Sparco drivers have made a positive impression in the final round of the Formula One and GP2 Series Championships in Abu Dhabi this weekend. 

 

In GP2, the Championship had already been wrapped up with Sparco backed DAMS driver Jolyon Palmer being crowned winner at the Russian Grand Prix. However, there was still plenty to play for in the chase for second place with Sparco wearing Stoffel Vandoorne battling against Felipe Nasr for the runner-up slot.

 

Vandoorne got the weekend off to the best start possible by taking pole position for Saturday’s 31-lap feature race. He controlled the race masterfully to take his fourth win of the year to edge ahead of Nasr for that prized second spot. Champion Palmer took second to make it a Sparco 1-2 in the penultimate race of the season.

 

Sunday’s feature race was a close run thing with either driver able to clinch the runners-up position. Nasr ran in the podium positions while Vandoorne battled back in seventh place for much of the race. Setting the fastest lap of the race had never been more crucial and it was Vandoorne who took the honours in the closing stages to secure second place in the Championship, behind Palmer, making it a Sparco 1-2! Stefano Coletti won the 22-lap sprint race to also see the 2014 GP2 Series end with Sparco on the top step.

 

In Formula One, it was Lewis Hamilton who took a widely praised championship title, but Sparco’s Jenson Button drove a strong race to finish in fifth place for McLaren-Mercedes. The result helped Button take 8th in the drivers’ standings, while the team finished fifth in the constructors’. 

 

Unfortunately, Sparco partners Marussia F1 Team were unable to take part in the race weekend but ended the year ninth place in the championship. Caterham F1 Team participated in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Will Stevens finishing in 17th place in his first ever Grand Prix. 

 

Sparco CEO Claudio Pastoris said: “First of all, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to our partner teams and drivers in Formula One and GP2. Sparco is proud to have been so well represented in both competitive championships and to have been part of this exciting season. In GP2, we have been fortunate to see Sparco drivers take a 1-2 in the championship with Stoffel Vandoorne securing second behind Jolyon Palmer after this weekend’s racing in Abu Dhabi. Stoffel won the feature race and we also congratulate Stefano Coletti on winning the sprint race: a great result for Sparco in the final event of the year. In F1, Jenson Button took fifth wearing our overalls today and finished eighth in the classification. It’s been our honour to work with McLaren again this season. Of our other teams, we thank Caterham and Marussia F1 Team for their partnership this year even if these final events of the season have been tough. Finally, congratulations to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes on their championship winning success in F1 this season.”