2022 [F2/F3/Super Formula etc] Junior Formula Series discussion

[MonteCristo]

Go!

With Piastri forced to sit out F2 because he won the series, Zhou moving on to F1, and Ticktum going to Formula E next year's F2 season will see a bit of a shake-up regardless of what the other front-runners do.

So, some news. Jack Doohan was pretty impressive in his two rounds in terms of speed. He also quickly found the wall, but that's another story. Regardless, he'll be joining UNI-Virtuosi (second in the team's championship). Effectively taking Zhou's seat. https://www.speedcafe.com/2021/12/14/do ... -for-2022/

[Everso Biggyballies]

Daruvala sets the pace in opening day of F2 post-season test

Today was F2's turn to test at Abu Dhabi. Teams have been issued with eight sets of mediums tyres to use during the three-day test.
As the headline says Jehan Daruvala topped the times on the opening day..... this year’s two-time F2 race winner clocked a 1m35.435s effort in the afternoon’s three hour session, which would stand as the fastest time of the day.

The time was 0.358s slower than the pole time set by Oscar Piastri in last weekend’s F2 qualifying session..... however Daruvala’s lap was set on medium tyres compared to Piastri on super softs. Felipe Drugovich was Daruvala’s nearest challenger after leading the Indian in the morning’s three hour session with a 1m35.577s.

Jack Doohan was third fastest to become one of only four drivers to dip into the 1m35s with 1m35.851s. Theo Pourchaire was fourth quickest 0.130s slower than Doohan. Doohan was fastest rookie and also third in both sessions.

I say both sessions..... the day was split into a morning and afternoon session and timed accordingly.

2021 FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP - YAS MARINA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 1,
MORNING SESSION

DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS
1 Felipe Drugovich MP Motorsport 1:35.577 31
2 Jehan Daruvala PREMA Racing 1:35.622 26
3 Jack Doohan UNI-Virtuosi 1:36.055 41
4 Liam Lawson Carlin 1:36.208 29
5 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:36.482 47
6 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.571 19
7 Logan Sargeant Carlin 1:36.599 30
8 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:36.643 35
9 Jake Hughes Van Amersfoort Racing 1:36.708 23
10 Marino Sato UNI-Virtuosi 1:36.718 34
11 Marcus Armstrong Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.733 33
12 Ayumu Iwasa DAMS 1:37.018 42
13 Dennis Hauger PREMA Racing 1:37.023 20
14 Olli Caldwell Campos Racing 1:37.033 27
15 Clément Novalak MP Motorsport 1:37.069 26
16 Calan Williams Trident 1:37.070 26
17 Teppei Natori Trident 1:37.387 27
18 Juan Manuel Correa Charouz Racing System 1:37.472 37
19 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:37.566 27
20 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:37.677 12
21 Amaury Cordeel Van Amersfoort Racing 1:38.887 28
22 Frederik Vesti DAMS 1:39.694 13


2021 FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP - YAS MARINA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 1,
AFTERNOON SESSION

DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS
Jehan Daruvala PREMA Racing 1:35.435 46
Felipe Drugovich MP Motorsport 1:35.793 44
Jack Doohan Virtuosi 1:35.851 44
Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:35.981 46
Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:36.340 33
Calan Williams Trident 1:36.705 48
Roy Nissany DAMS 1:36.859 41
Juan Manuel Correa Charouz Racing System 1:36.886 34
Frederik Vesti ART Grand Prix 1:36.912 45
Dennis Hauger PREMA Racing 1:36.960 44
Olli Caldwell Campos Racing 1:37.031 44
Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:37.073 40
Jake Hughes Van Amersfoort Racing 1:37.077 52
Ayumu Iwasa DAMS 1:37.547 38
Teppei Natori Trident 1:37.660 51
Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:38.464 28
Logan Sargeant Carlin 1:38.709 63
Liam Lawson Carlin 1:38.908 64
Clément Novalak MP Motorsport 1:39.096 36
Marcus Armstrong Hitech Grand Prix 1:39.344 52
Marino Sato Virtuosi 1:39.451 53
Amaury Cordeel Van Amersfoort Racing 1:40.973 13


Edit: I guess I should have posted this in the 2021 thread. It is 2021 stuff I guess. On the other hand it featured 2022 drivers so I can live with it.

Day 2 tomorrow.

