FIA Formula 2 | FormulaRapida.net

Hadjar not under pressure ahead of FP1 drive with AlphaTauri

Darshan Chokhani — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:27:16 +0000

Isack Hadjar has been doing extra work in the simulator as he his gearing for his first FP1 run in F1 Mexico GP, with several others in action too.

With the sprint events and Pirelli tyre rule at two events, F1 teams had limited chances to run young drivers in FP1 session. Now at the fag end of the 2023 season, a lot of the teams are to run young drivers this weekend in Mexico GP.

One of them will be AlphaTauri’s Hadjar who will replace Yuki Tsunoda in FP1. The Frenchman is current racing in F2 as a Red Bull junior and has got a chance ahead of the likes of Ayumu Iwasa and Dennis Hauger with a F1 test chance in a competitive session.

Hadjar has been in the simulator not just preparing for the FP1 run but also filling up for Liam Lawson, who was subbing for Daniel Ricciardo to help them during the weekends. “I’m super excited to be driving in FP1, but at the same time, I’m a bit apprehensive, as I’ve never driven a Formula 1 car,” he said.

“To do so for the first time at an official practice session for a Grand Prix is quite something. The team has not set me any targets, so I don’t feel under any particular pressure, and I think I’m as well prepared as I can be. After Daniel was injured and Liam stepped in, I did a lot more work in the simulator to help the race drivers prepare, so I have a good understanding of how all the controls in the cockpit work.

“I’ve spent time in Faenza getting to know the team, and the engineer who will work with me in FP1 was also with me at the sim, so we know one another already. The altitude in Mexico means this is an unusual track to drive with less downforce than usual, but I can’t wait to get in the car and do my best for the team.

“Since I started karting as a young child, I have dreamed of being in Formula 1, and I want to thank Scuderia AlphaTauri and Red Bull for giving me this great opportunity,” summed up Hadjar, who could get another run with Red Bull in Abu Dhabi.

Hadjar won’t be the only FP1 driver with Alfa Romeo confirming Theo Pourchaire as well in place of Valtteri Bottas. The likes of Frederik Vesti, Oliver Bearman and Jack Doohan were already confirmed to take part by Mercedes, Haas and Alpine respectively.

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L'entrada Hadjar not under pressure ahead of FP1 drive with AlphaTauri ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Colapinto gets Abu Dhabi F2 drive ahead of full 2024 season

FormulaRapida.net — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 14:34:38 +0000

Williams junior Franco Colapinto will make his F2 debut in Abu Dhabi with MP Motorsport replacing Jehan Daruvala ahead of full 2024 season.

Argentinian racer Franco Colapinto will remain with MP Motorsport as he moves up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship for 2024. This year, the tight bond between the Williams Racing Driver Academy member and the Dutch team resulted in a strong run to fourth place in the FIA F3 series. Preceding his 2024 debut, Colapinto will get his first taste of F2 in the final 2023 round in Abu Dhabi.Colapinto has been an MP driver for much of his single-seater career, and by staying with the team, the Argentinian aims to build on a relationship that led to two wins and five podiums in this year’s hotly contested FIA Formula 3 Championship. As part of his preparation, Colapinto will join MP’s F2 squad in Abu Dhabi, where he will take part in the three-day post-season test on the Yas Marina circuit. Before that, he will have his first race experience in F2 by taking part in the final round of this year’s championship already.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be moving up to Formula 2 with MP”, said Colapinto. “MP are proven race winners in the category, and staying with them feels absolutely right. It’s a familiar atmosphere for me, and it will be to our advantage that we know each other so well as I enter my debut season in the category. I very much look forward to the fresh challenge of a new series, with a brand new car to help develop. I can’t wait to get in the car in Abu Dhabi and then work with the team to be ready for a long and challenging 2024 season.”

“It’s great news that we are able to announce Franco’s promotion to our F2 team so early”, said MP’s team principal, Sander Dorsman. “This will give us a headstart in our preparations for an exciting 2024 F2 season in which we all start from zero, with the new F2 car offering everyone a new baseline to work from. Retaining Franco helps us to maintain stability in that transition, apart from the fact that he’s become a member of the MP family and is an extremely quick and talented driver.”

In his first full season in single-seaters in 2019, Colapinto stormed to the Spanish Formula 4 title right off the bat, an accomplishment leading to the Argentinian teaming up with MP for the first time. As a rookie, he went on to grab third place in the 2020 Formula Renault Eurocup, taking two wins and nine podiums in the process. Staying with MP for his first season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2021, two more wins, four podiums and three poles resulted in sixth in the final standings, before Colapinto embarked on his first season of FIA Formula 3, claiming two wins on his way to ninth. The Argentinian then rejoined MP once more for a highly successful second season of F3.

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Colapinto gets Abu Dhabi F2 drive ahead of full 2024 season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Alpine adds F2 racer Maini in its F1 driver academy

Darshan Chokhani — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 09:11:50 +0000

F2 racer Kush Maini is the latest addition in the Alpine Academy in F1 after the Indian came under the guidance of Mika Hakkinen.

Having recently come under the guidance and mentorship of Hakkinen, F2 racer Maini has made another move towards the F1 goal by joining the Alpine driver academy for the rest of the 2023 season and continue on in 2024 as well.

He will get to use the facilities at Alpine to better prepare for his F2 campaign where he likely to continue on in 2024 as well. He is in his rookie season with Campos Racing and sits just outside the Top 10 after promising performances throughout the season.

He has had some unlucky moments in recent races which has dropped him outside of the Top 10. While his elder brother Arjun had joined the Haas F1 programme, the younger one has taken up the opportunity to join the Alpine programme.

The French outfit recently handed Jack Doohan a FP1 chance in Mexico and Abu Dhabi, while F2 front-runner Victor Martins is on the edge of getting a F1 test too. “I am super excited to be joining the Alpine Academy. It’s a dream come true to be associated with a team like BWT Alpine F1 Team, where I can learn and grow to hopefully one day be ready to take the step into Formula 1,” said Maini.

“A massive thank you to Alpine for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.” At the same time, Alpine’s Julian Rouse added: “We are happy to welcome Kush into the Alpine Academy. He is a young talent who we believe has strong potential and will be a great asset to our driver development programme.

“The Alpine Academy will enter its ninth year in 2024 and currently features nine drivers of eight nationalities, spanning four different series from FIA Formula 2 through to European Karting. The continual expansion of the Academy’s talent pool runs in parallel to the expansion of our facilities at Enstone with the development of our new state-of-the-art training and testing facilities, the AHPC, underway.”

Here’s news on Kush Maini being mentored by Mika Hakkinen

Here’s Jack Doohan with FP1 chance with Alpine

Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact

L'entrada Alpine adds F2 racer Maini in its F1 driver academy ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Mercedes junior Antonelli goes from FRECA to F2 in 2024

FormulaRapida.net — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:48:44 +0000

Mercedes F1 junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli will jump from FRECA to FIA F2 in 2024 with Prema after securing the title in the former.

PREMA Racing announces that Italian racer Andrea Kimi Antonelli will compete with the team in the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship. Antonelli, who started his single-seater career with PREMA in late 2021, experienced outstanding success so far, so much so that he will be making the step to the highly challenging Formula 1 feeder series next season after winning five titles in less than two years.

An outstanding kart racer, Antonelli captured a sensational double driver title in the Italian and German Formula 4 championships in 2023, amassing a record amount of wins in the process. Following the completion of the regular season, he entered the FIA Motorsport Games Formula 4 Cup, securing the Gold Medal and contributing to Italy’s overall success.

At the start of 2023, he took the Formula Regional Middle East Championship crown, scoring three wins and seven podiums. Joining the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, one of the most competitive junior series at international level, Antonelli was a contender from the start.

He delivered an outstanding progression that culminated in claiming the Driver Championship in spectacular fashion with two races to go at Zandvoort. Antonelli, who has been a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Junior Driver since the early days of his career, will join the team in the 2023 FIA Formula 2 postseason test at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

Rene Rosin: “We are proud to welcome Kimi to our FIA Formula 2 team. He has been with us since the very beginning so not only do we know him well, but we are also particularly proud of what he was able to achieve in his first two years full-time in single-seaters. Kimi is a gifted racer and a great team player, so we cannot wait to see what the 2024 season will bring and we are focused on helping him to make the step in the smoothest possible way.”

Antonelli: “I’m very happy for this opportunity. From Formula Regional to Formula 2, it will be a huge jump. I’m aware that it will be very challenging because the level is really high there. It will be a new car, for me and the others as well, but it’s still going to be tough. I don’t want to set expectations, I will try to learn as much as possible in testing to be ready for the first race, have fun as always, and do a good job. I’m delighted to continue with PREMA as I started my single-seater career with them and they are my second family. I love working with them.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Mercedes junior Antonelli goes from FRECA to F2 in 2024 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Doohan gets FP1 outing with Alpine in Mexico and Abu Dhabi

FormulaRapida.net — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 18:01:54 +0000

F2 racer and reserve Jack Doohan has been confirmed by Alpine for FP1 run as per FIA regulations in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

As part of the team’s two mandatory rookie practice sessions Jack will drive Pierre Gasly’s A523 for Friday’s Free Practice 1 at the 4.304km Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigues in Mexico City. He will then head out in Esteban Ocon’s car in November at the Abu Dhabi season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The 20-year-old Australian has previously participated in two F1 rookie Free Practice sessions, having driven last year’s BWT Alpine F1 Team challenger in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi in 2022. As a member of the Alpine Academy Jack has extensive experience in Formula 1 machinery having regularly tested the race winning A521 across his Reserve Driver test programme this season at a host of Formula 1 venues alongside duties on race team support on the team’s Enstone simulator during race weekends.

