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With Coloni replaced by a Manor/MP collaboration, Ocean's departure making way for Hilmer and iSport's financial woes forcing them to sell their entry to Austrian-based entry RUSSIAN TIME, here is the GP2 line-up as it stands thus far:

DAMS
Markus Ericsson
Stephane Richelmi

Lotus GP
James Calado
Daniel Abt

Arden
Johnny Cecotto
Mitch Evans

Racing
Fabio Leimer
Julian Leal

Carlin
Felipe Nasr
Jolyon Palmer

Russian Time
Sam Bird
Tom Dillmann

Caterham
Ma Qing Hua
Sergio Canamasas

Addax
Jake Rosenzweig
Rio Haryanto

Rapax
Stefano Coletti
Simon Trummer

Trident
Kevin Ceccon
Nathanael Berthon

Hilmer
Conor Daly
Pal Varhaug

Venezuela
Rene Binder
Kevin Giovesi

MP
Daniel de Jong
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

With the grid complete, who is your tip for the title?

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Ocean Racing's GP3 outfit has been replaced too, this time by Koiranen Motorsport, after the company rather over-stretched itself in 2012. Atech CRS has also been renamed Bamboo Racing. Here is the line-up so far:

ART GP
Jack Harvey
Facu Regalia
TBC

MW Arden
Danil Kvyat
Carlos Sainz Jr
Robert Visoiu

Carlin
Eric Lichtenstein
Luis Sa Silva
Nick Yelloly

Jenzer
Samin Gomez
Patric Neiderhauser
Alex Fontana

Manor
Tio Ellinas
Ryan Cullen
Dino Zamparelli

Status
Jimmy Eriksson
Adderly Fong
Josh Webster

Bamboo
Lewis Williamson
Carmen Jorda
Melville McKee

Trident
Emmanuele Zonzini
David Fumanelli
Giovanni Venturini

Koiranen
Patrick Kujala
Aaro Vainio
Kevin Korjus

Rumours have rather dried up here, sadly.

Again, who do you see fitting into the remaining seats? And who are you supporting this year?

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I think Calado will do it, hope he is the real deal and makes F1

Wait. Ericsson is still in GP2? Oh, I thought he was in GP2 longer than three years.

I want to see how Nasr and Hyranto get along this season. I really want to see Hyranto move to F1 in the future, I really like the guy and Nasr is pretty darn good himself.

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I want to see Evans and Nasr do well this year.

If Evans can rid himself of his perennial bad luck (it's uncanny how often things go wrong for him), he should be able to fight it out with the top drivers - if he's in the right team. He's progressed up two levels in two years, so I'm not sure if he'll make it three from three. GP2 might come as a surprise to him, though hopefully he'll excel. With Horner and Webber behind him, I can't see it taking long for him to make his debut if he proves himself this year. Ricciardo and Vergne might yet have somebody in the lower ranks to threaten their positions.

Nasr well, I don't know. I can't say I follow GP2 closely and I haven't the foggiest idea why he struggled so much in 2012. If anybody can enlighten me, I'd be very grateful. He looked bloody fast in 2011 and I'd hoped it would translate into GP2 pace, but eventually he finished 10th in the standings whilst his team-mate took the title.

(Plus, I was very disappointed when I found out his name was pronounced "Nas-ra" and not "Nassa". God how I wanted Felipe "Nassa" and Felipe "Massa" in Formula One at the same time, just for the commentary issues)

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i think that calado will do well this year, he's gonna be a big deal in F1 it is only a matter of time, i hope he can make the step up to win it this year after acclimatising well last year

Didn't Felix de costa sign up for Caterham this year thought i saw it on their twitter

My mistake he is racing for ardencaterham in Renault 3.5

Excited about the Calado/Abt partnership at Lotus. Think both drivers are capable of having strong careers in F1. Just hope Calado can perform well enough this season to attract a good F1 seat without the need for sponsorship.

Is Haryanto no longer connected with Marussia then?

