Leading Cypriot driver Tio Ellinas and Spaniard Sergio Canamasas have joined the field for this weekends GP2 Series round at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Ellinas comes in to replace Briton Jon Lancaster at MP Motorsport, while Canamasas replaces Zimbabwean Axcil Jefferies at Trident.
22-year-old Ellinas was a front-runner for Marussia Manor Racing throughout the 2013 GP3 season, and lead that championship for over half the year before tailing off towards the end. He tested for MP during the end-of-year test in Abu Dhabi last November but no drive materialised then. He also tested for Pons Racing in the Formula Renault 3.5 series pre-season tests, but again no ride came at the end of it.
Lancaster is desperately unlucky once again to lose a drive, as the Brit has proved time and time again that he is very quick behind the wheel of a racing car. The two race wins in 2013 with Hilmer Motorsport proved that, as did topping two of the six days of pre-season testing. It is just a shame that motorsport has got to a state where money talks louder than talent.
Canamasas drove for the Caterham GP2 team in 2013, but lost his drive and Caterham backing at the end of the year after not performing to the standard the team expected him too, especially up against Alexander Rossi. He had a quiet off-season, and has not been in a GP2 car since 2013.
Canamasas’ reputation in 2013 was questionable, with the Spaniard often caught in the middle of a on-track battle that usually ended up with an accident or incident that often the fault on the Spaniard. The fact he is teaming up with another driver with a dubious reputation in Johnny Cecotto Jr makes Trident a team to be wary off, and not in a good way.
