Formula 2 and Formula 3 moves to the historic British circuit for one of the most eagerly awaited rounds of the season with its great atmosphere and long tradition.
Driving into Silverstone circuit one immediately feels immersed in racing history. The facility has changed considerably since it hosted the very first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1950, but it’s still a magical place for motorsport enthusiasts. Copse, Maggotts, Becketts are evocative corner names that have seen countless legendary battles. To this day, it presents a unique challenge for drivers and engineers, with its 5.891 kilometres featuring 18 corners which demand a lot from the driver and where car set-up is a tricky compromise.
Formula 2. This round marks the start of the second part of the Formula 2 season which has seen no clear leader emerge from the previous seven rounds, with no fewer than ten different drivers making it to the top step of the podium. Last weekend in Austria, Oliver Bearman ended a long barren spell, winning the Sprint race in commanding style. “It was a nice confidence booster for me and the team,” he said. “We have been through a difficult period during which we lacked performance, so the Spielberg win sends an important message. At Silverstone, we’ll be looking for confirmation that we are on the right path.” Bearman is 14th in the standings, his position not helped by missing the Jeddah races because he deputised for the indisposed Carlos Sainz in the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Today, it was announced that Oliver will be racing full time for the Haas F1 Team next year, but for now his focus is on trying to win as many Formula 2 races as possible between the end of the season in Abu Dhabi. “We’ve still got seven rounds to do our best,” added the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy student.
Formula 3. For Dino Beganovic and the rest of the Formula 3 field, the second part of the season got underway last week in Spielberg where the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy student finished third in the Feature Race. He is fourth in the standings, 26 points off the leader. “Our aim in Silverstone this weekend is to close this gap,” stressed Beganovic. It’s achievable, but it’s a hard task given how competitive the racing has been this year.
Programme. Formula 2 kicks off with 45 minutes of free practice on Friday at 10.00 local, (11 CEST) followed by qualifying at 15.05 (16.05 CEST.) Racing starts on Saturday with the Sprint Race at 13.15 (14.15) with the Feature Race on Sunday at 09.55 (10.55). The action for the seventh Formula 3 round of the year starts tomorrow with free practice at 08.40 (09.40) followed by qualifying at 14.10 (15.10). The Sprint Race is on Saturday at 09.20 (10.20) while the Feature Race gets underway on Sunday at 08.20 (09.20).