Currently competing in the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship, Jack claimed back-to-back race wins in Hungary and Belgium as well as a further two podium appearances and one pole position to sit fourth in the Drivers’ Championship. Looking ahead to the final round in Abu Dhabi in November, Jack has his sights set on a top three finish in the 2023 Championship.

Jack Doohan, BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver: “It is a huge honour to be given the opportunity to drive a Formula 1 car on a Grand Prix weekend for the second year in a row. I am very grateful to BWT Alpine F1 Team for the chance to drive the A523 in Free Practice in both Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

“I have been working really hard with the team this year as their Reserve Driver, taking every opportunity to learn as much as possible for them and I feel prepared to step up and take over driving duties for the team. My sole focus is doing what is required of me by the team in order to contribute positively to the team’s outcome across the two Grand Prix weekends.”

Bruno Famin, Interim Team Principal: “It is great to announce that Jack will be taking over driving duties in Mexico and Abu Dhabi for the two Free Practice 1 sessions. Jack has worked hard over the course of the year as BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Reserve Driver and his attitude to learn the ropes in that role has been very pleasing to see.

“His main priority remains finishing his Formula 2 campaign in the best possible way in Abu Dhabi, however, we look forward to supporting him in the two Free Practice sessions and having his contribution to the team’s performance.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact

L'entrada Doohan gets FP1 outing with Alpine in Mexico and Abu Dhabi ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Hakkinen to guide F2 racer Maini with F1 being their prime goal

Darshan Chokhani — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 17:33:14 +0000

Mika Hakkinen has roped in F2 rookie Kush Maini under his guidance in a surprise move with F1 being the prime goal.

Having had a business/mentor relationship with Valtteri Bottas sometime back, two-time champion Hakkinen is back in a similar role this time taking in F2 podium finisher Maini under his guidance with F1 being the prime goal.

The Finn has been observing Maini, who switched to F2 with Campos this year after a season in F3 with MP Motorsport. Hakkinen won’t be like the traditional driver coach but more in the Mark Webber-like territory, who handles Oscar Piastri currently.

“I have a lot of experience from working with Valtteri Bottas seeing him developing and growing as a driver,” said Hakkinen. “More recently I’ve been following Kush, understanding his abilities, his talent for driving. It’s a very interesting journey together to develop, to be an even more of a professional racing driver.

“F1 is our objective, not forgetting the current situation in F2. I don’t think I have to put my nose into that (teaching techniques). My role is about leveraging the tools of communication and the network that I have. These assets are very powerful when looking after a young talented driver.

“I’ve been an ambassador for Formula One and been part of F1 since 1991. It’s an asset and the power that I have to take this young driver into the right places at the right time. Of course, India is an enormous, powerful country. I’m part of bringing a young driver from India to Formula One, bringing these mega companies, learning to understand the opportunities that Formula One can bring them.

“And vice versa, of course, what Formula One can experience and create with India. I can only see beautiful success stories. India is going to be very powerful. And I want all Indians to know Kush Maini, I want everybody in India cheering him. I want them to feel that he’s going to be a winner in Formula One.

“Of course, it requires very hard work and a lot of sacrifices. Because of my experience in this motor racing world, I do understand the importance of timing, being in the right team, having the right partners, working with the right people is crucial,” summed up Hakkinen.

Additionally, Maini – younger brother of Arjun – will be managed by The Grid’s Guillaume le Goff who is looking after the likes of Pierre Gasly, Nyck de Vries, Frederic Makowiecki, Patrick Pilet, Enzo Deligny and more. He is likely to continue in F2 in 2024 too.

“I’ve watched Mika since I was very young. And I know everything he has achieved in this sport,” said Maini. “So just for him to believe that I could reach Formula One shows that we’ve done something right in these last 15 years. It’s a massive weapon you have in your arsenal when you have Mika Hakkinen standing behind you!

“I think from next year, my approach and that of my team is going to be a lot more structured thanks to Mika. Having a trainer who’s looking after your nutrition at the track and a mind coach looking after anything you’re going through on a race weekend will allow me to Focus on Driving.

“Basically, the way Mika works is you narrow down everything to the point where the driver just has one job. Having Mika behind me, my whole team being created now and not having to stress about racing, I think it’s a very exciting time for myself, and I definitely feel I haven’t showed anywhere near what I am capable of in the car. I’m very excited to hopefully show it next year,” summed up Maini.

L'entrada Hakkinen to guide F2 racer Maini with F1 being their prime goal ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Bearman makes his F1 debut with Ferrari at Fiorano

Darshan Chokhani — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 19:37:56 +0000

F2 front-runner Oliver Bearman made his F1 debut with Ferrari at Fiorano as he readies for his first FP1 run with Haas.

With a gap in the F2 calendar until the finale in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari arranged a special debut F1 test run for its academy driver Bearman at Fiorano on Wednesday. He completed over 400 kilometers in the SF51 machine using #50 on the car.

This was not only a reward for a good showing so far in his F1 campaign, but also a preparation towards his FP1 debut in Mexico with Haas along with Abu Dhabi as well. He had an immersing weekend with the American F1 outfit in Qatar.

He had his seat fitting and also spent time understanding the know hows of a F1 team. The purpose of the Ferrari test was also for Bearman to secure the FP1 superlicense as the Brit was certainly and naturally elated with his run with the Italian manufacturer.

“If you think I wasn’t excited, you’d be mistaken,” said Bearman. “I can’t deny that last night I struggled to get to sleep. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this day, with my parents on hand and I’m told my mother got quite excited when I drove out of the garage in the Ferrari.

“The engineers guided me step by step for the first few laps, then as I gained confidence in the car I started to really enjoy it. I was prepared for the enormous amount of power on hand, as I had already driven a Formula 1 car on the simulator. But what really surprised me was the level of grip, which is harder to feel sitting in the sim and it’s crazy when compared to the amount you have with the Formula 2 car I’m racing at the moment.

“The other surprising thing is the level of downforce on these cars, it’s just incredible. Thank you to the Scuderia for making me feel part of the group right away and everyone at Ferrari who made this unforgettable day possible,” summed up Bearman.

Here’s a small video: https://x.com/insideFDA/status/1712030975159329033?s=20

Here’s a selection of photos:

Here’s Ferrari on Qatar happenings

Here’s FIA and drivers on extreme heat in Qatar GP

Here’s news on Oliver Bearman and FP1 test

L'entrada Bearman makes his F1 debut with Ferrari at Fiorano ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Pirelli renews as sole F1 tyre supplier for three more seasons

Darshan Chokhani — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 11:23:22 +0000

The FIA has confirmed Pirelli to remain as F1 sole tyre supplier for three more seasons beyond the current deal which runs until 2024.

As expected, the FIA has renewed deal with Pirelli to remain as F1 sole tyre supplier for three more seasons beyond the current deal which expires in 2024. The process has been ongoing for months where Bridgestone reportedly made the bid too.

Considering the long-standing association with Pirelli, this doesn’t comes as a surprise of them getting a nod ahead of Bridgestone. The Italian manufacturer has had commercial influence as well where it is the title sponsor for multiple races on the calendar.

Also, Pirelli is ticking the criteria on sustainability side to uphold the Net Zero Carbon aim of F1 by 2030. In 2024, all the tyres will have the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification which is another step towards sustainability.

In addition to F1, Pirelli will also keep supplying tyres to the feeder championships i.e F2 and F3. “We’re delighted to extend or presence in Formula 1 and its other related championships,” said Pirelli chief Marco Tronchetti Provera. “Pirelli was there when Formula 1 was born in 1950, and with this latest renewal, the firm will now be a protagonist throughout nearly two decades of the modern Formula 1 era.

“Thanks to the impetus from Liberty Media and the support of the FIA, the sport is enjoying an extraordinary period of growth both in terms of audience and global expansion, increasing its following among younger generations as well. Innovation and technology are locked into Pirelli’s DNA, and Formula 1 constitutes the ultimate open air laboratory to not only try out and test new technical solutions, but also to accelerate fresh research, development, and production processes in making tyres.

“I would also like to thank everyone at Pirelli for their passionate commitment and the quality of their work over the years, which will continue as we extend this partnership together. Our commitment to sustainability is equally strong, as proved by the FSC certification that will be introduced to our F1 tyres from next year. Being at the forefront of motorsport’s pinnacle until at least 2027 adds another important value dimension to our company.”

At the same time, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated: “Pirelli has been operating at the top level of motor sport for many years and I am sure that they will continue to deliver innovation and excellence on the world stage. Formula 1 is a unique challenge for the tyre supplier, and Pirelli has demonstrated great commitment to producing tyres that meet the extreme demands of these incredible cars.

“I would like to thank Pirelli for its ongoing support of motor sport not only in Formula 1, but in many other championships and categories at every level. Work will continue in the coming years to take further strides both in terms of performance and sustainability, and Pirelli have made strong commitments to both of these targets.”

And finally, Stefano Domenicali added: “Since returning to the sport in 2011 Pirelli has been an invaluable partner, supporting Formula 1 through new generations of technology and technical regulations and delivering tyres to enable fantastic racing for our fans.

“The company’s commitment to quality, innovation and their deep knowledge of our sport will be vital in the coming years as we approach our new regulations in 2026 and the work Pirelli is focused on relating to sustainability, proven by the FSC certification, will ensure we continue to work together towards our shared Net Zero 2030 goal.”

Here’s FIA on extreme heat in Qatar GP

L'entrada Pirelli renews as sole F1 tyre supplier for three more seasons ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Bearman gets FP1 outing with Haas; Bortoleto joins McLaren

Darshan Chokhani — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 09:05:19 +0000

Oliver Bearman has been rewarded with FP1 outings with Haas in Mexico and Abu Dhabi, as Gabriel Bortoleto joins McLaren academy.

