Rafael Camara, Tuukka Taponen and Maya Weug on track at Imola’s Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit. While the first two are looking to continue their winning ways, Weug is making a return to the series.
The summer break is over and the European Formula Regional championship now faces a busy schedule with three rounds in the next four weeks, prior to the final event in Monza. The Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy pair of Rafael Camara and Tuukka Taponen had a great start to the season, first and second respectively in the championship standings. Camara has won five of the 12 races to date, along with two second places and a third, finishing all races in the points, making the Brazilian the most consistent driver on the grid, having amassed 210 points. Taponen has four wins to his name, in this his debut season in the European series. Tuukka picked up four wins from five races between Zandvoort and Mugello, making continuous progress to rack up 160 points.
The return. Maya Weug is making her return to the series at Imola. This year, the 20 year old Dutch racer is competing in the F1 Academy series and this weekend will drive a KIC Motorsport car on her return to the series in which she competed in 2023. Last year Weug did well, with six top ten finishes and 27 points to her name. She will have to get used to the car once again, but the Imola track should hold no surprises as she has often raced here.
Important round. Imola will be a key moment in the season. Taponen and Camara are no strangers to the 4.909 kilometres of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari track, but it looks as though the weather might have some surprises in store. It is clear from previous Formula Regional rounds in Imola that grid position is very important, while staying out of trouble at the Tamburello chicane on the opening lap in both races, where collisions can decide the outcome, will also be important.
Programme. There are two free practice sessions on Friday, while qualifying for Race 1 is on Saturday with the field split into two groups as usual: A on track at 8.30 and B at 8.50, to decide the right and left hand sides of the starting grid. Pole goes to the quickest out of the two groups. The first race of the weekend then starts at 15.25. On Sunday it’s the same programme, with the two qualifying sessions starting at 8.30 with Race 2 getting underway at 13.40.