The new duo formed by Isack Hadjar and Pepe Martí face the start of the new season with maximum motivation
Campos Racing will kick off the new 2024 FIA Formula 2 season this very week at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. It will be the first stop of a calendar that has scheduled fourteen races during this campaign and will take them to visit up to three different continents.
It will be a year of significant novelties. In particular, Campos Racing will field two new drivers, Frenchman Isack Hadjar and Spaniard Pepe Martí, both wearing the colors of Red Bull on their cars. For Hadjar, it will be his second season in the category, and the French driver is considered one of the names to closely watch based on his debut in FIA Formula 2 last year, where he already stepped onto the podium.
On the other hand, Barcelona-born Martí will debut in FIA Formula 2 after having developed his entire racing career in single-seaters within Campos Racing. After making moving up to F4 with the team based in Valencia, achieving numerous victories and podiums in his debut, Martí competed for two years in the FIA Formula 3 championship. Last season, Martí was one of the main forces of the championship, having clinched three victories.
Furthermore, another noteworthy aspect of this season is the debut of the new Dallara F2 2024 car. During the pre-season held at the Bahrain circuit a few weeks ago, both Hadjar and Martí performed at an excellent level in all types of conditions, both in dry and wet weather, as well as in qualifying simulations and long runs resembling a race. The drivers' adaptation to the new car was really positive, although there is still room for improvement and learning ahead.
Sakhir is a circuit where traction is extremely important, as well as having a stable car that allows for optimal braking. The asphalt, due to the proximity of the desert, is affected by sand that falls during the night, which is why grip improves as the hours pass. Additionally, it is a highly abrasive track due to the roughness of its surface, and where good tire management can make a huge difference. Finally, it is a track that brings great memories to Campos Racing, as Ralph Boschung won one of the races last year and finished second in the other with one of their cars.
Both free practice and qualifying sessions will take place on Thursday at 10.05 and 14:55 respectively. Friday’s Sprint race is scheduled at 15:15 with Saturday’s Feature race taking place at 11:30. All times are CET.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): "We are eager to start this new campaign. It is a season of many novelties, both in terms of drivers and car. Isack and Pepe performed at an excellent level in the pre-season tests and quickly adapted to the new car, which presents some aerodynamic novelties compared to the previous one, and therefore the setups also change. As we demonstrated last year, the Sakhir circuit suits us quite well, so we hope to start at least as well as we did in 2023."
Isack Hadjar (Campos Racing driver in FIA Formula 2): "I’m excited to get back to racing! The team did a good job during the tests, feeling confident heading into this weekend."
Pepe Martí (Campos Racing driver in FIA Formula 2): “I am looking forward to going out on track finally for the first round of the season! I felt very happy and confident with the car and the team in testing and I’m hoping we can do a good job in Bahrain!”