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Emanuele Zonzini joins Trident for GP3: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105111

I think da Costa is already filling that role, unfortunately. It'll be him that puts the pressure on RIC and JEV this year. I'm a big fan of Evans too, but I think if he does get that Arden seat he'll be just learning the ropes in the first year.

Doubt I'm alone but I'm most intrigued to see how Calado does. Obviously he's very good, but for some reason I have a faith in him that goes beyond even the great promise he's shown so far.

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Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
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Max Chilton beat Calado last season in GP2, but on here many rating Calado as the next real deal but Max as overrated and slow.

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RSR Racing

Woo hoo! Evans confirmed with Arden - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105112

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Tous Avec Jules #17

This year will be Ericsson's year.

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In both cases, a lot of it is down to experience. Nasr was in his first season in GP2, whilst Valsecchi was in his fifth. Valsecchi had done four GP2 Asia seasons (well, three plus 2011, which you couldn't really call a season) so had ample experience at both Sepang and Sakhir, something Nasr didn't possess. In fact - and I may be wrong - I don't think Felipe had ever even raced at either track.

Chilton/Calado was a similar situation. Despite being a couple of years younger than Calado, Chilton was doing his third GP2 season, whilst Calado was in his first (albeit having done GP3 in 2011).

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Bottas also beat Calado in GP3 while they were teammates in 2011.

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I can only assume you are being deliberately obtuse F1Thomas, because I'm sure you know perfectly well that Calado's rookie year was a hell of a lot better that Chilton's was.

Calado has to be the favourite for GP2, although I worry he's in the same position that Felix da Costa is in FR3.5 - anything other than the title is a disaster.

Not sure about GP3, think it's a bit early to predict anything with so few seats confirmed.


Evans isn't anything to do with the Red Bull junior team though, that's Marko's territory. Da Costa is their next hope. And if he does get to F1 I don't think it will be until 2015 at the earliest, he's good but a bit too young.

Nasr has supposedly made remarks about DAMS only being able to support one car - which sounds a tad bitter but in fairness the second driver hasn't traditionally done well there. No excuses at Carlin though.

Given the superlatives heaped on Da Costa at the end of last year (e.g. Carlin: "I'd say he's as good as Sebastian Vettel was at that stage in his career for sure." Rouse: "He's a driver with one of the highest abilities I've seen as far as having the whole package"), if he can keep up the momentum I really do think he's a strong chance for STR in 2014, even a slim chance for the second half of 2013 if one of JEV or RIC clearly fall in a heap (unlikely).

He's pretty impressive, from what I've seen. A lot of Vettel about him. Very interested to see if he can maintain the high level in 2013.

I meant Evans was too young! Da Costa isn't. Although I've seen the Vettel comparison before and for me it's a bit baffling, as other than the Red Bull link I don't think they are similar. One of the first things you think of with Vettel is great qualifying, and da Costa seems to be stronger in the races. Which makes him more like....I don't know, Alonso?

Ah sorry misread you! But yes I agree Evans is too young, needs several years at GP2 level. I worry about him having the financial backing to stick it out that long. New Zealand is not a deep market for potential F1 drivers to find backing.

For Da Costa I think when people talk about the similarities with Vettel it's about his intellect, his drive and his ability to rally the team around him. So more of a personality than racecraft thing. Which is a little of what I've picked up too - I notice an X factor absent many young drivers. Important to be able to divorce that from external hype, and not easy to do!

If Felix finishes in the top 2 in 3.5 he will be driving in F1 in 2014 for sure.

What about vainio? where is he going

That's the big hurdle, though if Red Bull were particularly unsatisfied with Ricciardo and/or JEV, the two might be able to put in an important word.

If he does very well this year in GP2 (I'm talking easing to the title), there's no reason to think he couldn't be in F1 in 2014. Sure, he'll only be 19 at the start of the year, but so was Alguersuari. If he's quick at 19, he's undoubtedly cheap and - if he improves steadily - could be a very important figure in the team's future.

