Armaan ends F2 season with a top 10 finish

Up and coming Indian driver Armaan Ebrahim, secured another top 10 finish in the final race of the year to end the Formula 2 Championships season on a high.

Fresh from an impressive debut last week with the VW India team in the German Formula 3 Championships, Armaan finished 10th in the final round of the FIA F2 Championships 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday.

The Indian started his Barcelona sojourn in style. He was second fastest overall in the second practice session on Friday trailing only Philipp Eng by a whisker.

In the qualifying on Saturday, Armaan's first two sectors were really quick and it was only a small mistake on the last corner that cost him 3/10th of a second which put him in ninth.

Robert Wickens qualified on pole with a time of 1 min 38.1 seconds while Armaan qualified at P9 with a time of 1 minute 38.5 seconds.

The final race almost ended as it started as overtaking on the Catalunya Circuit was virtually impossible.

Andy Soucek, at his home circuit, got the jump on Robert Wickens at the start and finished first. Italian Nicola De Marco was second while Wickens third.

Armaan stayed close on the heels of Phillipp Eng, who finished at ninth. The Indian finished overall 17th with seven points from the 16 races in eight venues.

Speaking about the race, Armaan said, "Barcelona was a good weekend and it is very satisfying that I was able to be in the top five throughout the weekend's practice. A small mistake in the last corner cost me pole or at least P2 in qualifying."

"Within just 3/10th of a second there were as many as nine cars which shows how close this level of racing has been, not just in Barcelona but throughout the entire season," he added.

Analysing the FIA Formula 2 Series this year, Armaan said, "We all knew the F2 would be competitive and the amount of wheel to wheel racing it has produced has justified its billing as the Official Feeder Series to Formula 1. There have been some mechanical issues with the cars during the season, but the Championship is constantly improving and I am certain 2010 will be bigger and better.

"Personally, it has been an intensely challenging year and I am pleased with my first full season in Europe. I now look forward to securing a proper budget to do the right amount of winter testing which will then prepare me to attack the Formula 2 championship title next year, which is where my sights are set."