Haas –

F2 front-runner and Ferrari Academy Driver Bearman has been rewarded with FP1 outings with Haas in the upcoming races in Mexico and Abu Dhabi which is part of the FIA’s rookie programme. It will be the Brit’s first official F1 run apart from testing old cars.

Haas hasn’t noted which driver he will replace in which grands prix, but Bearman will be present in this weekend’s Qatar GP to immerse himself with the team’s procedures. He becomes the latest Ferrari driver to get a F1 test run with the American outfit.

“We’re very happy to offer Oliver Bearman these outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi,” stated Guenther Steiner. “He’s had a stellar rookie season in Formula 2, four wins is testament to that, and as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy – we know his background preparation coming into these weekends will be first-rate. We look forward to welcoming Oliver into the team and have him drive the VF-23.”

At the same time, Bearman added: “I am so happy to be joining MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driving in Mexico and Abu Dhabi. Getting to Formula 1 has been my dream since I was go-karting so to be driving a car for the first time this year is really special. I’m grateful to the team, and of course Ferrari, for allowing me this chance. I’m working hard to make sure I’m ready to support the team as best I can on both occasions.”

McLaren –

In another F1 driver news, McLaren announced the hiring of 2023 F3 champion Bortoleto in its Driver Development Programme. The Brazilian will be under the mentorship of Emanuele Pirro, who was hired to run the porgramme earlier in the year.

Bortoleto is the latest signing in the programme which includes the likes of Pato O’Ward, Ryo Hirakawa and Ugo Ugochkwu. McLaren also announced the signing or F4 driver Brando Badoer – son of former F1 driver and longtime Ferrari tester, Luca.

Badoer joins on a one-year ‘Optioned Driver’ programme where he will be assessed by McLaren in 2024 and if he ticks all the boxes, he will be rewarded with a full-time seat in the following season.

“I’m pleased to welcome Gabriel to the McLaren Driver Development programme,” said Pierro. “I’ve known him well since the beginning of his motorsport career and he’s got all that is needed on and off track to be a star. He also fits very well with our team culture at McLaren. I look forward to working with Gabriel and helping him develop in his motorsport career.

“I also look forward to working with Brando Badoer, who we sign as an Optioned Driver, as we continue to evaluate him over the next year. They join our talented line-up of drivers who we will be working with on their individual development, to give them the tools they need to progress in their careers.”

At the same time, Bortoleto added: “I’m excited to be joining the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m grateful to McLaren and Emanuele for giving me this opportunity. I’ve already been in the MTC for a tour and to meet the team, which was a really nice experience. I’m looking forward to continuing working on my development alongside a great team.”

Here’s Oscar Piastri on wanting to improve its tyre management

Here’s Haas on Austin updates not being a b-spec car

L'entrada Bearman gets FP1 outing with Haas; Bortoleto joins McLaren ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Bearman survives SC re-starts in Monza win; Edgar has it in F3

Darshan Chokhani — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 09:09:22 +0000

Oliver Bearman survived multiple safety car re-starts to win feature F2 race at Monza, as Jonny Edgar took the win in F3.

F2:

It was a clean start to feature F2 race at Monza as Prema’s Oliver Bearman went wheel-to-wheel with pole-sitter Theo Pourchaire in the ART to take the lead of the race. Just behind, ART’s Victor Martins made an aggressive pass on Trident’s Roman Stanek at Turn 4.

While defending fourth, Stanek went to his right which forced Prema’s Frederik Vesti onto the grass and spun around to retire in a big championship points loss. Stanek was handed a 5s penalty for forcing another driver off but the damage was done.

He was fourth still from Campos’ Kush Maini who fended off Van Amersfoort’s Richard Verschoor after the Dutchman tried a move. Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford was seventh from MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger, Campos’ Ralph Boschung and MP Motorsport’s Jehan Daruvala in the Top 10.

The safety car was deployed to not just clear out Vesti’s car but also Trident’s Clement Novalak who spun out. The re-start was well for Bearman who held off Pourchaire and Martins, as Virtuosi’s Amaury Cordeel had a puncture at Turn 1.

He was hit by PHM Charouz’s Josh Mason who was handed a 10s time penalty. There was another safety car period when DAMS’ Arthur Leclerc went straight on at Turn 1 while coming in hot and trying to not hit the car ahead of him.

It was Daruvala in the lead from Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan and DAMS’ Ayumu Iwasa on the alternative strategy. The re-start saw the Indian keep the lead even though Doohan went off and gave up the place with the move under investigation.

While Daruvala and Doohan went on it, Iwasa cleared them both at Turn 1 to take the lead until another safety car period after PHM Charouz’s Roy Nissany tapped the back of Carlin’s Zane Maloney which sent him into the barrier on left, then to the right and back to the left.

As the safety car went through the pits, it was Bearman in the lead after his stop from Doohan, Pourchaire, Daruvala, Maini, Verschoor, Martins, Crawford, Hauger and Iwasa in the Top 10 where both Daruvala and Iwasa pitted early in a gamble.

The re-start had Bearman in the lead with Pourchaire clearing Doohan for second after couple of laps of try. Daruvala was fourth from Martins who passed Maini but had his DRS stuck open in a malfunction which forced him to pit and retire.

While his DRS stuck open, Maini tried to pass him but Crawford made an opportune move to get past them both. At the fag end of the Top 10, Hauger lost points places after coming in hot at Turn 1 and having to take the run-off.

Even before things could settle in, there was another safety car after Maini and Crawford came together at the Lesmos. The American tried a move on Daruvala for fourth but couldn’t make it stick which allowed Maini to chase Crawford.

But a slight turn towards the left from Crawford left Maini with no space which damaged his front wing to retire. Crawford had a puncture into the pits as the safety car period saw Doohan pit for his mandatory stop along with Daruvala who made his second stop.

It was Bearman in the lead from Pourchaire, Iwasa, Verschoor, Carlin’s Enzo Fittipaldi, Hauger, Van Amersfoort’s Juan Manuel Correa, Cordeel, Boschung and Doohan in the Top 10, with Daruvala just behind, while Nissany was handed a drive through penalty.

The re-start had Bearman in the lead again but Iwasa made the move on Pourchaire to take second but before they could race for long, there was another safety car period when Crawford was forced off the track while battling Stanek for track position.

The race eventually under the safety car with Bearman winning the feature F2 race at Monza from Iwasa and Pourchaire, with Verschoor in fourth from Fittipaldi and Hauger, as Doohan climbed up to seventh from Correa, Daruvala and Cordeel in the Top 10.

After the penalties were applied, it was Fittipaldi in fourth from Hauger, Doohan, Daruvala, Cordeel, Boschung and Stanek in the Top 10.

#F2 #ItalianGP Results of an eventful Feature Race, which ends behind the SC is won by @OllieBearman . The title hasn't been decided though so will be decided at the final race of 2023 at Abu Dhabi, at the end of November. #MsportXtra @F2Inside @Autodromo_Monza pic.twitter.com/vOuD592IsH

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) September 3, 2023

F3:

Drama already began to unfold before the 21 laps of racing had gotten underway. Pole sitter Oliver Goethe pulled off the grid reporting a broken throttle, leading to an extra formation lap. Once the five lights went out, Collet covered off the inside to hold the lead in the #17 Van Amersfoort Racing car. Third-placed Paul Aron immediately tried to take advantage of the space in front but lost out to Edgar, who edged past the PREMA driver at the apex of the Della Roggia chicane, allowing Champion Gabriel Bortoleto to follow him through into third.

The Safety Car was deployed on the opening lap after Sprint Race winner Franco Colapinto stopped on track after contact at Turn 5, leaving the Argentinian with broken suspension. After racing had resumed on Lap 4, Edgar was back on the attack, diving past Collet at Turn 1. Three-wide with Aron and O’Sullivan in the battle for third, Bortoleto went too deep and was forced to bail out down the escape road at the first corner, dropping him down to P6.

Another off-track excursion for Brazilian at Turn 4 gave Nikola Tsolov the opportunity to attack, allowing Barnard and Mari Boya to also come through and demote Bortoleto to P9. Grégoire Saucy tried the same but contact between the pair left the ART Grand Prix driver with a puncture, sending him sailing off into the barriers, necessitating another Safety Car appearance.

Back racing on Lap 9, Edgar couldn’t shake off Collet. The VAR driver looked to get the job done around the outside of the Della Roggia exit, but the Briton showed was back through for first at Lesmo 1. Behind them, Aron found himself bouncing over the gravel at Turn 1 after banging wheels with Leonardo Fornaroli, dropping the Mercedes junior from fourth to 11th. A lap later, a mistake for home hero Fornaroli at the Della Roggia chicane meant the Trident driver dropped to ninth.

The leading battles were fierce as Collet slid past Edgar to regain the lead on Lap 12, whilst Barnard lunged at O’Sullivan to claim third through the first chicane. Undeterred, Edgar made full use of the slipstream, carrying enough overspeed to breeze past the Brazilian back up to the front of the field one lap later.

Another Safety Car interruption to running came after Sebastián Montoya got stuck in the gravel at Turn 5 having been tagged by Hitech Pulse-Eight teammate Gabriele Minì. Edgar was able to defend from Collet who went for a move into Turn 1, as Barnard tried to join in on their duel. Seeing their battle, O’Sullivan seized his chance to slip around the outside of both Barnard and Collet for second. Going straight on the hunt for Edgar, the two ran side-by-side into Della Roggia, touching wheels and sending the Williams junior over the run-off.

