racing UK to Zele Racing after the first race weekend .
• Sten Pentus initially started for Virtuosi Racing UK and then for Zele Racing.
• Sergio Campana switched from the MLR71 Racing Team to Euronova Racing for the sixth race weekend and then to Zele Racing for the seventh event.
• Antonio Spavone left Euronova Racing after the fifth race weekend and returned to Ombra Racing for the seventh race weekend .
• Antonio Pizzonia switched from Ombra Racing to Zele Racing after the sixth race weekend.
• Giacomo Ricci contested the first and third race weekend for Zele Racing and the seventh for the MLR71 Racing Team.

Racing calendar

In the 2012 season, the Auto GP World Series also held races on the American continent and in Africa , and for the first time had events outside of Europe . The Auto GP World Series competed at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay el Hassan in Marrakech , Morocco , making it the only international monoposto series in 2012 to host a race in Africa. In the United States , the Auto GP World Series started at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma , which also hosted the IndyCar Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup events in 2012 . In Brazil , a race was held at the Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba in Curitiba .

In addition, the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão , Portugal was on the racing calendar. All events took place together with the World Touring Car Championship .

The Czech race in the Automotodrom Brno , the British race in Donington Park , the German race in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben and the Italian race in the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello no longer took place.

No.	date	Racetrack	winner	Second	Third
01.	March 10th	Monza	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Pål Varhaug	Daniël de Jong
02.	March 11		Pål Varhaug	Chris van der Drift	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs
03.	March 31	Valencia	Sergei Sirotkin	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Pål Varhaug
04th	0April 1st		Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Facu regalía	Sergei Sirotkin
05.	April 14th	Marrakech	Sergio Campana	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Pål Varhaug
06th	April 15th		Chris van der Drift	Sergei Sirotkin	Giacomo Ricci
07th	05th of May	Mogyoród	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Víctor Guerin	Facu regalía
08th.	0May 6th		Pål Varhaug	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Sergei Sirotkin
09.	02th of June	Portimão	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Pål Varhaug	Sergei Sirotkin
10.	03rd of June		Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Chris van der Drift	Sergei Sirotkin
11.	21 July	Curitiba	Antonio Pizzonia	Pål Varhaug	Sergei Sirotkin
12.	22nd of July		Antonio Pizzonia	Chris van der Drift	Daniël de Jong
13.	September 22	Sonoma	Pål Varhaug	Daniël de Jong	Sergei Sirotkin
14th	September 23rd		Sergei Sirotkin	Adrian Quaife-Hobbs	Sergio Campana

Ratings

Point system

The points were awarded according to the following scheme:

position	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	PP	SR
Race 1	25th	18th	15th	12	10	8th	6th	4th	2	1	1	1
Race 2	20th	15th	12	10	8th	6th	4th	3	2	1	-	1

Driver ranking

Item driver MON VAL MAR HUN POR CUR SON Points 01  A. Quaife-Hobbs 1 3 2 1 2 4th 1 2 1 1 6th 12 * DNF 2 221 02  P. Varhaug 2 1 3 8th 3 7th 5 1 2 DNF 2 5 1 5 183 03  S. Sirotkin 14th 4th 1 3 6th 2 13 * 3 3 3 3 4th 3 1 175 04th  C. van der drift 5 2 6th 7th 4th 1 7th 5 8th 2 5 2     127 05  D. de Jong 3 DNF 4th 4th 7th DNF 11 12 7th 7th 4th 3 2 6th 104 06th  S. Campana 10 DNF 5 9 1 13 * DNF 7th 5 4th 11 * 8th 4th 3 90 07th  F. Regalia 4th 9 7th 2 DNF 10 3 10 6th 5         68 08th  V. Guerin 15th 11 16 * 5 DNF 5 2 DNF 4th DNF         46 09  A. Pizzonia                     1 1 DNF 12 * 45 10  A. Spavone 8th 5 9 11 8th DNF 8th 8th 11 9     8th 4th 41 11  G. Ricci 6th DNF     5 3             5 11 * 40 12  G. Serenelli 9 8th 11 12 11 11 * 4th 9 10 6th     6th DNF 34 13  M. Snegirev 7th 6th 8th 6th 13 DNF DNF 11 12 8th 10 * 7th DNF 7th 34 14th  G. Cipriani 11 10 12 14th DNF 9 6th 6th DNF DNF DNF 10 DNF DNF 18th 15th  S. Pentus     10 10     9 4th DNF DNF         14th 16  F. Dracone         10 8th 10 14th 13 10 8th 9 DNF 9 14th 17th  R. Suzuki                     7th 6th     12 18th  Y. Cunha     13 DNF 9 6th                 8th 19th  K. Sakurai                         7th DNF 6th 20th  P. Mann                         9 8th 5 21st  A. Fong 13 7th         DNF 13             4th 22nd  M. La Rosa 12 12 14th 15th 12 12 * 12 DNF DNS 11 9 11 10 10 4th 23  J. Sistos                 9 DNF         2 24  M. Beretta DNS 15 * 17 * 13                     0 25th  P. Milavec     15th 16                     0 Item driver MON VAL MAR HUN POR CUR SON Points

