The GP2 season got underway last weekend and there were mixed fortunes for two of our locally based drivers.

Tonbridge based Adrian Quaife-Hobbs made his debut in the series and endured something of a mixed weekend, retiring in his first race on Saturday after just three laps before fairing slightly better in the sprint race on Sunday race finishing in 17^th place.

Driving for the Dutch based Manor MP Motorsport 21-year-old Quaife-Hobbs is one of four British drivers on the grid for the 2013 season.

Jolyon Palmer son of Brands Hatch owner Jonathon Palmer who is racing for the Carlin team in 2013 fared slightly better as he came from the back of the grid after mechanical issues left him struggling in the qualifying session, to finish in sixth place in the feature race on Saturday afternoon.

In the sprint race on Sunday he finished just outside the points places in tenth place, as somewhat remarkable performance given that he had to start from the pit lane and therefore last place, after stalling in the green flag lap.

Speaking after the weekend opening rounds, Palmer said: “Unfortunately I stalled at the start so had to start from the pit lane,”

“The pace was very strong though and I managed to pass a lot of cars and finish ninth. I think one more lap and I would have been in the points. It’s good to know that if I had started third we could have won the race comfortably but at the same time it’s frustrating to have dropped points. We are definitely in good shape for Bahrain though.”

The GP 2 series returns during the weekend of April 19-21 for rounds three and four of the season in Bahrain at the Bahrain GP.