MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger is the only current FIA Formula 2 driver to have won a race in Australia.

And the Norwegian is targeting a repeat of his 2023 success down under as Formula 2 gears up for its third round of 2024.

Hauger, 21, won the first ever F2 race held in Melbourne last year, taking victory in the Sprint Race.

But the 2021 Formula 3 champion wants to go one better in 2024, by winning the Feature Race.

“Last year was good, winning the Sprint Race,” he said, adding: “Last year [in the Feature Race] we were doing well before getting taken out but the race pace we had was really good.”

The former Red Bull Junior Team driver heads into  Round 3 third in the Drivers’ Standings, a point behind Jeddah Feature Race winner Enzo Fittipaldi, and 16 off early pace-setter Zane Maloney of Rodin Motorsport.

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We’ve arrived down under and are ready to race ???#F2 #F3 #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/hchayq78r5

— MP Motorsport (@OfficialMPteam) March 19, 2024

Drivers ‘really need to attack’ Albert Park 

Hauger is already a race winner in 2024, having won the Sprint Race in Saudi Arabia, which he backed up by snatching a podium with a photo-finish during the Feature Race.

He said the high-speed circuit on the South Australian coast is a track where drivers have to attack the lap.

“It’s a cool track, high-speed street track but quite open and a fast middle section before it tightens up in the last sector,” he said.

Hauger added: “It’s a track where you really need to attack, which makes it hard to put everything together.”

The 21-year-old says Qualifying on Friday will be a bit of a lottery as last year’s session was conducted in heavy rain.

“Last year in Qualifying, it was wet, so we don’t really have any experience of Qualifying [in the dry] there.”

Qualifying proved crucial in 2023, with pole-sitter Ayumu Iwasa going on to claim victory in the Feature Race for DAMS.

STANDINGS REMINDER ?

Drop those Round 3 predictions below ?#AusGP #F2 pic.twitter.com/qRTIBFL7s3

— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 21, 2024

Image: Formula Motorsport Limited