AIX Racing’s Cian Shields is not setting any goals yet for the upcoming campaign but is confident that the two rounds he competed in last year have helped to prepare him well for 2025.

Shields stepped up to race in Formula 2 with AIX at end of the 2024 season in Lusail and Yas Marina – his best result coming in Qatar when he finished 11th in the Feature Race.

After also taking part in post-season testing with the team, the 19-year-old is set to use all his knowledge from last year to compete in his first full campaign in 2025.

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“I thought it went quite well,” said Shields when asked about his time with AIX at the end of the 2024 season. “It was quite a big jump from what I was used to, but the main focus was to learn for this year.

“So, the expectations for the two rounds... we didn't really have any expectations. Obviously, you want to do the best you can as a driver, but for the team there was no set expectation for results.

“It was just more about learning, and we learned a lot in the post-season test as well, so we are hopefully ready for this year.”

Shields took part in the final two rounds and at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi
Shields took part in the final two rounds and at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi

So how did this move come about? After completing the 2024 Formula 3 season, Shields revealed how the “last minute” decision to step up to F2 with AIX was made.

“We were just thinking of what to do,” he explained. “This was a bit last minute, but we did have a think after the F3 season ended in Monza about what we wanted to do.

“It was stuck in between go for another year of F3, try and be up there at the front, and get the results we hope for, it's F3, anything can happen, so we thought ‘Why not?’. Then the AIX seat became available, and we got in contact, it all happened really fast.”

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What will help the Glaswegian is there will be some familiarity within the AIX setup. He will have the same race engineer that helped guide him to a runners-up finish in the 2023 Euroformula Open Championship.

On top of that he has been bedding in well with the team, getting to know the mechanics and his teammate Joshua Duerksen, who has been very helpful.

“It was good,” said Shields on meeting the team. “There is quite a lot of people to get to know, a lot of guests coming to the track, but all the mechanics were very good.

Shields is looking to have some good results for AIX Racing in 2025
Shields is looking to have some good results for AIX Racing in 2025

“We already knew my engineer from before, so there was not much need for an introduction with him, so that was good. But overall, it was good. Josh was good, and everyone was really nice.

“I'd obviously heard of Josh throughout last year. He was in F2 throughout last year, so I'd never actually spoken to him before, or raced with him.

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“But I've met him now that we have joined AIX, and he is a pretty good guy. He is very helpful if I have any questions on anything I am unsure about, he is very helpful in leading me in the right direction.”

Looking forward to his first full campaign though, Shields was asked about his goals for the year. He replied: “I don’t have any set goals. If you ask anyone their aim would be to win, but that's what everyone wants.

“But realistically I think it's about learning again and hopefully we can be on the pace pretty quickly and provide some good results for the team.”