JUST GETTING STARTEDA look back at an - action-packed 2017 season - Formula 2
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ISSUE 12 2017, DECEMBER 13
FOLLOWING YOUNG DRIVERS ON THEIR WAY TO THE PINNACLE OF MOTORSPORT
JUST GETTING
STARTED A look back at an
action-packed
2017 season.
CONTENT 12
ISSUE 12 2017, DECEMBER 13 http://theinsider.fiaformula2.com FOLLOWING YOUNG DRIVERS ON THEIR WAY TO THE PINNACLE OF MOTORSPORT
P4 P14 P16
SEASON RECAP VITAL STATISTICS TEAM SHEET
Just getting started We gathered the best statistics produced by our The best stats from the teams’ perspective.
drivers in 2017. Some may surprise you…
JUST GETTING 3
STARTED
P18 P20 P22
MORE THAN WORDS TOP GUN PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE: LECLERC
A look back at an action-packed
This and that… More stats to chat! The complete stats of Champions The FIA F2 champion submits to our questions
2017 season. Charles Leclerc and RUSSIAN TIME. one last time.
P26 P28
FAN ZONE PIRELLI
We asked you to send us your favourite F2 memory of A numbers game.
the 2017 season.
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#HitMeWithYourBestShot UP NEXT All rights reserved.
Want to see who won a race (or more) this year? A look at what 2018 holds for F2.
Look no further.
Unknown to his rivals, Leclerc was still struggling with tyre
5
JUST GETTING
management, which prompted the surprising call in the sprint
race: the Monegasque driver destroyed his tyres to claim the lead
around the middle of the race before pitting for fresher rubber,
coming back out and doing it all over again to claim a memorable
first win at the lead in the championship, from Luca Ghiotto and
Oliver Rowland.
STARTED
“To be honest until the last 4 laps I didn’t believe we could catch
up,” Leclerc later admitted, “until Luca and Oliver started to fight:
I have to thank my engineer for a great car, and a great strategy!”
BARCELONA WAS THE NEXT CAB off the rank, and between
rounds Leclerc had learnt all he needed to know about tyre
management to dominate the weekend: the Ferrari Academy
driver topped free practice and qualifying (the latter just stolen
from Ghiotto following another late red flag) before dominating the feature despite a safety car throwing everyone’s plans out the
F
window, winning from Ghiotto (on the same strategy) and Rowland
or all that 2017 seems in retrospect to have been all one-way traffic, (on the alternative).
the pre-season tests suggested the FIA Formula 2 Championship
It was tough to negotiate from the race winner’s seat: “To be
was completely open ahead of the first round in Sakhir, Bahrain: no
honest without the radio it was really hard to know what the others
one stood out from the crowd, with the top times shared between a
number of drivers before they were due to hit the track in anger. were doing! I first thought Oliver was going to win easily, and when
he made the pitstop he was in the back!”
But that soon changed: Charles Leclerc claimed the fastest time in free
practice and qualifying, albeit that he was fortunate to claim his first pole
of the season when red flags drew the session to an early end just as his The sprint race was another intriguing battle: poleman Markelov
rivals were gearing up for a hot lap. bogged down as the lights went out, handing a line through to a
Artem Markelov had had a more difficult time of it, being impeded on fast starting Nicholas Latifi from P3 on the grid, with Nobuharu
his quick lap to line up in P7 on the grid, but a storming start saw the Matsushita and Rowland fighting their way up to the remaining
Russian up to 3rd at the start behind Leclerc and Norman Nato before podium positions as the race rolled on. The Canadian looked like
outlasting them both on his first set of tyres and strolling away on his he had done enough to claim his first win, but a small mistake was
second for the first win of the season by 8 seconds over Nato and Leclerc. all it took for the podium to be reversed with Matsushita claiming
the glory, ahead of Rowland and Latifi.
“My engineer was always saying to me that I had to be patient and it will
come to me at the end,” Markelov smiled afterwards, “and it was a really “I’m just very disappointed,” a downcast Latifi ruefully admitted, “I
nice strategy to win the race!” know it was my race to win. There’s a lot of frustration but I can’t
A penalty in the feature saw Rowland start from P2, which he And the feature race was no more difficult for the Monegasque
do anything about it, it’s done and I can’t take it back: it was my soon turned to his advantage, streaking away into the lead at the man, leading Fuoco into turn 1 and not looking back, building a
race but I got distracted, that’s all.” start which Leclerc fluffed, dropping to P10. The Monegasque was solid lead and controlling the pace while managing his tyres ahead
already fighting back up the order when Rowland and De Vries of his rivals on the same strategy, with Latifi leading the way on
stopped separately from the podium positions, handing Leclerc the alternate one but just missing out on what could have been the
LECLERC WAS FULL OF CONFIDENCE by the time everyone the opportunity of bringing home a perfect weekend (pole, 2 wins, turning point for his season, slotting in ahead of Fuoco but unable
arrived in his home town of Monaco for the 3rd round, with the 2 fastest laps). He hunted down and overtook race leader Nato, to close Leclerc down in the end.
local hero kitted out in a special helmet and race suit for the but a 10s penalty for insufficiently slowing under yellows handed
“It wasn’t easy, definitely!” the PREMA ace laughed afterwards.
occasion. Despite never racing on the streets on which he had so victory back to the Frenchman, from Leclerc and Latifi.