The Safety Car returned that same lap after Josep María Martí was hit from behind, the Campos Racing driver found himself stuck in the gravel, joined by Rodin Carlin’s Ido Cohen. Roberto Faria joined the duo in retirement, pulling over on the main straight to extend the Safety Car’s appearance.

With a last lap shootout to overcome, Edgar went early to break clear on the restart. O’Sullivan was slow to react. Collet tried the switchback out of the Della Roggia chicane to take second, but it was Barnard who made his move stick, swooping through on the Brazilian at the first Lesmo to secure the final podium spot.

Champion Bortoleto recovered to take fifth ahead of Mari Boya. Aron took seventh ahead of Campos’ Christian Mansell. A five-second time penalty for forcing another driver off track demoted Fornaroli from P9 to P16, lifting Dino Beganovic up to 9th and Rafael Villagómez took the final point in 10th.

#F3 #ItalianGP Results of the final @Formula3 race of the 2023 season, which had a number of SC periods. Victory for @JonnyEdgar_ . @gabortoleto85 is the champion, @SophiaFloersch scored points, it was a fun season. Lets do it again in 2024. #MsportXtra pic.twitter.com/dbNUfnVDAj

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) September 3, 2023

Here’s how sprint F2, F3 race panned out in Monza

L'entrada F2: Bearman survives SC re-starts in Monza win; Edgar has it in F3 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Vesti resists pressure to Monza sprint win; Colapinto has in F3

Darshan Chokhani — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 13:09:57 +0000

Frederik Vesti resisted pressure to win sprint FIA F2 race at Monza, while Franco Colapinto took the win in F3.

F2:

It was not as a clean start in sprint F2 race at Monza where pole-sitter Ralph Boschung locked-up going into Turn 1 and had to give up lead by going straight on. It put Van Amersfoort Racing’s Richard Verschoor in the lead but not for long.

Prema’s Frederik Vesti got on his tail to take the lead away from the Dutchman with Campos’ Kush Maini up to third from teammate Boschung. Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford was fifth after a small contact with ART’s Theo Pourchaire at Turn 1.

Crawford’s teammate Isak Hadjar was sixth from ART’s Victor Martins who was sandwiched between Prema’s Oliver Bearman and Pourchaire where the latter was behind him in eighth in the points place. MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger was ninth outside the points.

There was a spin for Virtuosi’s Amaury Cordeel who was hit by Carlin’s Zane Maloney. The safety car was deployed to clear the car as re-start saw Vesti still in lead from Verschoor who was close behind. Maini stood third but Boschung dropped outside the points.

Martins gained places to be fourth after clearing both Crawford and Hadjar, with Pourchaire up to seventh from Hauger in the points. There was also a collision between Carlin’s Enzo Fittipaldi who was hit by Bearman at Turn 1 in their own fight.

While Vesti led on, Verschoor came under pressure from Martins who blast past to be second. The Dutchman dropped to third from Maini with Pourchaire up to fourth from Crawford who had a fight with his teammate Hadjar for fifth.

The Frenchman had 5s time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Behind them, it was Hauger in eighth looking to get by them as Trident’s Roman Stanek and Bearman rounded the Top 10 when another safety car period was on.

It was for PHN Charouz’s Roy Nissany who was spun around while fighting for track position against Van Amersfoort’s Juan Manuel Correa, They went wheel-to-wheel from Turn 1 until Turn 4-5 when the Israeli was spun around.

The re-start was good for Vesti as held onto the lead from Martins and Verschoor. Behind, Pourchaire tried a move at Turn 1 but couldn’t make it stick. He blast past Maini at Turn 4-5 to take fourth, with the Indian having to drop back to fifth.

Crawford was sixth from Hadjar as Hauger was sent to the gravel when he tried a move on the Frenchman. He dropped outside the points as Bearman was up to eighth. DAMS’ Arthur Leclerc was the gainer to be ninth from Stanek in the Top 10.

Vesti resisted pressure from Martins to win the sprint F2 race at Monza with Verschoor holding off Pourchaire for third. Maini was fifth as Hadjar and Crawford ended up sixth and seventh but both dropped outside the points due to respective penalties.

It helped Bearman to be sixth from Leclerc and Stanek where both ended up in points due to penalties to the Hitech GP drivers, as Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan and Trident’s Clement Novalak rounded out the Top 10.

#F2 #ItalianGP Results of a hectic but exciting Sprint Race. #MsportXtra @F2Inside @Autodromo_Monza pic.twitter.com/rExb5yM2yt

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) September 2, 2023

F3:

Promoted to the reverse grid front row, Boya took full advantage with a lightning launch off the line to get the better of Colapinto for the lead. Behind them, disaster struck for Paul Aron and Josep María Martí. The slightest of contact between Caio Collet and Aron on the run to Turn 1 left the #1 PREMA Racing driver with a puncture. The Estonian spun and collected both Jonny Edgar and Martí. Forced to pit for repairs, Collet was later awarded a 10-second time penalty for the incident.

In the battle for third, ART Grand Prix teammates Grégoire Saucy and Nikola Tsolov made contact, forcing the Bulgarian to defend from Taylor Barnard behind. The Jenzer Motorsport driver managed to make it through to fourth as the Safety Car was deployed at the end of the opening lap. Boya got racing back underway on Lap 5, as Zak O’Sullivan found his way past Tsolov for fifth, followed by Christian Mansell and Bortoleto two laps later.

Having dispatched Tsolov, Bortoleto made his own move on the Australian ahead. With the benefit of DRS, the Trident driver went down the inside into Ascari for sixth. Oliver Goethe was also on a charge from P22, clearing teammate Leonardo Fornaroli and Tsolov in one corner for eighth.

Colapinto took charge on Lap 10, passing Boya for the lead into the first corner. Dueling over third, O’Sullivan and Saucy made contact out of Turn 1, leaving the Swiss driver with a puncture and falling down the order. O’Sullivan was later awarded a 10-second time penalty for the contact. Battling for the lead, Boya utilised the DRS to breeze past Colapinto on Lap 12. However, the #10 driver was back past a lap later and began to break clear of the chasing pack behind with five laps remaining.

O’Sullivan soon found himself forced to go on the defensive as Barnard nipped past his fellow Briton into P4. The fast-charging Goethe then made an attempt on O’Sullivan into Turn 1, but a lock up sent the German driver down the escape road, dropping him behind Fornaroli and Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning one lap later.

Out front, Colapinto brought home back-to-back Sprint Race victories at Monza. Bortoleto’s patience behind Boya paid off, as the Brazilian claimed second with a move into Turn 4 on the last lap. Barnard added more points to Jenzer’s tally in fourth. Browning stormed his way through the pack to take fifth with a series of late overtakes from P27 on the grid, demoting Fornaroli on the penultimate lap to sixth. Goethe finished in seventh ahead of Gabriele Minì, who made up 18 places. Mansell and Tsolov rounded out the top 10 points scorers, as O’Sullivan’s penalty dropped him from P5 to P12.

#F3 #ItalianGP Provisional results of an exciting Sprint Race. #MsportXtra pic.twitter.com/YAEcfDYdJd

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) September 2, 2023

More to come

L'entrada F2: Vesti resists pressure to Monza sprint win; Colapinto has in F3 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Pourchaire has feature pole in Monza chaos; Goethe in F3

Darshan Chokhani — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:49:52 +0000

Theo Pourchaire took feature F2 race pole in Monza amid chaos, as Oliver Goethe did so in F3 under red flag which helped Gabriel Bortoleto to win the title.

F2:

Even after a delayed start to F2 qualifying in Monza, drivers took their time to start setting a lap time as the tow fears already set in. The first run eventually saw ART’s Theo Pourchaire on top with a 1m32.328s lap from Prema’s Oliver Bearman.

Hitech GP’s Isack Hadjar was third from ART’s Victor Martins and Campos Racing’s Kush Maini in the Top 5 amid lap deletions for certain drivers including Martins and Carlin’s Zan Maloney, where the latter couldn’t set a quality time after a small gravel moment.

He was not alone in that list with Virtuosi’s Amaury Cordeel also having a wide gravel moment, as an impeding between PHM Charouz’s Roy Nissany and Pourchaire was noted. Flames blowing from the car ended Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford session in the pitlane.

But the obsession with tow ended chances of a host of cars to set a second lap time as Pourchaire’s first lap was enough to hand him F2 feature race pole in Monza ahead of Bearman as Trident’s Roman Stanek jumped to third on his final lap.

This dropped Bearman to fourth from Martins, Maini, Crawford, Prema’s Frederik Vesti, Van Amersfoort Racing’s Richard Verschoor and Campos’ Ralph Boschung in the Top 10. The Swiss driver went on his own and improved himself up to 10th.

He secured sprint race pole as a result, with MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger also improving to 11th after breaking away from the back. His teammate Jehan Daruvala did so too but could only manage 16th in the end.

#F2 #ItalianGP Bit of a joke. Provisional qualifying results, which sets the grid for the Feature Race on Sunday, as the top 10 gets reversed as the starting grid for the Sprint Race on Saturday. #MsportXtra @F2Inside @Autodromo_Monza pic.twitter.com/aSANJPw2eG

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) September 1, 2023

F3:

Oliver Goethe secured his first pole position of the season at Monza for Trident, confirming teammate Gabriel Bortoleto as the 2023 Formula 3 Drivers’ Champion in the process. Running in the gap as one of two drivers on track after the second of three Red Flag appearances, the German driver posted a 1:38.909 to go less than a tenth clear of Van Amersfoort Racing’s Caio Collet and Paul Aron in third.

It was all about the waiting game in the early phase of running, as everyone tried to avoid being the first to jump. Aron led a train of cars out on track at the green light, but the field swiftly filtered back into the pits following their installation laps.

