Olli Caldwell explained prior to the Formula 2 race weekend at Zandvoort that the key to gaining lap time at the Dutch circuit is maximising the banking especially at Turn 3.
The British driver enjoyed a double points finish at Zandvoort last season in FIA Formula 3 for PREMA.
The Campos Racing driver said: “I think you can really utilise a lot of the banking in Turn 3 that was I think from what I remember the biggest area where you could gain a lot of time because the car really stops there.
“You don’t really see how steep it is on tv until you actually walk there, it’s a very steep part of the track and helps the car stop and rotate well
“So other than that being pretty brave especially in sector two through the high speed section, it’s traditional runoff here it’s tarmac then it’s grass or gravel so you know you’ve got to push the car to the limit without going off the track.
“And I think that’s how you gain the time here it’s how far are you willing to push and how far can the car go without going off the track.
The Alpine Academy member sits in P20 in the championship and has steadily improved over the campaign and delivered a sixth place finish in the Feature Race in Austria.
Caldwell said when speaking to the media at the press conference that managing the tyres could be vital to a good result as it is hotter at Zandvoort than it was in 2021.
Thermal degradation could also be a pivotal factor over the weekend as the minimum tyre pressures are high.
“I mean I don’t have as much experience on the compounds as Liam [Lawson] does but certainly from what the team are saying and having raced here last year the issue with this track is more thermal deg rather than actual physical deg.
“It’s hotter at the moment than it was last year and the minimum tyre pressures are quite high so I think certainly on a thermal side the track doesn’t have much rest.
“It’s going to be quite a challenge on both compounds and I think not making silly mistakes like wheelspin and sliding the tyres can and probably will make a big difference in the races in terms of tyre deg.”
Image: Formula Motorsport Limited
