Tag: F2

Report: Race 1 Mugello

Simone Colombo continues his hot streak with his tenth win of the season. Colacino and Pizzonia win their classes.

After securing the championship title last time out in Monza, Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) is not slowing down in the first Mugello race. The now two-time BOSS GP Champion managed to keep Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) at distance once again. The Italian battle in the FORMULA class continued in Mugello, although this time it was much less tense between the two GP2 drivers. By the way, Ghiotto finished in the top-3 for the tenth time this season.

In the battle for third place, Andreas Fiedler (GER, Fiedler Racing) had already built up a small lead over the drivers behind him before a safety car interruption reunited the pack. Fiedler defended hard but always fair against Marc Faggionato (MCO, MM International) before the Monegasque was able to overtake Fiedler in the third sector. A small driving mistake a little later also allowed Salvatore de Plano (ITA, MM International) to pass the German. Faggionato was annoyed despite third place, because not for the first time this year a bad start robbed the fast all-rounder of his chance to fight for victory.

Sixth place went to Nicolas Matile (MCO) of the French team Zig-Zag. Bruno Jarach (ITA, Eesti Motorsport) took 7th place ahead of Jean-Christophe Peyre (FRA, Zig-Zag), who crossed the finish line only just behind. Roland Rupprechter (AUT, Rupprechter Motorsport) was delighted with another finish.

Antonio Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering) was on the best way to overall victory, but on lap 5 the former Formula 1 driver stopped in turn 3 because the shifting of the World Series Dallara did not work correctly anymore. Walter Colacino (ITA, Walter Colacino Racing) took the full points in the SUPER LIGHTS classification and climbed onto the podium as well. The last chance to take a trophy this season is tomorrow, Sunday: the longer, 25-minute race starts at 11:00 a.m. CEST.

Photo: Angelo Poletto

Report: Le Castellet Race 1

In front of the shining eyes of French racing legends Jean Alesi and Rene Arnoux, the BOSS GP drivers and their unique bolides braved the heat of the Cote d’Azur.

The 20 drivers of the BOSS GP Racing Series started the fifth race of the 2022 season at an outside temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. Because one vehicle stalled at the pre-start and recovery took some time, the race was restarted a few minutes later behind the safety car.

BOSS GP F1 Class

Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) did what he had done many times in 2022: controlling the pace. Mindful of the valuable Toro Rosso F1, he tried to keep his rivals under control in the rear-view mirror. He succeeded with style, winning the F1 classification for the fifth time this year. After some technical problems on the Benetton B197, Ulf Ehninger (GER, ESBA Racing) also saw the chequered flag again today. At his first start in Le Castellet he drove a flawless race, which was rewarded with points for second place. At the beginning of the race Didier Sirgue (FRA, LRS Racing) followed him in the rear-view mirror. However, he subsequently lost contact to Ehninger. Nevertheless, Sirgue, who made his BOSS GP comeback after a break of several years, finished the race in third place in the beautiful Jaguar R2 (with R5 livery).

BOSS GP OPEN Class

Rene Arnoux congratulates the Top-3 in the BOSS GP F1 Class

Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) was allowed to pick up the winner’s trophy for the class without engine capacity limit. However, his own incentive is to chase the Formula 1 cars. With the fastest lap of 1:48.371, the former Formula 3 professional was also only a few tenths off the fastest lap of the race in the first race, driven by Ingo Gerstl.

BOSS GP FORMULA Class

Zdenek Chovanec-Lopez (PRT, MM International) extended his lead in the fiercely contested FORMULA Class classification with his fourth win of the season. However, the most exciting duel of the race again took place behind the race winner. Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) and Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) seamlessly continued their duel from the last race weekend at the Red Bull Ring. Throughout the race Ghiotto “hung” in Colombo’s gearbox, several times he tried to pass Colombo, even on the approach to brave turn “Signe” at the end of the long Mistral straight. In the end, it was Colombo again who held on to second place, as he had done in Spielberg. Francesco Malavese (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) narrowly missed the podium with 4th place. Behind Malavese followed the fastest Auto GP Lola of Nicolas Matile (MCO, Zig-Zag). Matile did not allow himself a break, but also took part in the race of the Formula 1 cars from the 1970s afterwards. Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio), who was able to drive to the chequered flag after technical problems in qualifying, and Thomas Jackermeier (GER, Top Speed), who had switched from Formula 1 to the GP2 Dallara after a gearbox failure on his Toro Rosso STR3 on Friday, finished 6th and 7th place. Best Frenchman in the FORMULA classification was David Moretti (Griffith’s) in ninth.