Queues immediately formed around the track at the 23-minute mark. Situated right in the middle of a train of cars out of the Lesmo chicane, Ido Cohen was sent spinning after Rodin Carlin teammate Oliver Gray hit the rear of the #22 car, bringing out the first Red Flag. Following closely behind the pair, Bortoleto took evasive action, narrowly avoiding getting caught up in the contact.

Once running resumed, there was no time to waste. Hungry to keep his title hopes alive, Aron went fastest of all with a 1:39.043. The PREMA Racing driver’s effort didn’t stay top for long, as Collet leapfrogged him into provisional pole, but there was little to separate the top three with 0.054s covering Collet, Aron and Goethe.

The session was Red Flagged again seconds later, after a spin for Joshua Dufek left the Campos Racing driver stuck in the gravel trap at the Variante della Roggia.

When the session resumed with 15 minutes remaining, Goethe and Bortoleto were the only two cars to gamble on a run without the benefit of a slipstream. It served the #6 car well, as Goethe managed to improve on his earlier effort to go top by 0.092s.

Opting for another attempt, the Trident driver went off into the barriers at Turn 7. With a third and final Red Flag deployed, nobody got an opportunity to improve as the session was not resumed. As Championship contenders Aron and Josep María Martí were unable to secure the two points awarded for pole, Bortoleto’s job was done to claim the title.

Jonny Edgar finished fourth for MP Motorsport, ahead of Bortoleto. Gabriele Minì claimed the sixth-fastest time ahead of Zak O’Sullivan and Leonardo Fornaroli, ensuring all three Trident cars inside the top eight. Britons Luke Browning and Taylor Barnard rounded out the top 10 qualifiers.

More to come

#F3 #ItalianGP Results of the final qualifying session of the 2023 season with the provisional grid for the Feature Race on Sunday. The top 12 gets reversed as the starting grid for the Sprint Race on Saturday. Gabriel Bortoleto is the champion !! #MsportXtra @Autodromo_Monza pic.twitter.com/77urnN1aWn

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) September 1, 2023

L'entrada F2: Pourchaire has feature pole in Monza chaos; Goethe in F3 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2 unveils next generation car at Monza

FormulaRapida.net — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:10:00 +0000

The FIA F2 championship has revealed its next generation car to public at Monza ahead of Italian GP which will make its debut in 2024.

The FIA Formula 2 Championship has unveiled the F2 2024 car to the international media in the Formula 1 paddock in Monza today, Thursday 31st August. The design philosophy of the new car, which will be raced in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 seasons, is to give young drivers who aspire to race in Formula 1 the best preparation, by making it as close to an F1 car as possible in terms of safety, look, systems, performance, sustainability and accessibility, all at reasonable costs. Moreover, the nose, front and rear wings and floor have been designed to encourage wheel-to-wheel racing, which will lead to thrilling on-track action.

The new car, which features the latest FIA safety innovations, is powered by a 3.4 litre turbo-charged Mecachrome engine, and includes some new features to accommodate the Aramco synthetic sustainable fuel that will be introduced in 2025. For 2024, the F2 car will continue to run on Aramco 55% bio-sourced sustainable fuel, which was successfully introduced in 2023.

The F2 2024 has also been designed to comply with the FIA 2024 specifications in terms of braking, steering effort and ergonomics to accommodate a wide range of drivers and make the championship as accessible as possible.

The car systems will still include marshalling such as Virtual Safety Car (VSC), and optimised Drag Reduction System (DRS), whilst the electronics have been enhanced with a new Marelli Vehicle Control Unit (VCU).

The car completed a successful shakedown in July in Varano, with former F2 driver Tatiana Calderon at the wheel. Following today’s unveiling, the development programme will continue over a number of tests across the remainder of the year, with several drivers including 2022 FIA Formula 2 Champion Felipe Drugovich.

The programme will comprise sufficient mileage to ensure reliability before the cars are delivered to the teams, and further development will be done throughout 2024, 2025 and 2026, as the sustainable component of the fuel increases to reach the target of 100% of synthetic sustainable fuels in 2027.

One car will be delivered to the teams before the end of December 2023, and the second car will be delivered in mid-January 2024. There will be a shakedown with the teams before the first official pre-season test, with one car per team.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “F2 consistently delivers excellent racing and acts as an important training ground for future members of the Formula 1 grid, and by bringing the design philosophies of the two cars closer together we will support this development further. The new F2 car is also an important symbol for our sustainability journey as the series continues to pioneer advanced sustainable fuel which will become a part of F1 from 2026. I want to pay tribute to Bruno and his team as well as the FIA for our continued strong collaboration in this category. I can’t wait to see the car on track next season.”

FIA Deputy President for Sport, Robert Reid, said: “The launch of this next generation of FIA Formula 2 car marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the championship. A huge amount of work has been done by the FIA, Formula 2 and its partners to put together what is a truly impressive package focused on close racing, the latest safety technologies, even greater environmental sustainability and better accessibility for drivers than ever before. This significant step will bring Formula 2 closer to the pinnacle of motor sport, ensuring that the next generation of drivers get the best possible preparation for the future and also put on a fantastic show for the fans around the world.

“Seeing how design philosophies and technologies are cascading down from Formula 1 to the junior categories is a great testament to the FIA single-seater pathway that guides young talents from around the world towards a successful career in top-flight competition, and we are all looking forward to seeing this car in racing action next season.”

FIA Formula 2 Championship CEO, Bruno Michel, said: “I’m very proud to present our new F2 car, which will race for the next three years. Together with the FIA, we’ve designed a powerful, challenging and safe car that will prepare young drivers for F1, and that will continue to provide great racing and a lot of overtaking opportunities, something that the fans expect from F2.

“It has been designed also to fit all types of drivers, taking into account FIA’s consideration regarding the steering effort. This is obviously key to making our sport more inclusive, by enhancing our car’s driveability and comfort.

“One of our main focuses remains costs control. So, we have kept the same engine and gearbox, and there are a lot of carried-over parts from the previous car. Finally, we made sure that the teams can manage this new car with 12 operational people, as per the Sporting Regulations.

“I want to thank our partners Aramco, Pirelli, Dallara and Mecachrome, who are key in making this car safe, reliable and the best racing machine to prepare our drivers for Formula 1.”

The 2024 FIA Formula 2 car – Details

Dimensions

Overall length: 5284 mm
Overall width: 1900 mm
Overall height: 1097 mm (including FOM roll hoop camera)
Wheelbase: 3135 mm

Engine

V6 – 3.4 litre single turbo charged Mecachrome engine.
Rated to 620 HP @ 8750 rpm.
Fly by wire accelerator system.
Rebuild after 8000 km.
Maximum Torque 570 Nm @ 6000 rpm.

Monocoque and Bodywork

Survival cell – Sandwich Carbon/aluminium honeycomb structure/Zylon anti-intrusion panels made by Dallara.
Front and rear wing – Carbon structures made by Dallara.
Bodywork – Carbon – Kevlar honeycomb structures made by Dallara.

Safety standards

Full FIA F1 2024 safety standards.
Titanium Halo F1 specification.

Gearbox

6-speed longitudinal Hewland sequential gearbox.
Electro-hydraulic command via paddle shift from steering wheel.
ZF SACHS Carbon clutch.
No on-board starter.
Non hydraulic ramp differential.

Steering system

Non-assisted rack and pinion steering system – FIA 2024 specification.
New XAP steering wheel with dashboard, gear change, clutch and DRS paddles, marshalling & VSC display.

Electronic features

New Marelli Marvel VCU 480 ECU/GCU including data logging system.
New Marelli FOX 442 power supply management unit.
CAN data acquisition pre-equipment.
Beacon receiver.
F1 type VSC & Marshalling system.

Suspension

Double steel wishbones, pushrod operated, twin dampers and torsion bars suspension (Front) and spring suspension (Rear).
Adjustable ride height, camber and toe.
Two way (F) / Four way (R) adjustable Koni dampers.
Adjustable anti-roll bar (Front/Rear).

Wheels and tyres

O.Z. Racing magnesium rims.
18” x 12” front wheel dimension.
18” x 13.7” rear wheel dimension.
F2 specific Pirelli slick / wet tyres.
TPMS Texense (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System).

Brakes

6 pistons monobloc Brembo callipers.
Carbone Industrie carbon-carbon brake discs and pads.

Fuel

Aramco 55% bio-sourced sustainable fuel for 2024.
ATL FT5 fuel cell 125 litres – FIA standard.

DRS

Same functionality of DRS used in Formula 1.
Hydraulic activation.

Extinguisher system

New FEV system (electrically operated), in accordance to the latest FIA standards.

https://twitter.com/Formula2/status/1697192592104894835?s=20

Here’s gallery: https://www.fiaformula2.com/Latest/27X8zUex220uY8H4LVVHlY/gallery-introducing-our-next-generation-with-the-new-formula-2-car

L'entrada F2 unveils next generation car at Monza ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Novalak scores first win in dramatic feature race at Zandvoort

Darshan Chokhani — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 09:11:24 +0000

Clement Novalak did a fine job in dramatic conditions to his first feature F2 race at Zandvoort from Zane Maloney and Jak Crawford.

The damp conditions meant some went for soft compound to start while some opted for the wet tyres in the feature F2 race at Zandvoort. The Race Control opted for a rolling start and it was disaster already when Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan spun in the final corner.

As the race went green, Prema’s Frederik Vesti spun on his own at Turn 1. Just behind him his teammate Oliver Bearman braked hard to make the corner and Van Amersfoort’s Juan Manuel Correa tapped him to send him on the gravel.

