Hadjar, winner of the feature race in Australia, and Martí, who has secured two podiums so far on his debut in FIA F2, will head to Imola for the first of the European rounds of the current season
After almost two months since the last FIA Formula 2 event, the 2024 season resumes this upcoming weekend at one of the most renowned and prestigious circuits on the continent: the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The Italian venue, which takes place alongside the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, will bring another opportunity for the two Campos Racing drivers, Isack Hadjar and Pepe Martí, to continue their fight for top positions in the championship with their Dallara F2 2024 machinery in Red Bull colors.
So far, the campaign has delivered fantastic results for Hadjar and Martí, even though the French driver was hindered in Jeddah by engine issues and the Spanish driver has been involved in incidents that have deprived him of other strong results. Despite this, Hadjar claimed his first victory in the category in Melbourne, showcasing maturity and solidity in his triumph. Martí, on the other hand, finished third and second in the season opener in Bahrain and has also proven to be one of the most reliable drivers in both qualifying and race pace.
Moreover, in the FIA Formula 2 collective tests held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya three weeks ago, Hadjar and Martí were the fastest at the end of the three days. A result that can only inject more morale ahead of the two races in the Italian Peninsula. Just before heading to Imola, Hadjar occupies fourth place in the driver standings with 34 points to his name. Martí is seventh in the standings with 26 points. As for the team standings, Campos Racing sits in second place with 60 points.
The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari hosted its first race in 1953 and made its F1 calendar debut by hosting its first Grand Prix in 1980, maintaining its presence uninterrupted until 2006. After changes to its layout following the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994, the circuit underwent its second period of changes in 2007. However, corners like Tamburello, Tosa, Acque Minerali, or Rivazza still maintain their unchanged DNA. Imola is characterized by being a circuit with medium aerodynamic load, and its asphalt is not particularly aggressive on tires. Nevertheless, the forecast of rain on Sunday could alter the plans of drivers and engineers.
Both free practice and qualifying sessions will take place on Friday at 11:05 and 16:00 respectively. On Saturday, the sprint race will begin at 14:15, while the main race on Sunday, with a mandatory pit stop for tire change, will take place at 10:00. All times are in Spanish time zone.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): "It's been almost two months since the last race in Melbourne, but we haven't stopped working since then. In the tests we conducted in Barcelona a few weeks ago, we showed that we are in top form for the European phase of the championship with Isack and Pepe setting the fastest times over the three days. Isack secured his maiden victory in FIA F2 in Melbourne, and Pepe has stepped onto the podium on two other occasions on his debut in the category. We set equally ambitious goals in Imola, a circuit where we already stood on the podium a couple of seasons ago."
Isack Hadjar (Campos Racing Driver in FIA Formula 2): “I am looking forward to race again in Europe. I have good memories from F3 on this track! We will try to keep the good momentum from Melbourne into this weekend.”
Pepe Martí (Campos Racing Driver in FIA Formula 2): “I’m very excited to be racing in Imola again after not being able to do so in 2023, it’s a special track with a lot of history and I want to have a good weekend after our positive test at Barcelona.”