Yannick Dalmas with the second place driver in FORMULA class Simone Colombo

BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS Class

The youngest competitor in the BOSS GP Racing Series at 16 years of age, Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing), converted his first pole position at his first race appearance straight into a victory. This meant that Andreas Hasler (AUT, Hasler Motorsport) was unable to take full points for the first time this season. With second place, however, Hasler remains unchallenged in the lead of the standings.

First victory for Alexander Geier (r.)

The sixth race of the season follows tomorrow Sunday at 3:30 p.m. local time. Before that, there will be a ten-minute warm-up at 9:35 am. The race can be followed live on French television and as today on the YouTube channel of the TV station Automoto la chaîne (only in France).

Pictures: SMW MEDIA

Self-made man

From race kart to Formula 2: Simone Colombo (35, from near Milan) shows how it’s done. In our interview, the MM International driver explains why the BOSS GP Racing Series has captivated him.

You come from professional karting and switched to a Formula 2 car last year. How did that come about?

SIMONE COLOMBO: “I started karting and then stopped when I got my job. I didn’t race for seven years and I felt I was missing something. But during my job I couldn’t do both, so I couldn’t continue karting. So I tried to start motor racing and that’s why I’m here. In 2021, I drove my first race ever. I just started racing formula cars and I don’t know much about it. But this year I tested before the first race a lot.”

But it looks very skillful, you don’t make many mistakes. Were GT cars actually not an option for you?

COLOMBO: “No! Only single seaters, that’s the maximum.”

Why do you race in the BOSS GP Racing Series?

COLOMBO: “To have fun! I enjoy the experience, the tracks, the car. There are not so many opportunities to drive this kind of cars.”

Promising start: In Simone’s debut season in 2021 he immediately became runner-up in the FORMULA class

What does your company Mondokart do?

COLOMBO: “We sell kart parts and karts. We work hard to be very good and fast in shipping. We are sort of the ‘Amazon of karting’. Karting is very big in Italy because most karts are produced in Italy and all the main manufacturers are in Italy.”

What kart chassis do you sell?

COLOMBO: “We sell CRG, Tonykart, but we also have many other brands. We work with all the companies in the sector. In addition, we are also manufacturers of karts ourselves, but that is not the biggest part of the business.”

What is your goal for this racing season, what do you expect?

COLOMBO: “I want to do better than last year. Maybe I can get first place in the championship, but I don’t know if I will be able to do that. There are also some new riders this year … I will just take it step by step.”

Pictures: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP, Robert Lösch

Report: Red Bull Ring Spielberg Race 2

Plenty of fans listened to the sounds of the BOSS GP Racing Series today. Numerous duels characterized the second round of the Rundstreckentrophy in Austria.

BOSS GP F1 Class

In the early stages of Sunday’s race, the two Top Speed teammates Ingo Gerstl (AUT) and Thomas Jackermeier (DEU) circulated around the 2.7-mile Formula 1 track in their Toro Rossos synchronously. Jackermeier even recorded his first leading miles in the BOSS GP Racing Series. This was remarkable, as it was only his second race in a Formula 1 car. In the second half of the race, however, Gerstl shifted up a gear and took the lead again in his Toro Rosso STR1. The Austrian not only drove to home victory but also to his fourth win of the 2022 season. Jackermeier finished the race in second place, as he did yesterday, and can thus look back on a highly successful debut weekend in the Toro Rosso STR3. Third place went to last year’s champion Ulf Ehninger (GER, ESBA Racing) in the 1997 Benetton.

BOSS GP OPEN Class

As pole setter of the second starting group, Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) was once again trying to catch up with the Formula 1 cars in front of him. Schlegelmilch drove to a safe start-finish victory in the OPEN class in his modified World Series car. Anton Werner (GER, Ryschka Motorsport) in the only IndyCar car finished second.

BOSS GP FORMULA Class

Chovanec-Lopez (Dallara GP2 Mecachrome) won both races in the FORMULA class

With an advantage of half a minute in the final classification Zdenek Chovanec-Lopez (PRT, MM International) dominated the class, which was mainly filled with Formula 2 cars. In contrast to yesterday, he tried to build up a bigger lead with fast lap times already in the early stages, which he succeeded in doing. With victory number 3 this season, Chovanec-Lopez also extended his lead in the standings. Behind the winner, the competitors were increasingly fighting with each other: Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) and Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) duelled for second place for a long time. Because Ghiotto was losing ground towards the end of the race due to overheated brakes, the reigning champion was only able to finish 3rd behind Hockenheim race winner Colombo. Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International) in the green glittering GP2 Dallara drove unchallenged to fourth place.