This caught out ART’s Victor Martins too as Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford led the way in feature F2 race from MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger as Carlin’s Zane Maloney was third. Correa ran fourth from Hitech GP’s Isack Hadjar and ART’s Theo Pourchaire.

Campos’ Kush Maini was seventh from DAMS’ Ayumu Iwasa, Trident’s Clement Novalak and Campos’ Ralph Boschung in the Top 10. The safety car was deployed to clear the car of Doohan as the re-start saw Crawford held on to the lead from Hauger.

Iwasa, meanwhile, went for a move on Maini at Turn 1 but couldn’t hold on and made contact. Both Correa and Iwasa were handed a 10s time penalty for causing a collision. The race went on for few laps until the pit stop started for majority of the field.

Pourchaire almost bumped Hadjar while going in but a quick stop from ART allowed him to take track position. It didn’t last for long as the Sauber academy driver lost control and went straight into the barrier to retire and cause a safety car.

The drivers started to pit with Prema opting for a double stack. It was Vesti behind Bearman and seeming the rear wheels were not fitted properly as he lost both of them under the safety car to retire which elongated the safety car period.

The re-start had Novalak in the front as Maloney slotted in second after passing Crawford at the re-start. Van Amersfoort’s Richard Verschoor was up to fourth from Martins who had a fight against Bearman which resulted in a contact between the two.

Bearman passed him at Turn 1 after a squeeze at the exit. Martins came back on him on the bank at Turn 3 taking the inside line while squeezing Bearman onto the barrier. The move was put under investigation with the Brit having to retire.

Martins hung on to fifth from Hauger, Hadjar, Carlin’s Enzo Fittipaldi, Virtuosi’s Amuary Cordeel and PHM Charouz’s Roy Nissany in the Top 10. There was a 5s penalty for safety car infringement for Boschung and MP Motorsport’s Jehan Daruvala.

The Indian complained of something lose in his cockpit too. At the front, it was Novalak cruising in the lead from Maloney, Crawford, Verschoor, Martins, Hauger, Hadjar, Fittipaldi, Cordeel and Correa who passed Nisaany for 10th.

With the multiple safety car periods, the F2 race was converted into a timed race. There was a 10s time penalty for Martins for ‘hindering’ when fighting Bearman. At the front, Novalak held off fine to his first win in the feature F2 race at Zandvoort.

Maloney resisted Crawford’s pressure to retain second with Verschoor a close fourth in the end. Martins was fifth on the road but a time penalty helped Hauger to be fifth from Hadjar, Fittipaldi and Cordeel as Martins slotted in ninth from Correa in the Top 10.

#F2 #DutchGP Results of a chaotic and timed-out Feature Race in which too much happened to fit into a single tweet. Watch the highlights when available. #MsportXtra @F2Inside @CMCZtweets @f1dutchgp pic.twitter.com/J4m79RKrvr

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) August 27, 2023

More to come

Here’s how sprint F2 race was abandoned

L'entrada F2: Novalak scores first win in dramatic feature race at Zandvoort ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Rain forces Zandvoort sprint race cancellation after L1 crash

Darshan Chokhani — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:12:08 +0000

The weather conditions forced the cancellation of sprint F2 race at Zandvoort where a Lap 1 incident delayed proceedings and rain ended it.

The wet conditions forced for a safety car start in the F2 sprint race at Zandvoort where Hitech GP’s Isack Hadjar led ART’s Victor Martins and Van Amersfoort’s Juan Manuel Correa after reverse grid pole-sitter Theo Pourchaire faced problems on the grid.

The ART crew pushed his car in the pits to fix the problem which they managed to do so as he joined the back of grid. After couple of laps behind the safety car, the race started with Hadjar leading Martins but Prema’s Oliver Bearman jumped to third.

Correa dropped to fourth from Carlin’s Zane Maloney, Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan, Prema’s Frederik Vesti and Trident’s Clement Novalak in the Top 8 points places with the Top 10 completed by MP Motorsport pair of Dennis Hauger and Jehan Daruvala.

The race was red flagged after Campos’ Kush Maini had a collision with Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford around Turn 7 which spun them and the Indian was then collected by his teammate Ralph Boschung. It resulted in a dramatic moment in the race.

The pictures emerged where Maini was positioned on top of Boschung’s car with the safety light also turned around. All three retired as the rest of the grid waited for the re-start which eventually was set for 14:00 local time.

Post red flag –

As they went again, it was behind the safety car but rain started to fall too. Due to the time constraints, the race was converted into a timed race which was eventually red-flagged again after few laps behind the safety car with the rain falling.

Just as they were forced into the pitlane under the red flag, the race control decided to no longer resume the race due to bad conditions and time constraints. As per the regulation, no points were to be awarded but the confirmation of the same is yet to be made.

RED FLAG (LAP 2/28)

The race is red flagged after a huge collision between Crawford, and Campos team mates Boschung and Maini

All three drivers are out of their cars and appear to be okay#DutchGP #F2 pic.twitter.com/ge6JYSFIEQ

— Formula 2 (@Formula2) August 26, 2023

L'entrada F2: Rain forces Zandvoort sprint race cancellation after L1 crash ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Crawford has Zandvoort feature race pole amid red flag dramas

Darshan Chokhani — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:59:53 +0000

Jak Crawford held on to provisional F2 pole for feature race in Zandvoort from Dennis Hauger and Frederik Vesti.

It was a feisty start to F2 qualifying in Zandvoort when Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan had a hard time behind ART’s Victor Martins. The Australian tried hard to get by him but the Frenchman did not give enough room even on the main straight.

The erratic driving was put under investigation by the stewards, as Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford led the way after a 1m21.210s lap ahead of MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger and Prema’s Frederik Vesti, with Doohan slotting in fourth from Prema’s Oliver Bearman.

The second run started on a sour note for Crawford who had damage on the front wing when they all pulled out of their boxes to get out. There was an investigation on board for Carlin’s Enzo Fittipaldi for pitlane infringement.

Replays showed Trident’s Clement Novalak on the path of Crawford which was put under investigation as the session was red flagged after a crash for MP Motorsport’s Jehan Daruvala. He seemingly spun at the exit of Turn 3.

Even before they could give it a go on re-start and set a lap time, Van Amersfoort’s Juan Manuel Correa beached himself on the gravel for another red flag moment. The American Ecuadorian had a purple first sector before beaching it in Sector 2.

There were few who managed get a lap in but some who were looking fast couldn’t complete theirs. The second re-start was short-lived yet again after Novalak had a barrier moment to throw debris on track which resulted in another red flag.

The session ended under it with Crawford holding on to provisional pole for feature F2 race in Zandvoort from Hauger who seemingly had more pace. Vesti was third from Carlin’s Zane Maloney who improved in the previous run to be fourth.

Doohan was fifth from Bearman as Correa slotted in seventh despite the off. Martins ended up eighth from Hitech GP’s Isack Hadjar as ART’s Theo Pourchaire was 10th to secure the sprint race pole for Saturday’s F1 race from Campos’ Kush Maini.

#F2 #DutchGP Another RED FLAG and that's it. No time left. Qualifying results for the FeatureRace on Sunday. The top 10 will be reversed as the startinggrid for the SprintRace tomorrow. #MsportXtra @F2Inside @CMCZtweets @f1dutchgp pic.twitter.com/cdyKGtnMQm

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) August 25, 2023

UPDATE: Following the conclusion of the Qualifying session at Zandvoort, Van Amersfoort Racing driver Richard Verschoor has been handed a grid penalty. The Dutchman was judged to have impeded Rodin Carlin’s Zane Maloney on the apex of Turn 8, with the Bajan driver on a push lap.

After examining evidence following the session and hearing from both team and driver, the Stewards decided that Verschoor impeded Maloney unnecessarily despite the VAR driver attempting to get out of the way. As a result, Verschoor has been assigned a three-place grid penalty. It drops the VAR driver from P14 on the Sprint Race grid to P17. It promotes Ralph Boschung, Jehan Daruvala and Arthur Leclerc up one position each on the grid for Saturday’s race.

Final results: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2023%20Zandvoort%20Event%20-%20F2%20Qualifying%20-%20final%20classification.pdf

L'entrada F2: Crawford has Zandvoort feature race pole amid red flag dramas ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Shwartzman back in Ferrari for FP1 run in F1 Dutch GP

Darshan Chokhani — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:21:03 +0000

Robert Shwartzman is back in the Ferrari machine for his first FP1 run of F1 2023 in this weekend’s Dutch GP as part of rookie run.

After Mercedes confirmed Frederik Vesti for a FP1 run in Mexico GP, Ferrari have done so with Shwartzman for this weekend’s Dutch GP as part of the rookie run. He will make his 2023 debut amid his endurance campaign to replace Carlos Sainz.

Vasseur revealed that it was the driver choice for when they wish to swap and Sainz was fine to do so in Dutch GP, while Charles Leclerc may do so in Abu Dhabi considering the mixed run of races – some being street circuits and some having sprint races.

“Robert will do Zandvoort in Carlos’ car, and he’ll do another one, probably Abu Dhabi, in Charles’ car,” said Vasseur. “It was the choice of the driver, I gave them the choice to do it where they want to do it. I know that it’s not an easy situation. But Carlos was ok with the idea.

“It’s not so easy to decide because for sure you can’t do it in Singapore, in Japan, in Las Vegas. Also, you have some sprint events in Austin, Qatar, so that you can’t do it. Then you have the races with the tyre allocation a bit different, it’s also so tricky to do it. It means that at the end of the day, you don’t have so many options,” summed up Vasseur.

Even though Ferrari have younger driver in their ranks other than Shwartzman, Vasseur stuck with the Russian as they wanted the likes of Oliver Bearman and Arthur Leclerc to keep their focus on the F2 championship rather than indulge in F1 running.

