TBK-Light.com

I wouldn't say that, Kobayashi was Asian GP2 champ and often better in European GP2. Not that I'm saying he is good, but he's not crap

Oliver Turvey is to step up to GP2 next season with iSport.

Formula Renault 3.5 racer Turvey, who won the 2006 McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award and currently lies fifth in the Renault championship for Carlin Motorsport, will race for frontrunning squad iSport in the forthcoming GP2 Asia Series, ahead of a full year in the main series next season.

iSport took Timo Glock to the 2007 GP2 title, and won three races with Giedo van der Garde this year.

Turvey tested for the team at the recent three-day Jerez GP2 test and set the seventh fastest time.

The 22-year-old's career is funded by the Racing Steps Foundation, which has also announced that it will continue to back fellow Britons James Calado and Jack Harvey. Formula Renault UK runner-up Calado will race in British F3 with top team Carlin, while Jack Harvey will complete a second season in the F1-supporting Formula BMW Europe series next year, with Fortec Motorsport.

RSF founder Graham Sharp said: "Both Oliver and James have consistently demonstrated their exceptional talent and I have no hesitation in extending RSF support to them in 2010.

"Again we have chosen top teams to partner in this initiative and we look forward to working with iSport in GP2."

Sam Bird is to join ART for the GP2 Asia and the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix.

The 22-year-old Briton will line up alongside ART's F3 Euro Series champion Jules Bianchi for the Asia series opener in Abu Dhabi and then join Bianchi and Masters winner Valtteri Bottas in the French squad's Macau line-up.

"I am thrilled about this opportunity to drive for ART," said Bird. "We have come close to working together several times in the past but, for a number of reasons, it never quite happened.

"But there is a reason for everything and perhaps our time to shine together is now. I really want to thank [team boss] Frederic Vasseur for putting his trust in me and offering me this opportunity of a continued collaboration."

Bird is currently fifth in the Euro Series for Mucke Motorsport, although he has yet to take a victory in the championship.

"Sam was very close to joining our team at the beginning of this season, and despite competing against each other, we have maintained an excellent relationship," said Vasseur.

"We would like to end this season with wins at Abu Dhabi and Macau and we believe that Sam will be a major asset in our attempt to reach our objective.".

Morning times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Michael Herck DPR 1:12.976 25
2. Oliver Turvey iSport International 1:13.094 17
3. Christian Vietoris Fat Burner Racing Eng. 1:13.099 27
4. Jerome d'Ambrosio Barwa Addax Team 1:13.138 33
5. Sam Bird ART Grand Prix 1:13.244 23
6. Fabio Leimer Fat Burner Racing Eng. 1:13.266 37
7. James Jakes Super Nova Racing 1:13.321 21
8. Alberto Valerio DAMS 1:13.326 23
9. Karun Chandhok Party Poker Racing.com 1:13.373 15
10. Esteban Gutierrez Telmex Arden International 1:13.439 32
11. Max Chilton Barwa Addax Team 1:13.560 23
12. Alexander Rossi DAMS 1:13.562 37
13. Stefano Coletti Piquet GP 1:13.591 22
14. Davide Valsecchi iSport International 1:14.004 16
15. Charles Pic Ocean Racing Technology 1:14.267 29
16. William Bratt Party Poker Racing.com 1:14.365 22
17. Rodolfo Gonzalez Ocean Racing Technology 1:14.385 32
18. Vladimir Arabadzhiev Piquet GP 1:14.519 29
19. Jake Rosenzweig Super Nova Racing 1:14.561 17
20. Jan Charouz ART Grand Prix 1:14.639 31
21. Luiz Razia Telmex Arden International 1:15.289 8
22. Kevin Nai Chia Chen Trident Racing 1:15:730 24
23. Plamen Kralev Trident Racing 1:17.638 25

Afternoon times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Michael Herck DPR 1:12.271 26
2. Fabio Leimer Fat Burner Racing Eng. 1:12.619 31
3. Sam Bird ART Grand Prix 1:12.746 14
4. Oliver Turvey iSport International 1:12.764 28
5. Davide Valsecchi iSport International 1:12.771 29
6. Karun Chandhok Party Poker Racing.com 1:12.786 23
7. Jerome d'Ambrosio Barwa Addax Team 1:12.839 20
8. James Jakes Super Nova Racing 1:12.929 25
9. Stefano Coletti Piquet GP 1:13.032 26
10. Luiz Razia Telmex Arden International 1:13.066 45
11. Esteban Gutierrez Telmex Arden International 1:13.262 26
12. William Bratt Party Poker Racing.com 1:13.303 18
13. Jake Rosenzweig Super Nova Racing 1:13.387 6
14. Alexander Rossi DAMS 1:13.402 36
15. Max Chilton Barwa Addax Team 1:13.565 30
16. Christian Vietoris Fat Burner Racing Eng. 1:13.568 8
17. Alberto Valerio DAMS 1:13.574 21
18. Vladimir Arabadzhiev Piquet GP 1:13.710 39
19. Charles Pic Ocean Racing Technology 1:13.802 31
20. Rodolfo Gonzalez Ocean Racing Technology 1:14.049 37
21. Jan Charouz ART Grand Prix 1:14.121 30
22. Giacomo Ricci DPR 1:14.141 16
23. Kevin Nai Chia Chen Trident Racing 1:14.991 29
24. Plamen Kralev Trident Racing 1:16.766 16

Bird to drive for ART in GP2 Asia Series