‘The communication is really good’ – Verschoor’s F2 step-up aided by long-term partnership with MP Motorsport

Richard Verschoor’s successful start to life in the second tier with MP Motorsport continued in Barcelona testing with the Dutchman posting the fastest time of the three-day stint so far on Saturday morning, and he feels it has done his chances of earning a seat for Round 2 no harm.

One of the surprise packages of the opening weekend in Bahrain, Verschoor finished fifth in the second Sprint Race and fourth in the Feature, but he remains unconfirmed for a seat in Monaco.

Setting the pace on Saturday morning during a qualifying simulation on the medium Pirellis, the Dutchman was pleased with the work they’d done so far.

“If the test goes well then of course it helps, but I am pretty confident (of driving) in Monaco,” said Verschoor. “Whatever happens, I will put all of my focus on that race and see where we go from there. On Day 2, we ended up quickest on the mediums, so I am pretty pleased for now.

“Of course, we don’t race in Barcelona, but it is always good to try some stuff. I think our pace in general is quite good. I just need to finalise some of the smaller stuff in terms of my driving style. Of course, you can try as much as you like, but as soon as we arrive for Qualifying in Monaco, we have to (produce).”

Now in his sixth season with MP, Verschoor is well-versed in the way the team works, even coming through the ranks with a few members of staff. It’s a comfort that he feels has aided his transition from Formula 3 to Formula 2.

“Working with the team has gone pretty well,” he continued. “They have given me a lot of confidence, which is what I need.

“I basically know all of the guys here because I have been in MP now for a while, so the communication is really good. I think that we’ve got a really good environment here. I love working with my engineers and the mechanics, so I am really pleased at the moment.”