“They have to be focused on the F2 championship,” said Vasseur. “And we will try to give them opportunities of testing either on the 2021 car or something else before the end of the season. But I want to push them to stay focussed on the F2 championship.”

Talking about his FP1 run, Shwartzman is happy to get another go in the F1 car at Zandvoort. “I am very excited to be driving the SF-23 after having worked on its development in the simulator,” he said. “Driving a Formula 1 car during a round of the World Championship is really special and something to be proud of, especially with Scuderia Ferrari, the team that has supported me throughout my career.

“Before the summer break, I did a half day’s testing to get used to being in the cockpit once again, as it’s been quite a while since I last drove a Formula 1 car. Even though it was in an SF21, which is very different from this year’s car and runs on 13 inch tyres, it was still very useful preparation for this Free Practice in Zandvoort. It will be interesting for me to compare the SF-23 with last year’s F1-75 which I drove twice, at last year’s United States and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.”

Here’s Frederic Vasseur on Max Verstappen not damaging F1

Here’s Charles Leclerc on P2 being target

Here’s Frederic Vasseur on being miles away with proper team structure

Here’s Carlos Sainz in agreement regarding contract talks

Here’s Charles Leclerc on Ferrari not doing what it is supposed to

Here’s Frederic Vassuer on needing consistency

L'entrada Shwartzman back in Ferrari for FP1 run in F1 Dutch GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

FIA releases F2 and F3 calendar for 2024 season

FormulaRapida.net — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:51:58 +0000

FIA has released the calendar for both F2 and F3 championships for 2024 season with 14 and 10 rounds respectively.

F2 –

FIA Formula 2 announce the calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship. Next season will comprise a total of 14 rounds, all support events of the FIA Formula One World Championship. The eleven teams and 22 drivers will contest a total of 28 races across 13 countries, with a new venue added to the calendar as Formula 2 will go to Qatar for the very first time.

The eighth season of Formula 2 will open at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 29 – March 02, before heading to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for Round 2 the following week on March 07-09. Melbourne, Australia will conclude the month of March with the third round of the season on March 22-24.

The campaign will pick up in Europe, with back-to-back race weekends, first in Imola, Emilia Romagna on May 17-19, followed by Monte Carlo, Monaco on May 23-26. The action will carry on with a triple-header that will start on June 21-23 in Barcelona, Spain. The paddock will then travel to Spielberg, Austria on June 28-30, before ending three weeks of racing in Silverstone, UK on July 05-07.

A double-header will come next, starting with Budapest, Hungary on July 19-21, followed by Round 10 in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, on July 26-28.

After a summer break, the field will return to Monza, Italy on August 30 – September 01, before flying to Baku, Azerbaijan on September 13-15. Round 13 will take place in Qatar on November 29 – December 01, a new circuit for F2, while the season will finally conclude at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi on December 06-08.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “It is fantastic to announce such an exciting F2 calendar for 2024, following on from the 24 race calendar we announced for Formula 1 a few weeks ago. The breadth of venues and the addition of Qatar is another sign of the strength and interest in F2 globally and the talent we have in the Championship is very positive for the future. The Championship is delivering exciting racing at every event for all our fans and that is a tribute to the work of Bruno, his team and all the competitors across the grid. I would also like to thank the FIA for their collaboration on this fantastic championship, and our long-standing partners Pirelli, Dallara and Mecachrome for their continued support. We are all looking forward to the rest of the season and crowning the 2023 Champion.”

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship calendar, which has today been approved by the World Motor Sport Council, ensures another exciting season of racing on some of the most iconic and challenging circuits around the world. As the final stepping stone before the pinnacle of single-seater motor sport, Formula 2 is a hugely important championship that creates intense competition, and its success is the result of the strong collaboration between the FIA team, the promoter and all of the teams, which I look forward to seeing continue into 2024 and beyond.”

FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel said: “I’m very pleased to announce that there will be fourteen rounds and 28 races on the Formula 2 calendar in 2024. For next year, we will race in Qatar, which is a very exciting new venue. The final leg of the season will see Baku, Qatar and Abu Dhabi after the race weekend in Monza, making the 2024 calendar more balanced. We keep receiving interest from many promoters, and it’s great that we can add new tracks every season. Even though there will be more fly-away events in 2024, we continue to ensure the teams’ budget remains at a proper level.”

F3 –

FIA Formula 3 has announced today the calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship. Next season will consist of a total of 10 rounds, all support events of the FIA Formula One World Championship and the FIA Formula 2 Championship. The 10 teams and 30 drivers will contest a total of 20 races across three continents.

F3’s sixth season will again kick off at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 29 – March 02, before travelling to Melbourne, Australia on March 22-24. The action will resume in Europe with a double-header that will start in Imola, Emilia Romagna on May 17-19, followed by Round 4 in Monte Carlo, Monaco on May 23-26.

There will be a triple-header next that will begin in Barcelona, Spain on June 21-23, followed by Round 6 in Spielberg, Austria on June 28-30. Round 7 in Silverstone, UK will conclude three weeks of intense racing on July 05-07. A second double-header will see the grid take on the Hungaroring in Budapest on 19–21 July, followed by the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium one week later, on July 26-28. The final and tenth round of the 2024 F3 season will take place in Monza, Italy on August 30 – September 01.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “We are all excited to announce the 2024 Formula 3 calendar that brings huge anticipation and excitement after an already thrilling season this year. The intensity on the track is delighting all our fans and once again shows the talent in the system and the pipeline we have for the future. I want to thank the FIA, Bruno, his team and all the competitors for the incredible job they do and also pay tribute to our longstanding partners Dallara, Mechachrome and Pirelli for their continued support of the series. We are all looking forward to the rest of the season and an exciting 2024.”

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The FIA junior single-seater categories are of vital importance to the success of motor sport at the very highest levels, and for the young drivers to develop on the global platform of Formula 1 is without doubt the right pathway. The calendar that we are very pleased to confirm today provides a broad range of circuits, including some of the most challenging and iconic racing venues anywhere in the world, on which the potential stars of the future will give the drivers the best possible preparation for the next step up the ladder to the FIA Formula 2 Championship.”

FIA Formula 3 CEO Bruno Michel said: “In 2023, we introduced two new circuits – Melbourne and Monte Carlo – which held extremely successful events for Formula 3. I am very pleased to include them again in the 2024 calendar. We will have 10 rounds, across 3 continents, starting in Sakhir and ending in Monza, all events running alongside Formula 1. In a matter of five years, the FIA Formula Championship 3 has become a decisive category that features the best up-and-coming talents on their way to the top steps of motorsport.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada FIA releases F2 and F3 calendar for 2024 season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Vesti gets FP1 chance with Mercedes in Mexico GP

Darshan Chokhani — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 10:18:30 +0000

Frederik Vesti gets a FP1 chance in F1 Mexico GP as part of the junior programme and FIA regulation of rookie run.

As part of the FIA rookie run, Mercedes has handed Vesti a FP1 run chance in the upcoming F1 Mexico GP at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. This will be the Dane’s first time in the W14 after a post-season W13 run last year.

Vesti is currently in the fight for the F2 title where he lost the points lead in Belgium to Theo Pourchaire. “I’m incredibly proud to be doing the FP1 session in Mexico City with the Team – it’s a dream come true,” said the Dane. “To think in less than two months that I’ll be doing my first official Formula One session with Mercedes, who have won eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, is amazing.

“This has been my dream since I was very young and something I’ve been fighting for through my whole junior career. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and this is a very important step for me on my journey. To be able to develop myself in an F1 car alongside some of the best drivers in the world is something I’m looking forward to.

“I want to thank Mercedes for this incredible opportunity, as well as my sponsors and manager for always believing in me. I can’t wait to be driving W14 for the first time.” At the same time, Toto Wolff, added: “Fred has executed an impressive Formula 2 campaign so far this season. Driving in an FP1 session is the next step in his development and we’re looking forward to giving him that opportunity.

“He is a talented young driver, not only quick but thoughtful, and he understands exactly what the Team is looking for from him in the car. I am sure he will perform well and provide a solid starting point for our work over the weekend.” And finally, Andrew Shovlin noted: “Fred acquitted himself faultlessly in the young driver test last year so we’re looking forward to having him in the car once again.

“He’s shown what he is capable of in F2 this year, combining strong pace with consistency. Fred has been part of the Team for several years now and has been a key part of our simulator development and set-up programme. We’re therefore looking forward to giving him his first running in an F1 session on a Grand Prix weekend; that will be another useful step in his development and prove useful in being able to correlate the real-world car with his work back in Brackley. I’m sure he will enjoy the experience.”

Here’s Lewis Hamilton, George Russell on Belgian GP

L'entrada Vesti gets FP1 chance with Mercedes in Mexico GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

F2: Doohan wins Spa feature race from 11th; Barnard wins in F3

Darshan Chokhani — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 09:20:26 +0000

Jack Doohan makes the alternative strategy work to win feature F2 race in Spa-Francorchamps, as Taylor Barnard took it in F3.

F2:

It was dry but cloudy conditions ahead of the feature F2 race at Spa-Francorchamps and it caught out ART’s Victor Martins and Prema’s Frederik Vesti on the out lap. The Frenchman spun just outside the pitlane but managed to continue on.

Vesti, however, spun at the end of Kemmel Straight and hit the barrier which ended his chance of taking part in the race. This helped teammate Oliver Bearman to lead comfortably at the start from ART’s Theo Pourchaire and Carlin’s Zane Maloney.

His teammate Enzo Fittipaldi was fourth from Martins, who had a slow start. Van Amersfoort Racing’s Richard Verschoor passed MP Motorsport’s Jehan Daruvala for sixth, with Hitech GP’s Isack Hadjar in eighth from Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan.