The best fights for positions were again delivered by the group around Paul O’Connell (IRE, HS Engineering) in the World Series V8 car, Michael Aberer (AUT, MA Motorsport), Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio) and Bianca Steiner (AUT, Steiner Motorsport) in their GP2 cars. The positions changed several times, including some impressive braking manoeuvres. In the end, it was Steiner who prevailed, delighted with fifth place and a flawless race but annoyed with a botched qualifying session. Behind O’Connell and Aberer, Giancarlo Pedetti (ITA, Nannini Racing) was also able to work his way up the order in the race. Steding finished ninth, Thomas Jakoubek (AUT, Top Speed) finished tenth, glad to see the chequered flag this time.

Andreas Hasler takes full points in the Spielberg races

BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS Class

The class of the six-cylinder cars was reserved for Andreas Hasler (AUT, Hasler Motorsport) from Styria, who made the short journey home with two winner’s trophies. For the next races, the BOSS GP rookie plans to finally be able to call up the full engine power of his older World Series car.

Hasler will have his next opportunity to do so in just two weeks’ time, at the BOSS GP races as part of the French Historic Grand Prix in Le Castellet (June 17-19, 2022).

Report: Red Bull Ring Spielberg Race 1

After pole position comes the victory: Class wins for Gerstl (F1), Schlegelmilch (OPEN), Chovanec-Lopez (FORMULA) and Hasler (SUPER LIGHTS).

The first race of the BOSS GP Racing Series took place in perfect weather conditions and at the best starting time just after 2 pm. For the first time, the race was divided into two starting groups, first the BOSS GP Formula 1 class and then, with a gap of about 20 seconds, the OPEN, FORMULA and SUPER LIGHTS pilotes.

BOSS GP F1 Class

Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) continued his winning streak from Hockenheim. The man from Salzburg with his Toro Rosso STR1 won the first BOSS GP race at the Rundstreckentrophy. His Top Speed teammate Thomas Jackermeier (GER) drove a flawless debut race in his Toro Rosso Formula 1 car and finished in second place behind Gerstl. For a while he was able to follow his much more experienced teammate. Ulf Ehninger (GER, ESBA Racing) drove an flawless race and deservedly picked up a trophy for third place.

The most successful drivers of race 1 in Spielberg

BOSS GP OPEN Class

After a safety car period, Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) also gave the Formula 1 cars in front of him a good run for their money towards the end of the race. Schlegelmilch won the OPEN class in his modified World Series car ahead of the rare IndyCar (IRL-IR8) of Anton Werner (GER, Ryschka Motorsport).

Hard, but fair racing: Fine battles in midfield

BOSS GP FORMULA Class

Zdenek Chovanec-Lopez (PRT, MM International) was unbeatable as expected after his strong qualifying performance. With his second victory of the season, Chovanec-Lopez regained the sole lead in the FORMULA class standings. Behind him, the two Italians Simone Colombo (MM International) and Marco Ghiotto (Scuderia Palladio) fought a hot duel as expected. While Ghiotto struggled with overheated brakes, Colombo also overshot the breaking points a time or two. In the end, Colombo prevailed over Ghiotto. Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio) finished fourth with his best performance of the season. Giancarlo Pedetti (ITA, Nannini Racing) finished 5th, just ahead of Bianca Steiner (Steiner Motorsport), who performed well in the race, as the best Austrian in this class. Victory in the BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS Class went to Styrian local hero Andreas Hasler (AUT, Hasler Motorsport).

The fourth race of the season starts tomorrow Sunday at 2 o’clock local time.

Pictures: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP, Henry Gasselich/VOLLGAS!

Preview & Guide Brno

Ingo Gerstl in his Toro Rosso STR1 on the grid before the BOSS Grand Prix in Brno 2018

The innovative and aspiring Moravian city of Brno will host the ninth and tenth BOSS Grand Prix 2019 from 5 to 8 September.

The second largest city in the Czech Republic will host another exciting round of the Big Open Single Seater anniversary season. After TT Circuit in Assen follows with the Automotodrom Brno another racetrack famous for motorcycle races. With a track length of 5.403 kilometres, the track on the western outskirts of the city is the longest in the 2019 BOSS GP racing calendar. Fast and smooth curves alternate with a technically demanding part. Engine power is also a decisive factor, as the Czech roller coaster climbs steeply in the last third of the track.

What will the Masaryk Racing Days offer?

The BOSS GP series has arrived in the middle of championship battle. Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) could already be crowned champion in the OPEN class in Brno with an extension of the winning streak that has already lasted three races. The FORMULA class is much closer: Alessandro Bracalente (ITA, Speed Center) and Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) have the best chances there. Philippe Haezebrouck (FRA, Speed Center) and Andreas Fiedler (DEU, Fiedler Racing) are still considered outsiders before the last four rounds in Brno and Imola. Marc Faggionato and Nicolas Matile will add an extra spice with their guest starts in Brno. Faggionato won both races last year.