[MonteCristo]

I wonder how much cash Calan Williams has.

Hasn't shown anything to warrant a sniff of F2. But a decent showing in the afternoon session.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I wonder how much cash Calan Williams has.

Hasn't shown anything to warrant a sniff of F2. But a decent showing in the afternoon session.

I would say he must have a bit of cash behind him (given the numbers we have seen the Piastri family part with to get their son to F2)....

Calum spends his time either living in Switzerland for the Euro season, Perth or New Zealand (when F Toyota is on) and has yet to have a single digit championship result since 2016 when in a regional FF comp (when ironically he was entered by Fastlane Racing)
His 2 years full time in FIA F3 have given him a 31st overall (0 points) last year and a 19th(15 points) this year. Not the sort of results that have sponsors chasing you around to throw money at you with all respects.

Edit: I have maligned him.... he did ok in Aus F3 in 2017..... which would have consisted of single numbers on grids. (in fact I just looked it up.... he was the only one to do all rounds in the Class he ran in.)

More money than talent I suspect. Happy to be corrected.

[MonteCristo]

I wonder how much cash Calan Williams has.

Hasn't shown anything to warrant a sniff of F2. But a decent showing in the afternoon session.

I would say he must have a bit of cash behind him (given the numbers we have seen the Piastri family part with to get their son to F2)....

Calum spends his time either living in Switzerland for the Euro season, Perth or New Zealand (when F Toyota is on) and has yet to have a single digit championship result since 2016 when in a regional FF comp (when ironically he was entered by Fastlane Racing)
His 2 years full time in FIA F3 have given him a 31st overall (0 points) last year and a 19th(15 points) this year. Not the sort of results that have sponsors chasing you around to throw money at you with all respects.

Edit: I have maligned him.... he did ok in Aus F3 in 2017..... which would have consisted of single numbers on grids. (in fact I just looked it up.... he was the only one to do all rounds in the Class he ran in.)

More money than talent I suspect. Happy to be corrected.

He could hang out the back, a position or two ahead of Deledda.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I wonder how much cash Calan Williams has.

Hasn't shown anything to warrant a sniff of F2. But a decent showing in the afternoon session.

I would say he must have a bit of cash behind him (given the numbers we have seen the Piastri family part with to get their son to F2)....

Calum spends his time either living in Switzerland for the Euro season, Perth or New Zealand (when F Toyota is on) and has yet to have a single digit championship result since 2016 when in a regional FF comp (when ironically he was entered by Fastlane Racing)
His 2 years full time in FIA F3 have given him a 31st overall (0 points) last year and a 19th(15 points) this year. Not the sort of results that have sponsors chasing you around to throw money at you with all respects.

Edit: I have maligned him.... he did ok in Aus F3 in 2017..... which would have consisted of single numbers on grids. (in fact I just looked it up.... he was the only one to do all rounds in the Class he ran in.)

More money than talent I suspect. Happy to be corrected.

He could hang out the back, a position or two ahead of Deledda.

On the basis of, as Idi Amin once said, "We fix Defence when Dee Man wid Dee Nails come", surely Deledda would be the one up front being Diledda of dee race..

I'll get my coat.......

[Everso Biggyballies]

Drugovich fastest on Day 2 of F2 post-season testing in Yas Marina


Again the day was split into a morning and afternoon session with times for each published separately. The times in the morning session were faster than the afternoon so Im not sure if the track changed or what the reasons were.

Good to see Juan Manuel Correa (who was badly injured in the tragic crash with Antoine Hubert at Spa in 2019) back in F2 action again.

Felix Drugovich dominated the morning session, finishing more than four-tenths ahead of Jack Doohan, and Jehan Daruvala, who had gone quickest on Day 1. There were several stoppages during morning, with Frederik Vesti, Juan Manuel Correa, Guilherme Samaia, Ayumu Iwasa and Sargeant all requiring Red Flags in the three-hour stint.

Logan Sargeant topped the afternoon session with a lap of 1:36.155, beating out Daruvala and Marcus Armstrong.

