After a month on the sidelines, the GP2 Series races back into action at Magny-Cours this weekend, supporting the French Grand Prix after
Formula One returns from its traditional mid-season transatlantic jaunt.
Round seven of the 2006 campaign takes GP2 into the heart of France with only a two-day test further south at Paul Ricard to keep the teams on their toes, so all 26 cars will be raring to go when the pits open on Friday morning.
Although last year's break came at a slightly different point in the calendar, the field reconvened at the same circuit and were taken aback as ART Grand Prix suddenly showed that their work away from the track had been worth it.
Nico Rosberg and Alex Premat were suddenly frontrunners, with the German taking his maiden win in Sunday's sprint at Magny-Cours to set up a title charge in both championships. This time around, it is the other twelve teams hoping to find something that will allow them to rein in ART and current points leader
Lewis Hamilton.
The Briton enjoys a 21-point advantage over early season pacesetter Nelson Piquet Jr, having shown some unstoppable form in recent rounds. A double win on home soil at
Silverstone before the break only underlined his new status as title favourite, and has propelled Hamilton firmly into the reckoning for a Formula One seat next season - especially now that Juan Montoya has confirmed his exit from
McLaren, where Ron Dennis has overseen Hamilton's career from karting to GP2.
Piquet kept his hand in during the break with a maiden outing at the Le Mans 24 Hours, but will find the return to the Piquet Sports Dallara more to his liking, even if he faces a seemingly insurmountable task to overhaul Hamilton. The Brazilian failed to score in either of last year's races at Magny-Cours, but will need to do so this time, not only to keep Hamilton in sight, but also to fend off the challenge of the second ART driver, Alex Premat, who lies just ten points adrift in third place overall.
