FIA Formula 2 returned to track action today in the 2022 pre-season test at Sakhir, Bahrain.
Back to Back Champions PREMA led through large chunks of the sessions in both the morning and afternoon. In the morning Carlin’s Liam Lawson went fastest just ahead of MP Motorsport’s Felipe Drugovich.
Back to school mood! ?#F2 #F2Testing pic.twitter.com/ITA0tt4HBn
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 2, 2022
Although there is no coverage to view from testing you can keep up-to-date with the action via social media and the FIA Formula 2 official website’s live timing screen.
Morning Highlights
There are plenty of new faces on the grid this year which is always nice to see with the FIA Formula 3 graduates Iwasa, Doohan, Vesti, Novalak, Williams, Caldwell, Sargeant, Cordeel, and F3 Champion Dennis Hauger all getting a feel out on track.
Many eyes will be on young Turkish driver Cem Bölükbasi this year, following his move in recent times from virtual, car, and now formula racing, seeing him step into the top feeder series.
There were three delays during the session as Hitech’s Jüri Vips twice stopped on track, while Campos Racing’s Olli Caldwell also came to a halt.
? TOP 5- AM SESSION ?
A solid Morning session for @CarlinRacing with both of their drivers in the Top 5.
The Afternoon session will be on it's way later…#F2 #F2Testing #RoadToF1 pic.twitter.com/0QRa3CSyLU
— insideF2.com (@F2Inside) March 2, 2022
Lawson took the lead for Carlin halfway through the session, with a time of 1:44.522, ahead of Drugovich, Williams Acadamy driver Sargeant, Red Bull junior Daruvala in fourth. Virtuosi’s Jack Doohan completed the top five places.
SESSION RESULTS
POS DRIVER TEAM TIME INT. 1 LAWSON CARLIN 1:44.522 2 DRUGOVICH MP 1:44.910 +0.388 3 Sargeant CARLIN 1:45.010 +0.488 4 DARUVALA PREMA 1:45.103 +0.581 5 DOOHAN VIRTUOSI 1:45.182 +0.660 6 SATO VIRTUOSI 1:45.204 +0.682 7 ARMSTRONG HITECH 1:45.363 +0.841 8 HUGHES VAR 1:45.424 +0.902 9 POURCHAIRE ART 1:45.451 +0.929 10 BOSCHUNG CAMPOS 1:45.522 +1.000 11 NOVALAK MP 1:45.606 +1.084 12 FITTIPALDI CHAROUZ 1:45.617 +1.095 13 HAUGER PREMA 1:45.783 +1.261 14 VESTI ART 1:45.824 +1.302 15 IWASA DAMS 1:45.996 +1.474 16 CALDWELL CAMPOS 1:46.002 +1.480 17 NISSANY DAMS 1:46.037 +1.515 18 VERSCHOOR TRIDENT 1:46.565 +2.043 19 CORDEEL VAR 1:46.576 +2.054 20 BÖLÜKBASI CHAROUZ 1:47.425 +2.903 21 VIPS HITECH 2:02.518 +17.996 22 WILLIAMS TRIDENT 2:05.945 +21.423
Afternoon Highlights
Drugovich was fronting the timesheets for most of the PM sessions as the F2 teams run various scenarios on their cars.
Day 'N night ?
Formula 2's PM session:
P6 Felipe Drugovich – 1:43.590 – 31 laps
P19 Clement Novalak – 1:44.539 – 30 laps #F2 pic.twitter.com/3YWCFPm3NX— MP Motorsport (@OfficialMPteam) March 2, 2022
However, following a couple of red flags, Lawson returned to the top of the order with a 1:43.498 for Carlin.
PREMA had some quick qualifying runs in the second half of the session. This saw Daruvala lap at 1:42.074 with Calan Williams in second and FIA Formula 3 Champion Hauger in third.
? TOP 5- PM SESSION ?
A strong first day of #F2Testing for @PREMA_Team and @CarlinRacing with both of their drivers in the Top 5.
?? Back for Day 2 in Bahrain Tomorrow! #F2 #RoadToF1 pic.twitter.com/3vtOPYLjqn
— insideF2.com (@F2Inside) March 2, 2022
SESSION RESULTS
DRIVER TEAM TIME INT. 1 DARUVALA PREMA 1:42.074 2 WILLIAMS TRIDENT 1:42.590 +0.516 3 HAUGER PREMA 1:42.602 +0.528 4 LAWSON CARLIN 1:43.478 +1.404 5 Sargeant CARLIN 1:43.483 +1.409 6 DRUGOVICH MP 1:43.590 +1.516 7 ARMSTRONG HITECH 1:43.877 +1.803 8 FITTIPALDI CHAROUZ 1:43.946 +1.872 9 VIPS HITECH 1:43.946 +1.872 10 NISSANY DAMS 1:44.003 +1.929 11 POURCHAIRE ART 1:44.132 +2.058 12 BOSCHUNG CAMPOS 1:44.156 +2.082 13 SATO VIRTUOSI 1:44.212 +2.138 14 HUGHES VAR 1:44.271 +2.197 15 IWASA DAMS 1:44.289 +2.215 16 CALDWELL CAMPOS 1:44.443 +2.369 17 VESTI ART 1:44.457 +2.383 18 DOOHAN VIRTUOSI 1:44.498 +2.424 19 NOVALAK MP 1:44.539 +2.465 20 VERSCHOOR TRIDENT 1:44.778 +2.704 21 CORDEEL VAR 1:45.644 +3.570 22 BÖLÜKBASI CHAROUZ 1:48.637 +6.563
We look forward to seeing day 2 of testing from Bahrain tomorrow morning.