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Alguersuari, who most people reckon was thrown in too young. Case in point. Besides, it's irrelevant when they've already got da Costa. There's very little reason to think STR are going to hire any non-junior team driver IMO, regardless of who they are managed by.

I think I read something a while back about Éric Boullier involving himself with Mitch Evans financially? Not sure if that was for real or a false rumour. If so perhaps a more likely route for Mitch into F1 (if he impresses, which I don't expect until 2014 in GP2) is to get a job at Lotus.

Mark is managing him, and the Renault test driver route is how he eventually landed a seat. Obviously Lotus is a very different team these days, but still. If Mark is working the connections, I think that's the more likely route.

Marko runs the Red Bull young driver program and I'm not sure a Webber protégé will get much of a look in there, based on their fractious relationship.

I agree re:Marko, but this is getting rather off topic (sorry mods!).

Someone asked about Vainio...no idea what he's planning to do but FR3.5 seems like the obvious option to me. He was competitive in the races he did last year. He's another young guy, he doesn't need to rush up the ranks.

Ericsson is a driver I used to rate but his 3 years of GP2 have been underwhelming in all honesty. This year would seem like a good chance for the title, but people were saying that last year too. I can't help but feel he'd end up like Razia and Valsecchi even if he did win.

Palmer is with Carlin this year in GP2.

Also most excited about Abt/Calado, or, Ceccotto/Evans.

GP3 I'm excited about Carlos Sainz Jr, Alex Brundle in his second season, Jack Harvey, new car and first time outside Europe in Abu Dhabi.

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#LH44 Hammer time!

Coulthard would be proud Although, if he doesn't win this year he's destined for tin-tops at best.

Thanks for the driver updates as well guys, I'm adding them to the OP.

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FR3.5 seems to be where he's headed, although I read today that he is likely splitting from his manager, one Nicolas Todt.

Splitting from Todt? Not entirely sure that's wise, although there must be good reason.

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I hope there is, because I believe Vainio is one of the most talented young drivers out there. He had a terrible last few races in GP3 which cost him second, but seemed to quickly get into FR3.5, and even though six races isn't the best marker, he got 27 points in those as opposed to Aleshin's 46 from the full season.

I don't think Vainio will want to go anywhere but FR3.5 for 2013 though - it's a pretty good series to get noticed in, a step up from GP3, and he doesn't seem to be going to GP2.

By the way Tuft, Melker's going to FR3.5 with Tech 1 if you hadn't seen.

Did a Google* on Vainio-Todt and if I'm understanding the mangled translation of this correctly, he's having budget problems and might have to do another year of GP3? Seems like there's little to gain and a lot to lose with that route, but if he can't afford FR3.5 then I suppose there's little else he can do. Am I right in thinking no one has done 3 seasons of GP3 yet? I can only think of Felix da Costa doing a couple of rounds in 2010.

With regards to Todt, could be anything I suppose. Maybe he wants/needs to manager who has more time to dedicate to just him.

I think Vainio is certainly very quick, but he didn't seem to have it completely together off-track last year.





*Other search engine are available

Gonna be a Lotus GP/Arden showdown in GP2. I think most of the future F1 talent is in WSR this year though.

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Vettel was 19 when he started in F1. If you're good enough, you're old enough. This season may answer if Evans is good enough, and I seriously hope he is because his only realistic option is as a paid, not pay driver.

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Tous Avec Jules #17

Really looking forward to watching Mitch this year.

Thanks

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It was only announced today, I wasn't admonishing you

Ah, this explains why I was expecting him in GP2 then!

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For once, an online translator actually got the point of a text across!

The problem with funding could become quite serious, because if he goes to GP3 it's pretty much a case of winning it all or doing nothing, and considering he looks good enough for FR3.5 it could be a waste of time more than anything (though better than nothing).

Looks like Ocean has been replaced by Hilmer Motorsport for GP2 http://en.espnf1.com/gp2/motorsport/story/98743.html