2021 FIA F 2 CHAMPIONSHIP - YAS MARINA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 2,
MORNING SESSION

DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS
1 Felipe Drugovich MP Motorsport 1:35.614 35
2 Jack Doohan UNI-Virtuosi 1:36.079 34
3 Jehan Daruvala PREMA Racing 1:36.228 47
4 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:36.258 45
5 Liam Lawson Carlin 1:36.271 31
6 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.329 22
7 Jake Hughes Van Amersfoort Racing 1:36.465 16
8 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:36.551 44
9 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:36.612 44
10 Dennis Hauger PREMA Racing 1:36.618 26
11 Logan Sargeant Carlin 1:36.627 16
12 Olli Caldwell Campos Racing 1:36.720 48
13 Marcus Armstrong Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.766 18
14 Frederik Vesti ART Grand Prix 1:36.870 31
15 Clément Novalak MP Motorsport 1:36.877 30
16 Marino Sato UNI-Virtuosi 1:37.010 32
17 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:37.020 36
18 Ayumu Iwasa DAMS 1:37.161 20
19 Juan Manuel Correa Charouz Racing System 1:37.349 36
20 Calan Williams Trident 1:37.666 31
21 Teppei Natori Trident 1:37.666 29
22 Amaury Cordeel Van Amersfoort Racing 1:37.916 21



2021 FIA F2 CHAMPIONSHIP - YAS MARINA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 2,
AFTERNOON SESSION

DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS
1 Logan Sargeant Carlin 1:36.155 44
2 Jehan Daruvala PREMA Racing 1:36.271 46
3 Marcus Armstrong Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.380 51
4 Dennis Hauger PREMA Racing 1:36.426 46
5 Jack Doohan UNI-Virtuosi 1:36.495 48
6 Liam Lawson Carlin 1:36.608 48
7 Juan Manuel Correa Charouz Racing System 1:36.687 41
8 Jake Hughes Van Amersfoort Racing 1:36.783 34
9 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:36.864 45
10 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.921 51
11 Felipe Drugovich MP Motorsport 1:36.992 49
12 Marino Sato UNI-Virtuosi 1:37.000 48
13 Ayumu Iwasa DAMS 1:37.094 42
14 Teppei Natori Trident 1:37.150 51
15 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:37.478 60
16 Amaury Cordeel Van Amersfoort Racing 1:37.480 45
17 Olli Caldwell Campos Racing 1:37.610 51
18 Calan Williams Trident 1:37.903 44
19 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:38.938 62
20 Clément Novalak MP Motorsport 1:38.999 38
21 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:39.042 46
22 Frederik Vesti ART Grand Prix 1:39.396 50

Final day will be Saturday.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Doohan tops the final day of post-season Yas Marina test

Jack Doohan finished in first on the final day of post-season testing at Yas Marina, with Felipe Drugovich and Jehan Daruvala also both shining once again in Abu Dhabi.

The trio have dominated the three-day stint, with Doohan coming out on top at the end of Day 3 with a 1:36.110 in the morning session, ahead of Drugovich and Ralph Boschung. Liam Lawson and Logan Sargeant finished in fourth and fifth, the top five separated by less than a tenth.

Drugovich – whose time on Day 2 was the quickest overall - also finished first in the afternoon with a 1:36.342, ahead of Daruvala.
Doohan was very slow in the afternoon .... indeed slower than Calan Williams who we mentioned previously. Mind you many of the normal front runners were down the times so maybe they had run out of decent rubber and were looking at other aspects. Have to remember it is testing and not qualifying.

2021 FIA F2 - YAS MARINA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 3,
MORNING SESSION

DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS
1 Jack Doohan UNI-Virtuosi 1:36.110 59
2 Felipe Drugovich MP Motorsport 1:36.139 49
3 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:36.203 41
4 Liam Lawson Carlin 1:36.242 55
5 Logan Sargeant Carlin 1:36.270 53
6 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:36.415 55
7 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:36.492 54
8 Marcus Armstrong Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.550 52
9 Jehan Daruvala PREMA Racing 1:36.553 45
10 Dennis Hauger PREMA Racing 1:36.572 44
11 Calan Williams Trident 1:36.613 50
12 Frederik Vesti ART Grand Prix 1:36.641 58
13 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:36.674 47
14 Ayumu Iwasa DAMS 1:36.695 55
15 Clément Novalak MP Motorsport 1:36.716 50
16 Marino Sato UNI-Virtuosi 1:36.780 54
17 Amaury Cordeel Van Amersfoort Racing 1:36.784 49
18 Juan Manuel Correa Charouz Racing System 1:36.845 55
19 Olli Caldwell Campos Racing 1:37.014 34
20 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:37.388 57
21 Teppei Natori Trident 1:37.644 56
22 Cem Bolukbasi Van Amersfoort Racing 1:38.887 38


