Following Magny-Cours we suffered problems with the brakes at Silverstone, and after the impact there we had a big problem with the engine and we didn’t have any time to repair it, so race-after-race it was just getting worse. It was a very difficult part of the season.
We finished ninth in the first race at the Nürburgring from down in 21st on the grid, but really that’s the worst place to finish in GP2 because of the top-eight reverse grid format for the second day. It was good to come through the pack so well though, especially after the two races we had had at Magny-Cours and
Silverstone. To be honest we were quite happy just to finish. In the second one unfortunately I was pushed into the gravel trap by Ernesto Viso at the chicane; we didn’t even get to complete the first lap, so that was difficult too.
I had a good first lap in Hungary and the strategy was ok; we were running up in the top five and then Luca Filippi tried to overtake me into the hairpin, but it was quite an optimistic manoeuvre and he locked up his wheels and touched my sidepod. That broke the rear suspension as well so it was the end of the race. That meant the next day we had to start from the back and we tried to get the fastest lap, but we missed out by only the tiniest of margins. That was quite frustrating and meant we didn’t get any points at all in Hungary.
I know this car quite well now because it’s obviously my third season in GP2, but it is still very difficult to start it. The clutch is very sensitive, and if you want to make a good start you have to take some risks, which is when it becomes possible to stall.
