Addax have a proud history at their local race, with Charles Pic taking pole for them last year – Photo Credit: Drew Gibson/GP2 Media Service
The Barwa Addax Team comes into its home event of the GP2 Series season on the Valencia Street Circuit having kick-started their season with a victory last time out in Monaco.
The team has a proud record around the circuit, started by Vitaly Petrov and Lucas di Grassi winning both of the 2008 races for the team. Petrov won again in 2009, while in 2010 Sergio Perez took pole before Giedo van der Garde took second in one of the races.
Last year, Charles Pic and van der Garde locked out the front row for the squad, but race day would see Pic's car fail on its way to the grid and van der Garde lose a near-certain victory to a drive-through penalty for ignoring yellow flags and having to settle for second.
The team had a very difficult start to the 2012 season, but Johnny Cecotto's victory in Monaco has left them on a high approaching the Valencia races.
Cecotto is also in optimistic mood ahead of the weekend.
“Valencia is a special race for the team and me, it’s the home race for them and my home since the beginning of this year,” he said.
“We have been working since two weeks to prepare this race, we have never been prepared better this year. The team has a great history on this track and I like this track a lot as well, with its quick corners but also driving very close to the walls in some places which reminds me the excellent weekend in Monaco.”
Teammate Josef Kral is hoping it will be his turn to deliver a good result for the team in its own back yard.
“I hope that this will be my breaking race because so much bad luck what we had in the races before is just unbelievable,” said the Czech racer.
“We had very good pace all the time but we just did not prove it. I am very happy for Johnny that he showed the potential what we have in the car in Monaco.
“I believe that the car will be as good as it was before or maybe better because this is our home race and in past years the team was very successful here in Valencia and if we have a bit more luck than we should turn it to some good result.”