2021 FIA F2 - YAS MARINA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 3,
AFTERNOON SESSION

DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS
1 Felipe Drugovich MP Motorsport 1:36.342 43
2 Jehan Daruvala PREMA Racing 1:36.457 39
3 Dennis Hauger PREMA Racing 1:36.838 41
4 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:37.002 56
5 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:37.026 46
6 Amaury Cordeel Van Amersfoort Racing 1:37.252 44
7 Marcus Armstrong Hitech Grand Prix 1:37.379 50
8 Clément Novalak MP Motorsport 1:37.526 32
9 Juan Manuel Correa Charouz Racing System 1:37.759 50
10 Cem Bolukbasi Van Amersfoort Racing 1:37.818 46
11 Ayumu Iwasa DAMS 1:37.836 44
12 Calan Williams Trident 1:37.946 55
13 Teppei Natori Trident 1:38.060 53
14 Olli Caldwell Campos Racing 1:38.139 35
15 Jack Doohan UNI-Virtuosi 1:38.798 55
16 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:39.051 53
17 Logan Sargeant Carlin 1:39.205 41
18 Liam Lawson Carlin 1:39.409 25
19 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:39.558 45
20 Marino Sato UNI-Virtuosi 1:39.692 53
21 Frederik Vesti ART Grand Prix 1:39.735 53
22 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:40.233 12

[MonteCristo]

Fap! Good to see.

Certainly looks like Jack is on the pace to be competitive. Not expecting a Piastri performance though.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I know this is not European related but none the less it is news we dont want to start hearing given the past two years and the prospects for this year seeing any return to normality. Thin end of the wedge and all that.

New Zealand Grand Prix cancelled due to Covid / border restrictions

The 2022 New Zealand Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the nation’s strict border restrictions.

The race, featuring a fleet of Formula Toyota Racing Series (open wheeler) cars, was to have been held at Hampton Downs on the weekend of February 12-13.

However, at least eight would-be starters from overseas have thus far been unable to secure the requisite MIQ (managed isolation and quarantine) places in order to get into the country.

“We have waited until the last possible moment to give potential drivers a chance to get to New Zealand for the GP event,” said TGRNZ motorsport manager Nicolas Caillol.

“However, with the border restrictions currently in place and all of those drivers simply unable to find MIQ spots, we do not believe we can run the Grand Prix that we or the spectators want to see or that the event itself deserves, so we have very reluctantly decided to cancel this year’s race.”

On the eight drivers, he added, “Those eight would have made a big difference to the quality and size of our grid for the GP and had they been able to get here, we would have been able to put on a great show.”

MotorSport New Zealand CEO Elton Goonan explained, “The New Zealand Grand Prix is one of the most significant events on NZ’s motorsport calendar and the decision to not run in 2022 has not been taken lightly.

Last year was also affected but SVG who was at home in NZ during the V8SC break won the New Zealand GP.

I can see other races being similarly affected.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Good to see Tony Quinn (as in ex VIP foods owner and owner of several circuits in NZ and now also in Aus plus T888 majority share owner) is stepping up to the plate and dipping into his pockets to support Kiwi Liam Lawson in his F2 prograamme this year. Good man.
Sounds like this round the outside overtake he talks of below was a million(s?) $ pass.

Quinn sponsoring Lawson’s F2 campaign

The Tony Quinn Foundation has announced it will back Liam Lawson’s 2022 Formula 2 Championship campaign.

Lawson, who drove for AlphaTauri in last month’s Formula 1 young driver test at Abu Dhabi, is preparing for his second F2 season.

Having won on debut for Hitech Grand Prix in an otherwise up-and-down rookie year, he will switch to Carlin for 2022, alongside Williams protege Logan Sargeant.

Carlin fielded Yuki Tsunoda in 2020, and he was promoted to F1 via AlphaTauri the following season.

Lawson becomes the first international driver to secure TQF support, having first impressed Quinn with a race-winning overtake at Highlands Motorsport Park.

“When I saw his pass at Highlands in the damp conditions, it was clear he had some serious bollocks,” said Quinn, who owns the New Zealand South Island circuit.

