FIA Formula 2 action continues on track in Abu Dhabi

The FIA Formula 2 Championship returns to action tomorrow after an exhilarating final round at Yas Marina, which saw Oscar Piastri crowned Champion in emphatic style with a drive from 10th to 3rd in the first race of the weekend. The PREMA Racing rookie rounded out an incredible campaign with a sense of flair by sealing a fifth successive pole position and a fourth consecutive Feature Race win.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Running from Thursday, 16 December to Saturday, 18 December, the three days of testing at the Yas Marina Circuit will be split into a morning and afternoon session, with a total of 18 hours of track time available across the event.

The morning sessions will see the field hit the track from 9am until 12pm (local time), and the afternoon sessions will run from 2pm to 5pm (local time). The event will give the teams and drivers a chance to put eight sets of the medium compound Pirelli tyres to the test per car and offer them valuable preparation time ahead of the first round of the 2022 campaign at the Bahrain International Circuit, 18 – 20 March.

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A LOOK AT THE FIELD

A whole host of talented new drivers join the Formula 2 paddock from tomorrow, all eager to show that they have what it takes to compete in the top tier of junior motorsport and earn themselves a race seat for 2022. Post-season testing also sees a new squad join the grid, with Dutch-based team Van Amersfoort Racing set to make their maiden outing in the second tier.

Three-time race-winner Jehan Daruvala switches to reigning Champions PREMA for this week, having finished the most recent campaign 7th in the standings with Carlin. The Indian driver is joined by Red Bull academy mate, and FIA Formula 3 Champion Dennis Hauger, who steps up to test the F2 car after a standout campaign with the Italian team in 2021 that saw him clinch the Championship with two races in hand.

British team UNI-Virtuosi run with their brand-new 2022 line-up, with Formula 3 vice-Champion Jack Doohan earning a full-time promotion to Formula 2 after a Championship-contending campaign in Formula 3 2021, which saw him fighting tooth and nail with eventual Champion, Hauger. Meanwhile, Marino Sato makes the move to the Norfolk-based outfit after two studious seasons with Trident in F2.

Logan Sargeant joins Carlin for testing ahead of a campaign with the British outfit next year. The Williams Academy Driver makes an eagerly anticipated step-up to the second tier, after a maiden outing with HWA RACELAB in Jeddah earlier this month. The American will run alongside Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, who makes the switch from Hitech Grand Prix for testing this week, after finishing 9th in his rookie campaign during which he picked up a maiden win and two podium finishes.

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Estonian Red Bull Junior Jüri Vips remains with Hitech for post-season testing, having finished sixth in the most recent campaign, taking home two wins in the same event in a momentous weekend in Baku, and a further four podium finishes over the reimaging seven rounds. Meanwhile, Marcus Armstrong switches from DAMS for testing, having clinched a long-awaited Formula 2 win with the French team in Jeddah.

Théo Pourchaire continues with ART Grand Prix for all three days of testing having made history with the French team by becoming the youngest ever Formula 2 race-winner in a record-breaking weekend in Monaco. Joining the young Frenchman is Mercedes Junior Frederik Vesti, who steps up to test with ART’s F2 outfit having finished fourth with the team in Formula 3.

MP Motorsport are the second team on the grid to run their official 2022 line-up for post-season testing. Clément Novalak made his on-track debut with the Dutch outfit in Jeddah, meanwhile, Felipe Drugovich returns to the team that took him to three wins in his rookie season, having rounded out a 2021 campaign with UNI-Virtuosi with a double podium in Abu Dhabi.

Brazilian racer Guilherme Samaia continues his work with Charouz Racing System for testing and will be joined this week by American Juan Manuel Correa, who jumps back into a Formula 2 car for the first time since the tragic accident at Spa-Francorchamps in 2019.

DAMS blend experience with youth with experience for testing, with Williams’ Roy Nissany remaining at the French outfit in preparation for a second campaign with the team in 2022. The Le Mans-based squad also gives a testing opportunity to promising young Red Bull driver Ayumu Iwasa, who raced in Formula 3 this season.

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Ralph Boschung stays with Campos Racing for 2022, after a fruitful partnership between team and driver saw the seasoned Swiss racer claim his first and second podiums in successive rounds in Jeddah and Abu Dhabi. Also remaining with Campos for the test is Olli Caldwell, who made his Formula 2 debut with the eponymous outfit in Saudi Arabia.

Newcomers to the Formula 2 field, Van Amersfoort Racing have some fresh recruits of their own for the post-season tests, with Jake Hughes joining their ranks for Day 1 and Day 2, while Turkish driver Cem Bolukbasi will take over Day 3. Running alongside the pair for all three days is Amaury Cordeel, who will get behind the wheel of an F2 with the Dutch team after a campaign with Campos in Formula 3.

Fellow F3 racer Calan Williams steps-up to test Trident’s Formula 2 machinery after a campaign with Jenzer Motorsport in the third tier and is joined for testing at the Italian outfit by Teppei Natori, who competed in Formula 3 in 2019 with Carlin Buzz Racing.