2018 Round 10 preview: Monza, Italy

Data (GMT+2)

Friday Free Practice: 12.55 – 13:40 Qualifying session: 16:55 – 17:25 Press conference: 19:00

Saturday Feature race: 16:45 (30 laps) Press conference: 18:05

Sunday Sprint race: 10:55 (21 laps) Press conference: 12:00

Note: The FIA F2 press conferences will be streamed live on Facebook, where you will be invited to put your questions to the drivers.

Season Stats

9 The number of drivers who have collected at least one win in 2018. 58 Carlin’s current points advantage in the Teams’ Championship over ART Grand Prix 20 The number of drivers who scored points this season. 92 The number of laps led by Artem Markelov, the most of anyone.

Warm Up // Alessio Lorandi – Trident

In terms of overtaking here, you can do quite a lot – especially in the first two chicanes. Importantly, you can do it with or without DRS, so that’s the nice thing about Monza; it’s not just up to your result in quali, but you can have a really good race – like with Antonio Giovinazzi in 2016, he started last because he was disqualified and he won the race. It’s not like Budapest where you get stuck and you’re not able to overtake, you can do quite a lot.

I don’t have good memories, unfortunately! Last year (in GP3) was quite sad, we only ran two sessions and then got taken out in Lap 1! It’s nice to race in front of your home fans, people around the paddock know you more – you’re walking around and someone recognises you! Everyone’s waving, and it’s nice to see those fans! The atmosphere is awesome outside of the car.

__The Stakes __

For the second leg of the post-summer break double-header, the FIA Formula 2 Championship moves south to Monza, Italy - the tenth round of the season. One of the calendar’s most famous circuits, the “Cathedral of Speed” gives the teams plenty opportunity to trim their downforce settings and chase after pure, unbridled pace as they accelerate around the 5.793km blast. Last year’s event was delayed by a downpour, with Antonio Fuoco claiming his first F2 win in the Feature Race after Luca Ghiotto was hit with a five-second time penalty. Ghiotto bounced back, cruising to victory in the Sprint Race on the following day.

Last time out at Spa-Francorchamps, PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing’s Nyck de Vries collected the maximum 31 points on offer in Saturday’s race, having also topped Free Practice and Qualifying. In the Sprint Race, DAMS’ Nicholas Latifi charged to a commanding victory as Lando Norris took second place having overtaken de Vries on the final lap, before absorbing late pressure from Alexander Albon.

Norris’ excellent Sunday helped him close the door even further to championship leader George Russell, who is now just five points clear with 188 points. Albon also closes in, sitting third with 161 points as de Vries is a further eight points behind. Carlin continue to lead the Teams’ Championship with 307 points, with ART Grand Prix second on 249. DAMS are third with 216.

Noteworthy

• The race weekend in Monza is the tenth of the 12 rounds which make up the 2018 FIA Formula 2 calendar.

• In the previous round at Belgium, Nyck de Vries scored his first F2 pole position after going half a second faster than anyone in the second sector. • De Vries also took his and PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing’s second successive Feature Race win.

• Nicholas Latifi chalked up his first victory since Silverstone last year, cruising to a dominant Sprint Race win.

• Campos Vexatec Racing’s Roy Nissany claimed his first ever F2 point in the Feature Race, finishing 10th.

• Arjun Maini scored his first point since the Le Castellet weekend, coming eighth in the Sprint Race after dispatching Sergio Sette Camara late on.

• Charouz Racing System managed their first scoreless weekend since the opening round at Bahrain.

• The FIA Formula 2 Championship post-race press conferences will be live-streamed on the official Facebook page, where fans will be invited to ask the top three drivers their questions.