| Round details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 of 10 rounds in the 2010 GP2 Series | |||
 Circuit de Catalunya | |||
| Location | Circuit de Catalunya Montmeló,Spain | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility 4.655 km (2.892 mi) | ||
| Feature race | |||
| Date | 8 May 2010 | ||
| Laps | 37 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver |  Jules Bianchi | ART Grand Prix | |
| Time | 1:27.727 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Charles Pic | Arden International Motorsport | |
| Second |  Giacomo Ricci | DPR | |
| Third |  Dani Clos | Racing Engineering | |
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |  Sam Bird | ART Grand Prix | |
| Time | 1:31.754 (on lap 4) | ||
| Sprint race | |||
| Date | 9 May 2010 | ||
| Laps | 25 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First |  Fabio Leimer | Ocean Racing Technology | |
| Second |  Luiz Razia | Rapax Team | |
| Third |  Pastor Maldonado | Rapax Team | |
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Fabio Leimer | Ocean Racing Technology | |
| Time | 1:31.229 (on lap 7) | ||
The2010 Catalunya GP2 Series round was aGP2 Series motor race held on May 8 and May 9, 2010 at theCircuit de Catalunya inMontmeló,Spain. It was the first race of the2010 GP2 Series. The race was used to support the2010 Spanish Grand Prix.
Jules Bianchi gained pole position for the feature race on his first outing forART.
In Race 1,Charles Pic won an eventful first race of the2010 GP2 season atBarcelona. The rookie Frenchman moved into first place when previous leaderSergio Pérez (Barwa Addax) was delayed by a slow pitstop, and survived a brief challenge fromDPR'sGiacomo Ricci to take Arden's first win since the sameevent 12 months ago. Ricci's second place was an equally memorable result for DPR, a team that scored precisely one point between2007 and2009, and has not won a race since the inaugural GP2 season in2005. Completing the podium was local manDani Clos ofRacing Engineering, who staked his claim to the position with a pass onPastor Maldonado earlier in the race. Pérez finished just off the podium, but compared to other title rivals, fared well.ART pairing of polesitterJules Bianchi and Sam Bird were just 2 drivers who suffered at the start. Bianchi led into the first corner, only to collide with Racing Engineering'sChristian Vietoris. Both cars were out of the race, while Bird was forced wide in the melee behind him and had to return to the pits for a new nose. At that point he seemed out of contention, but the Briton produced a stunning drive from the back of the grid, reminiscent ofLewis Hamilton's drive through the field in Turkey 2006, to haul himself back up to ninth at the finish, falling just 1.6s short of taking the final point and sprint race pole fromOcean Racing'sFabio Leimer. Less fortunate in his progress through the field was Barwa Addax'sGiedo van der Garde, who was dealt a 10s penalty for leaving the pit exit after it had closed prior to the race, and then a drive-through for jumping the start.
Fabio Leimer survived a late push fromLuiz Razia to win the second GP2 Series Race at Barcelona. The Swiss driver, who was making his series debut, started from pole and opened a gap of as much as 4.3 seconds during the middle part of the race. But Razia came back at him over the closing laps, and crossed the line just 0.7s in arrears. It was the second-ever win for theOcean Racing Technology squad, while third for Razia's team-matePastor Maldonado secured a two-three forRapax. The race was fairly processional at the front, but there was more competition for the minor points placings. ART'sSam Bird echoed his overtaking masterclass of the day before with another excellent performance, the Briton climbing from ninth to fourth, and he could potentially have challenged for third were it not a late excursion into the gravel that cost him six seconds.Oliver Turvey held on to fifth despite lapping around 1.5s off the pace in an unco-operativeiSport car, leading a train of cars behind him headed by a frustrated Dani Clos (Racing Engineering). Once again it was a difficult day for some of the series favourites, with Jules Bianchi finishing 12th after banging wheels with Giedo van der Garde and sliding off the track, whileSergio Pérez was unable to make the start after the engine in his Barwa AddaxDallara blew on the formation lap. There could be more bad news ahead for the Mexican, who is facing a post-race investigation for trailing oil around the racing line on two thirds of the lap before finally pulling over, forcing the start to be delayed by 10 minutes while powder was laid down.
Notes
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| Previous round: 2009 Portuguese GP2 round | GP2 Series 2010 season | Next round: 2010 Monaco GP2 round |
| Previous round: 2009 Spanish GP2 round | Spanish GP2 round | Next round: 2011 Spanish GP2 round |