colour meaning gold winner silver 2nd place bronze 3rd place green Placement in the points blue Classified outside the point ranks violet Race not finished (DNF) not classified (NC) red not qualified (DNQ) black disqualified (DSQ) White not at the start (DNS) withdrawn (WD) Race canceled (C) Blank not participated injured or sick (INJ) excluded (EX) other formats and characters P / bold Pole position italic Fastest racing lap (in the GP2 series / FIA Formula 2 championship from 2008 for the fastest racing lap of the ten best drivers) * not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered underlined Leader in the overall standings Bold - pole position Italic - fastest race lap * - not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered

U21 drivers' championship

Item	driver	MON		VAL		MAR		HUN		POR		CUR		SON		Points
01	A. Quaife-Hobbs	1	3	2	1	2	4th	1	2	1	1	6th	12 *	DNF	2	240
02	S. Sirotkin	14th	4th	1	3	6th	2	13 *	3	3	3	3	4th	3	1	216
03	P. Varhaug	2	1	3	8th	3	7th	5	1	2	DNF	2	5	1	5	207
04th	D. de Jong	3	DNF	4th	4th	7th	DNF	11	12	7th	7th	4th	3	2	6th	137
05	F. Regalia	4th	9	7th	2	DNF	10	3	10	6th	5					96
06th	A. Spavone	8th	5	9	11	8th	DNF	8th	8th	11	9			8th	4th	96
07th	V. Guerin	15th	11	16 *	5	DNF	5	2	DNF	4th	DNF					66
08th	Y. Cunha			13	DNF	9	6th									24
09	K. Sakurai													7th	DNF	12
10	M. Beretta	DNS	15 *	17 *	13											9
11	J. Sistos									9	DNF					6th
Item	driver	MON		VAL		MAR		HUN		POR		CUR		SON		Points

• Daniël de Jong was not included in this classification in the first race in Mogyoród.
• Adrian Quaife-Hobbs was not included in this classification in the second race in Curitiba.

Team evaluation

Item	team	MON		VAL		MAR		HUN		POR		CUR		SON		Points
1	SuperNova International	1	3	2	1	2	4th	1	2	1	1	6th	12 *	DNF	2	267
		15th	11	16 *	5	DNF	5	2	DNF	4th	DNF
2	Manor MP Motorsport	3	2	4th	4th	4th	1	7th	5	6th	2	4th	2	2	6th	231
		5	DNF	6th	7th	7th	DNF	11	12	7th	7th	5	3
3	Euronova Racing	8th	4th	1	3	6th	2	8th	3	3	3	3	8th	3	1	197
		14th	5	9	11	8th	DNF	13 *	8th	11	9	11 *	4th	7th	DNF
4th	Virtuosi Racing UK	2	1	3	8th	3	7th	5	1	2	10	2	5	1	5	192
		DNS	15 *	10	10	10	8th	10	14th	13	DNF	8th	9	DNF	9
5	Campos Racing	4th	6th	7th	2	13	9	3	6th	6th	5	10 *	7th	9	7th	124
		7th	9	8th	6th	DNF	10	6th	10	12	8th	DNF	10	DNF	8th
6th	Ombra Racing	9	7th	11	12	9	6th	4th	9	10	6th	1	1	6th	4th	117
		13	8th	13	DNF	11	11 *	DNF	13			7th	6th	8th	DNF
7th	MLR71 Racing Team	10	12	5	9	1	12 *	12	7th	5	4th	9	11	5	10	75
		12	DNF	14th	15th	12	13 *	DNF	DNF	DNS	11			10	11
8th	Zele Racing	6th	DNF	15th	13	5	3	9	4th	9	DNF			4th	3	68
				17 *	16					DNF	DNF			DNF	12
Item	team	MON		VAL		MAR		HUN		POR		CUR		SON		Points

