DAMS Take Positives From Difficult Hungary

Reigning teams’ champions DAMS had a difficult time on track during the third round of the 2020 Formula 2 Championship. However, the DAMS team believe they still have many positives to take away from Hungary.

The drivers, Sean Gelael and Dan Ticktum, both finished the feature race, but it was the sprint race where everything unfolded.

Ticktum enjoyed a good start but soon fell down the order due to a mechanical issue. The Brit returned to the pits and did make it back into the race, even if it was five laps behind.

Ticktum said: “It was a very good start to the weekend, I was top rookie in qualifying in fourth having not set a time during free practice, so we know the pace of the car is solid. I had two awesome starts, getting up to second in the feature race and went from ninth to fifth in the sprint race. Unfortunately, there were setbacks, the tyre degradation was crazy high which none of us expected to see, and my engine problem on Sunday meant we couldn’t continue the fight and go for a third podium in three weekends. But I believe in the team, and we can turn this around, so we’re looking for more at the next race.”

Gelael also had a similar weekend and reflected on what he thinks is a strong car that can push for podiums and win’s if all is well through a race weekend.

He said: “This was not our weekend. Qualifying was pretty positive with Dan and me inside the top 10 having had no reference from a damp Free Practice. There was a hydraulics’ problem on the car during the feature race, which was unlucky because we were running strong and points were on the table. We missed out in the sprint race, which was pretty bizarre because teams were making pit stops as the degradation was that high. This is how motorsport works sometimes, but we know we have a good car and we’ll come back stronger at Silverstone.”

DAMS currently sit fifth in the championship and will be hoping that the doubleheader in Silverstone can show improvements to help them get their feet back in the championship battle.