“Liam’s proven to be quite a talent and he has that special sparkle in his eye.”

TQF trustee Josie Spillane added: “Liam is already a real inspiration for young Kiwi drivers and the TQF, though Highlands is pleased to support his final push to reach F1.

“His journey so far is one of sacrifice, dedication and total commitment, the qualities young drivers need to reach the higher levels of international motorsport.”

Lawson was at Highlands on the weekend, steering a Rodin Cars FZED single-seater.

During the demonstration laps, he set a new unofficial track record of 1:23.750s – more than six seconds clear of the official best, 1:29.910s, which was also set by Lawson during the 2019 Toyota Racing Series.

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/01/17/qu ... -campaign/

[MonteCristo]

Last year’s FIA Formula 3 championship runner-up Jack Doohan has joined the Alpine academy from Red Bull as Olli Caldwell also joins the French setup ahead of Formula 2 promotions.

https://racer.com/2022/02/14/doohan-pic ... lso-joins/

Great, because that's a sure fire way to get into F1 .

[Everso Biggyballies]

I mentioned these docuseries becoming Covidlike with their expansion and spread.....

Now we have one for F2. It implies there has already been one but I must have missed hearing about that.

Anyway.....
Piastri stars in Formula 2 docuseries

Set for release on March 1, the six-part series follows the leading protagonists throughout the 2021 F2 campaign.

Piastri won the title in his rookie season, seeing off challenges from the likes of Zhou Guanyu, Theo Pourchaire, Dan Ticktum, and Robert Shwartzman.

Chasing the Dream is loosely based on the Drive to Survive series which follows Formula 1, providing insight behind the scenes.

While prominent throughout, Episode 4 of the series focuses on Piastri and his rise from Melbourne to international success.

It includes interviews with a number of key figures, such as Mark Webber and Mia Sharizman, the man at the helm of the Alpine Academy.

The only difference with this one is I can find no trailer...... still, due for release in the next couple of days. I must admit I will probably try to watch this one, which I wont for its F1 counterpart. Of course the fact it focuses on Piastri and his Melbourne roots and early racing focus makes it a must for me.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Lets play sspot the difference with the Hitech F2 livery.....

Lets start with the new livery launched today.

And this is a pic of one of their cars last year.





Answers on a post card to PO Box 100 Moscow. Ooops I mean Latvia.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Its sort of slipped under my radar this weekend with the F1, Sebring etc, but we have the first round of the Feeder stuff this weekend in Bahrain.

And it good news for Aussies in F2.

F2 Bahrain: Alpine junior Doohan storms to pole over Pourchaire

Formula 3 graduate Jack Doohan took his maiden FIA Formula 2 pole position at the Bahrain season-opener, beating Theo Pourchaire to the top spot in qualifying.

Jack had a couple of F2 races last year after finishing runner up in the F3 title race and joined the Alpine Academy during the break.
The session got off to a dodgy start with a red flag after less than a minute in when rookie Ayumu Iwasa span off at Turn 2 on his first lap out of the pits, the Japanese beaching his car in the gravel.

Jack took advantage an almost empty track to set a 1:40.542, when the majority of the field were busy in the pitlane changing their tyres. Théo Pourchaire and Jüri Vips attempted to beat Jack’s time in the second half of the session, but both felt short and had to settle for second and third,

Dennis Hauger, the 2021 F3 champion, finished the session in 15th....

.FULL RESULTS


F3 is also on this weekend..... in fact their Sprint Race is on in just under an hours time at 12:45 Bahrain time. Im not sure (I cant remember what the qualifying process is for F2 this year in terms of qualy only being relevant for the Sunday feture race with the Saturday Sprint race being some sort of lottery. I believe, well I know it has some sort of sprint race reverse grid start but not sure how many it is. It wont be Jack off (can I say that?) the front row for the Sprint race which starts at 19:40 Bahrain time. But he will be on pole for the Feature race.

I know with F3 it means Qualifying order sets the starting grid for Sunday’s Feature Race, Saturday’s Sprint Race starting order is decided by flipping the top 12 in Qualifying.

It means that Carlin’s Zak O’Sullivan will start on pole position on Saturday, with PREMA Racing’s Oliver Bearman alongside him for company on the front row after both drivers ended Qualifying in 12th and 11th respectively.

Are we all suitably confused? Good, lets go racing!