• The Virtuosi Racing UK vehicle driven by Francesco Dracone did not count towards the first race in Marrakech.
• The Euronova Racing car driven by Antonio Spavone was not included in the classification of the second race in Portimão.
• At the first race in Curitiba, the Virtuosi Racing UK vehicle driven by Francesco Dracone and the MLR71 Racing Team were not included in the ranking.
• The Euronova Racing car driven by Sergei Sirotkin did not count towards the second race in Curitiba.
• Two points were deducted from Euronova Racing .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ "Auto GP plans 2012 with some overseas events" (Motorsport-Total.com on September 13, 2011)
2. ↑ “Auto GP becomes Auto GP World Series” (autogp.org on February 17, 2012)
3. ↑ "Auto GP adds overboost overtaking system" (autosport.com on December 2, 2011)
4. ↑ “Kumho replaces Michelin as Auto GP tire supplier” (autosport.com on February 3, 2012)
5. ↑ ^{a b} “Longer distance and pit-stop for Race 2 in 2012” (autogp.org on November 25, 2011)
6. ↑ “Auto GP tweaks race 2 points system for 2012 season” (autosport.com on February 29, 2012)
7. ↑ ^{a b c d} “Team Ghinzani targets Auto GP commitment” (autogp.org on December 1, 2011)
8. ^ "Facu Regalia e il team Campos insieme su due fronti: Auto GP ed European F3 Open" (stopandgo.tv on December 28, 2011)
9. ^ "Pippa Mann to make Auto GP debut at Sonoma". autosport.com, September 10, 2012, accessed September 20, 2012 . 
10. ↑ ^{a b} “Campos Racing confirms 2012 line-up for Auto GP World Series” (autosport.com on February 22, 2012)
11. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} “16 drivers on the Auto GP World Series grid” (autogp.org on March 8, 2012)
12. ↑ “Cunha joins AutoGP field for the second round at Valencia” (autosport.com on March 28, 2012)
13. ↑ “Pizzonia joins Ombra Racing in Curitiba”. autogp.org, July 18, 2012, accessed July 18, 2012 . 
14. ^ Matt Beer: "Antonio Spavone back to Auto GP for Sonoma finale". autosport.com, September 14, 2012, accessed September 20, 2012 . 
15. ↑ “Serenelli joins Auto GP with Ombra Racing” (autogp.org on January 13, 2012)
16. ^ ^{A b} Peter Mills: “Adrian Quaife-Hobbs pips ex-Formula 1 star Antonio Pizzonia in Curitiba Auto GP practice”. autosport.com, July 20, 2012, accessed July 20, 2012 . 
17. ↑ “MP team and Daniel de Jong commit to full Auto GP campaign in 2012” (autosport.com on January 27, 2012)
18. ↑ ^{a b} “Euronova Racing returns to Auto GP for 2012 season” (autosport.com on February 2, 2012)
19. ↑ “SIROTKIN STAYS WITH EURONOVA FOR DOUBLE PROGRAMS” ( Memento from February 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (euronova-racing.com on February 19, 2012; PDF; 366 kB)
20. ↑ Jamie O'Leary: “Kotaro Sakurai joins Auto GP for final round”. autosport.com, September 21, 2012, accessed September 22, 2012 . 
21. ↑ "Team MLR71 is the first new entry for 2012" (autogp.org on November 2, 2011)
22. ^ Pablo Elizalde: "Giacomo Ricci to return for Auto GP Sonoma finale". autosport.com, September 12, 2012, accessed September 20, 2012 . 
23. ↑ ^{a b} “New British team joins Auto GP grid for 2012 season” (autosport.com on January 12, 2012)
24. ↑ “Pentus secures drive with Virtuosi UK to compete in Auto GP from the second round at Valencia” (autosport.com on March 27, 2012)
25. ↑ “Sergio Campana leads Marrakech Auto GP practice” (autosport.com on April 13, 2012)
26. ^ "Pal Varhaug nel primo round di Monza con il team Virtuosi UK" (stopandgo.tv on March 5, 2012)
27. ↑ ^{a b c} “Zele Racing targets Auto GP commitment” (autogp.org on January 21, 2012)
28. ^ "Fong and Pentus back on the grid" (autogp.org on May 2, 2012)
29. ↑ ^{a b} “Former F1 pilot Antonio Pizzonia to contest Auto GP Sonoma finale”. autosport.com, September 18, 2012, accessed September 20, 2012 . 
30. ↑ Jamie O'Leary: “Sistos joins Zele Racing's line-up for Auto GP round at Algarve”. autosport.com, May 31, 2012, accessed June 2, 2012 . 
31. ↑ “MLR71 enters Auto GP” (autosport.com on November 2, 2011)
32. ↑ “Virtuosi UK, a new team on the Auto GP grid” (autogp.org on January 12, 2012)
33. ↑ “Worldwide plans for Auto GP in 2012” (autogp.org on September 3, 2011)
34. ↑ “Dates & Events 2012” (autogp.org; accessed December 13, 2011)