In addition to the headliner BOSS GP, there will be much more racing from Thursday to Sunday: Sports Car and P9 Challenge, Drexler Formula Cup, ESET V4 Cup with TCR, Suzuki Swift Cup Europe and historic racing classes (HAIGO). The racing fans can look forward to a total of 19 races at the weekend.

BOSS GP schedule Brno

Thursday, 5 September 2019:
14:00–14:25 Test 1 (25 Minutes)
16:30–16:55 Test 2 (25 Minutes)

Friday, 6 September 2019:
12:20–12:50 Free Practice 1 (30 Minutes)
15:45–16:15 Free Practice 2 (30 Minutes)

Saturday, 7 September 2019:
10:00–10:30 Qualifying (Q1: 8 Minutes/Break: 2 Minutes/Q2: 20 Minutes)
14:50–15:25 Race 1 (20 Minutes)

Sunday, 8 September 2019:
09:05–09:15 Warm-up (10 Minutes)
12:20–13:00 Race 2 (25 Minutes)

How do I get tickets for the Masaryk Racing Days?

The weekend ticket for the ten- and eight-cylinder roaring costs 300 Czech crowns (=12 Euro) at the box office. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.automotodrombrno.cz/en/masaryk-racing-days-2019
Free choice of seats on all open grandstands and standing areas, access to the paddock is included in all tickets.

Where can I find the BOSS GP race cars and pilots?

The teams and drivers of the BOSS GP are in the pits with numbers 2 to 11. Some cars are parked in the paddock next to the BOSS GP hospitality.

How can I follow the BOSS GP from Brno online?

Preview & Guide Assen

Before Max Verstappen and Co. compete in a Dutch Grand Prix next year, BOSS GP will give Netherlands a taste of Formula 1 this weekend in Assen.

This year, the BOSS GP teamed up with the German Touring Car Masters to offer the 100,000 fans an incomparable racing line-up. While Assen is new for the DTM, the 4.5-kilometer TT Circuit is familiar territory for the BOSS GP. The fastest racing series in Europe was part of the GAMMA Racing Day in recent years.

What does the DTM event offer?

It all starts on Thursday in the city centre of Assen with its 68,000 inhabitants: From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. there will be a show run on the Vaart Zuidzijde, with free admission and demo rides of all racing series of the weekend. BOSS GP with the fastest racing cars in the world and the heroes who drive them can also be seen in action.

From Friday to Sunday there will be full day action on the TT Circuit with a total of six sessions of the BOSS GP. The Big Open Single Seater series makes possible, that formula cars of the highest categories can still be seen at their original purpose: Racing against each other. Also driving are DTM, Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, Lotus Cup Europe and the Women’s Formula Series W Series. Of course, Assen can’t do without bikes on the traditional motorcycle track either: Moto2 demo laps fill the breaks between the races.

BOSS GP schedule Assen

Friday, 19 July 2019:
11:40–12:10 Free Practice 1 (30 Minutes)
14:45–15:10 Free Practice 2 (25 Minutes)

Saturday, 20 July 2019:
10:50–11:20 Qualifying (Q1: 8 Minutes/Break: 2 Minutes/Q2: 20 Minutes)
11:35–12:20 Pitwalk
12:00–12:20 Autograph session all drivers BOSS GP (Show Stage Paddock)
17:10–17:30 Race 1 (20 Minutes)
19:00 Live concert DJ Fedde Le Grand (Show Stage Paddock)

Sunday, 21 July 2019:
09:45–09:55 Warm-up (10 Minutes)
10:55–11:35 Pitwalk
11:50–12:10 Race 2 (20 Minutes)

Where can I find the BOSS GP cars, teams and drivers?

A part of the BOSS GP is located in the pits, the other teams in large tents behind pit lane. Fans can watch the BOSS GP teams at work closely, as admission to the paddock is included in all ticket categories. In addition, the pit lane will be opened twice a weekend for fans during the pit walk. Motorsport fans can’t get closer to Formula 1 anywhere else.

How do I get tickets for the event in Assen?

Weekend tickets from 49 Euro. Buy them online www.dtm.com/en/tickets/assen-2019 or or on site.

Where can I follow the BOSS GP from Assen online?

Live timing and detailed results on www.wige-livetiming.de/dtm.html
All results also on bossgp.com
Up to date with Instagram @bossgpofficial and Facebook @bossgpofficial
The latest pictures from race weekend in our gallery bossgp.com

Season review clip 2018

Highlights of a dramatic season full of speed, action and fun. From Europe’s fastest racing series. Check out also on our YouTube channel @bossgpofficial.

Credit: 7 Berge Filmwerkstatt