The Top 10 was rounded out by Hitech GP’s Jak Crawford. MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger was initially caught out by a slow Campos of Ralph Boschung at the exit of Turn 1 and the evasive action dropped him in the mid-pack.

On the exit of the Kemmel Straight, DAMS’ Ayumu Iwasa lost control on his medium tyres and made contact with Hauger which broke the Japanese driver’s suspension. The Norwegian driver stopped on track but the marshals pushed him to re-start.

The collision and the marshal push was put under investigation with Hauger joining the field at the back. Once it was cleared, the re-start saw Bearman lead the way from Pourchaire but the Carlin duo went for it despite a radio call.

Fittipaldi took third from Maloney who had to take evasive action on the outside at Kemmel Straight. This helped Martins to take fourth with Verschoor holding sixth from Daruvala, Hadjar, Doohan and Crawford in the Top 10 points places.

There was a scary moment for DAMS’ Arthur Leclerc on Eau Rouge when he made slight contact with PHM Charouz’s Roy Nissany. The Monegasque spun onto the tarmac and escaped hitting the barrier but suffered a puncture to drop back.

Hauger, meanwhile, was showed the black flag and disqualified for the marshal pushing him to re-start. At the front, Bearman came under tremendous pressure from Pourchaire who tried to clear him multiple times but the Brit hung on well.

Nissany was handed a 10s penalty for his collision with Leclerc. The pit exit was catching drivers out with Trident’s Clement Novalak going off the white line, while Hadjar clobbered the wall to lose the front wing. He continued but Virtual Safety Car was deployed.

The re-start brought Pourchaire and Fittipaldi close onto Bearman’s tail before their pit stop. The Frenchman took the race lead in the pitlane with a slightly faster pit stop with Bearman in second from Martins and Maloney, where Fittipaldi dropped to fifth.

There was a moment between Maloney and Daruvala where the Indian went off road while trying a pass and was forced to retire. The move was deemed fine with no investigation needed. The safety car played in the hands of Doohan after Crawford was spun around.

He was hit by Van Amersfoort’s Juan Manuel Correa at the end of Kemmel Straight. It was Pourchaire in the lead from Doohan who benefited having the alternative strategy. Bearman was third from Martins, Maloney and Fittipaldi in the Top 6.

But Martins had a 5s penalty for speeding in pitlane as he and Bearman were put under investigation for causing a collision after a moment between the two. Verschoor slotted in seventh from Novalak, Correa and Boschung in the Top 10 points position.

The incident between Crawford and Correa was put under investigation as PHM Charouz’s Joshua Mason had an off under the safety car which got extended. The re-start saw Pourchaire hold onto to his lead from Doohan and Bearman.

Doohan eventually went past Pourchaire on the Kemmel Straight to lead the feature F2 race. Behind, Martins and Bearman made contact with the Frenchman having to take evasive action but taking third from the Brit with the penalty already there.

Maloney held off Fittipaldi and Verschoor in the fight for fourth. Campos’ Kush Maini climbed up to eighth from Trident’s Roman Stanek and Novalak in the Top 10. The strategy worked for Doohan who took the feature F2 race win at Spa-Francorchamps.

Pourchaire was second from Martins but a 5s penalty dropped him with Bearman getting third. But the Brit had a penalty against his name too for the collision with Martins which helped Fittipaldi to end up third after his late pass on Maloney.

He had to settle for fourth with Martins in fifth from Verschoor as Bearman slotted in seventh from Maini, Stanek and Boschung in the Top 10 points places. With Vesti not starting, Pourchaire took the F2 points lead at a crucial stage of the season.

#F2 #BelgianGP Another crazy Feature Race in which many things happened, except there was no rain. It's a win for Jack Doohan, it's a back-to-back feature race win for Jack. #MsportXtra @F2Inside pic.twitter.com/WfKYQ9z6Xq

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) July 30, 2023

UPDATE: Following the conclusion of Round 11’s Feature Race at Spa-Francorchamps, Dennis Hauger has been disqualified from the final classification for breaching Article 22.4 of the Sporting Regulations. After contact with Ayumu Iwasa at Turn 6, the MP Motorsport driver stopped at the entrance of Turn 9 due to a stalled engine. After he stopped, the marshals tried to push his car to the closest opening and whilst being pushed, Hauger “bump started” his car and rejoined the race.

Juan Manuel Correa has received a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Jak Crawford at Turn 5. The Stewards determined that Crawford was slightly ahead on the outside on the approach to Turn 5. The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver left sufficient room for the Van Amersfoort Racing driver on the inside, with a collision ensuing at the apex. As a result of the penalty, the American driver drops from P12 to P16 in the final classification, promoting Roy Nissany, Clément Novalak, Joshua Mason and Amaury Cordeel up one place each.

Finally, Iwasa has been handed a five-place grid drop for causing a collision with Hauger at Turn 6. The Stewards found that the DAMS driver missed the apex at Turn 5, putting him onto a wet line. Under acceleration at Turn 6, Iwasa lost the back end of his car, making contact with the Norwegian. Iwasa will serve the penalty at the next race in which he participates in.

Here’s final results: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2023%20Spa%20Francorchamps%20Event%20-%20F2%20Race%202%20-%20final%20classification.pdf

F3:

After a formation lap behind the Safety Car, racing got underway with a rolling start and Josep María Martí headed the field on slicks. Paul Aron was one of the only drivers to opt for wet tyres and he went from P11 up to fourth in the first corners as those ahead on the mediums struggled for grip.

Along the Kemmel Straight he moved up to P2, passing Leonardo Fornaroli into Les Combes, then quickly taking the lead as Martí slithered around on the mediums. Barnard was up to second after opting for wets also, joined by MP Motorsport’s Mari Boya who likewise went the right way on tyres. Mansell was the biggest gainer, going from 23rd to fourth in the opening stages.

The Safety Car was deployed on Lap 4 after a crash for Oliver Goethe at Eau Rouge. He was out of the car and ok, but Aron’s sacrificed his nine second lead as the PREMA Racing driver pitted for slick tyres. Barnard, Mansell, Bedrin, Alejandro García, Sebastián Montoya and Sophia Floersch all remained on track to make up the top six while Aron filtered out on his mediums in P7.

Roberto Faria was also on the mediums but spun off the road and into the gravel at Les Combes and out of the race, prolonging the Safety Car. Luke Browning was another to suffer a spin under the Safety Car, but he was able to rejoin, albeit down to 17th.

Racing got back underway heading onto Lap 8 and those on the wets opened up a gap to Aron who was the lead car on the slicks in seventh. Caio Collet made a fast restart, passing Boya for P8 into Les Combes, and the Sprint Race winner passed Aron after the Estonian ran wide and off the road at Turn 8.

Championship leader Bortoleto had been as low as 20th in the first laps but was back up to 16th on Lap 9 as he chased down his title rivals ahead. The Trident driver claimed two more places into Les Combes to move up to 14th on the same lap. With five laps to go, Mansell was just 0.3s back from leader Barnard in the fight for first and looking to find a route through. The pair almost made contact into Les Combes and the Campos Racing driver ran across the escape road before handing the place back to Barnard.

Bortoleto continued his fightback, taking 12th from Boya on Lap 12 down the Kemmel Straight. That became 11th on the penultimate lap with a pass on title rival Zak O’Sullivan and with Aron in eighth, he needed two more places to clinch the title. Up in front, Barnard made it back-to-back podiums at Spa-Francorchamps to seal his maiden F3 victory ahead of Mansell. Teammate Bedrin was P3 in the end ahead of the third and final Jenzer García, who capped off a great day for the team in fourth.

Collet swept to fifth on the final lap after he found grip to pass Montoya and Floersch for a top five result. Aron ended up eighth with Martí ninth and Colapinto taking a pivotal 10th place, keeping Bortoleto behind and short of the title by just two points.

#F3 #BelgianGP Now that was a crazy Feature Race on a damp track where a number of drivers stayed on the wet tyre while others went for the dry tyre. Well done @SophiaFloersch . #MsportXtra pic.twitter.com/yUXCTqXZnn

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) July 30, 2023

UPDATE: Following the conclusion of the Round 9 Feature Race at Spa-Francorchamps, several drivers have received post-race penalties. Firstly, Hitech Pulse-Eight driver Luke Browning has been awarded a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision. During the race, the Briton made contact with Rodin Carlin’s Ido Cohen at Turn 8, with Cohen sustaining a puncture as a result. After examining evidence post-race, Stewards determined that Browning was the driver predominantly at fault.

With the penalty applied, Browning remains 23rd in the classification. Oliver Gray has received a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision. The Briton made contact with Campos Racing’s Hugh Barter at Turn 18, leaving both out of the race with damage. After analysing the incident and reviewing evidence, the Stewards deemed the Rodin Carlin driver as predominantly responsible for the collision.

Due to Gray not being classified in the Feature Race, his penalty is converted into a five-place grid drop that he will serve at the next race in which he participates in. Finally, Trident driver Oliver Goethe has been assigned a 10-second stop and go penalty for a breach of Article 37.5 of the Sporting Regulations. Trident team personnel remained on the grid after the 15-second signal had been given. With the Trident driver not classified in the Spa Feature Race, his 10-second stop and go penalty has been converted into a 10-place grid drop for the next race in which he participates in.

Here’s final result: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2023%20Spa%20Francorchamps%20Event%20-%20F3%20Feature%20Race%20-%20Final%20Result.pdf

Here’s how F2 and F3 sprint panned out

L'entrada F2: Doohan wins Spa feature race from 11th; Barnard wins in F3 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.