RT RUSSIAN TIME GP2
GP2 Series, Round 5, Silverstone Race 1, July 05, 2014
Twenty-year-old Mitch Evans became the first New Zealander to win a top level
single-seater motor race for almost 30 years in the GP2 feature race supporting the
British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The last Kiwi to win a race in the F1 feeder series
was Mike Thackwell at Pau, France in 1986!
Evans made a strong start from third on the grid to run second on the opening lap
and then enjoyed a close battle with championship leader Jolyon Palmer. Both
drivers started on Pirelli’s prime tyre, with Palmer pitting for the option rubber 19
laps into the 28-lap race. Evans stopped a lap later and a quicker turnaround from
his defending champion RT Russian Time team saw Evans re-emerge in front. But
the margin was a narrow one, Evans and Palmer having a side-by-side tussle as the
Kiwi brought his new tyres fully up to working temperature. Once the rubber was in,
Evans set the race’s fastest lap and consolidated his advantage. The win moves him
up to fourth in the series, behind Palmer, Felipe Nasr and Johnny Cecotto.
On a fabulous opening lap for RT Russian Time, 19-year-old rookie Russian Artem
Markelov picked up a stunning 10 places to run 16th and eventually finished 18th.
Mitch Evans: “The win feels amazing! It’s been a while coming but that makes it
even sweeter. The team deserves it, I think I do as well, as do all those who have
supported me up to this point. The car was great, very consistent, and I couldn’t
have asked for more. I was relieved to hang on to the lead after the stop because as I
was coming out of the pits they told me that Jolyon was exiting Turn 1. It was close
but good racing -- tough but fair. I’m sure he’d have done the same to me!”
Artem Markelov: “Silverstone is a great race track and it’s not often you make up
10 places on the first lap of a motor race! I just need to work on my qualifying and,
in the meantime, I’ll be fighting hard in tomorrow’s reverse grid race.”
Paul Jackson, Team Manager: “We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes
and it hadn’t quite come together, but finally it has! Mitch is a great lad, and very
good, and I’m delighted for him after such a fine drive. Artem’s first lap was also
amazing, he does race very well and we just have to get qualifying worked out.”
Svetlana Strelnikova, Team Principal: ”I’m delighted for Mitch, the team and
everyone involved. The British GP is a great event at which to score your first GP2
win. Mitch’s family was here, his Mum for the first time, and mentor Mark Webber,
who won the main event here twice, and that just made it all the more special!”