“At the end Nicholas was coming very, very quickly! We had a good 7
recently caught the bus to school, Leclerc topped free practice and
“It was amazing!” Leclerc laughed after the race. “Our pace start and I managed the tyres as much as I could, because I knew
qualifying (the latter by topping Group A and besting Group B’s
was very fast, I felt good in the car, and I was doing the quickest I had to do a lot of laps to the pitstop, and the last part of the race
Alexander Albon by just a hundredth of a second) and looked set
laptimes. I’m still very happy about the second place, and we was really hard to manage because the soft tyres degrade a lot
for a memorable home victory.
had the fastest lap which gives us two extra points. I also had a quicker than we thought, and Nicholas was just very quick!”
But life wasn’t to be so kind: the front 2 tore away from the rest If the feature race was complicated and dramatic, then the sprint lucky star for the second race with the technical issue for Oliver,
of the field, headed by Rowland, until a safety car handed the race was blissfully simple, at least for race winner Nyck De Vries: which happened to me in Monaco. We caught back what we lost in
advantage to the supersoft shod drivers, headed by Ghiotto, with the Dutchman blew past teammate Johnny Cecotto at Ste Devote Monaco: that is important.”
the rest having to gamble on an early stop and hope that their tyres from P2 for a processional, if momentous, 1-2 for Rapax ahead of
would last (chosen by Albon) or stay out and try to rebuild a gap (as the Venezuelan and Gustav Malja, who pushed all race long for
Leclerc chose). A later safety car gave them some respite, but just more but was denied by the tight nature of the circuit.
FOR ROUND 5 IN SPIELBERG, Austria it was clear that the rest
De Vries was smiling even more than usual afterwards: “It’s of the field was going to have to find a way to close down Leclerc’s
been an unbelievable weekend! We had some difficulties after points lead, fast. Free practice didn’t help, with the Monegasque
qualifying, with two grid penalties: I was back to P14 which was on top of a VSC affected free practice, and he continued his
tough to take, but you never know in Monaco, and we kept fighting. phenomenal run of pole positions after topping a slightly damp
Everything went our way yesterday to get back in the top eight, session from Sérgio Sette Câmara (who missed the top spot when
which was crucial to have a shot today.” he found the gravel on his last lap) and Antonio Fuoco.
ROWLAND HAD CLOSED LECLERC’S LEAD down to just
3 points, but none of that meant much to the Monegasque when
his father passed away following a long illness a week before the
next round in Baku, Azerbaijan. A busy free practice, with 3 VSCs Markelov was looking for Sunday to get his title fight back on track,
(including one for Rowland, who found the barriers at turn 1) and and it worked well for the Russian: a strong start (and restart) saw
a red flag, was topped by De Vries, with Leclerc a second off the him easily control his tyres, and the race. Behind him Albon (back
pace, but in qualifying it was back to regular service: Leclerc from breaking his collar bone) had his mirrors filled by Rowland’s
dominated a red flag affected session. DAMS, but when the latter stuttered Fuoco pounced, getting
after Leclerc had stopped: the Monegasque was dropped behind squeezed onto the kerbs and back into the path of Leclerc, who
From there it looked like Leclerc had the whip hand, and so it
Rowland, Markelov and Matsushita as they rolled slowly around proved: the Ferrari Academy ace controlled the race from lights spun into retirement. Another VSC was controlled by Markelov,
the principality, with worse to come when a mechanical gremlin to flag for his third win of the season, ahead of De Vries and Latifi, who led Albon and Rowland all the way to the flag.
forced Leclerc back into the pits, and retirement. despite 2 safety cars (the 2nd of which saw off Ghiotto’s challenge
“Today we had a great start, a great restart after the safety car,
“To win here is mega special,” laughed Rowland. “Every year I’ve on the alternate strategy) and a VSC to deal with.
and I’m pretty happy,” the Russian smiled afterwards. “This
been here I’ve been slightly unlucky, whether it was last year in “I’m very, very, very happy,” Leclerc allowed in the press was actually a good boost for me for the next race, but I need to
GP2, or even in karting when I seized here with 2 laps to go when I conference, “it’s good points for the championship, and I’ve said it improve my qualifying compared to this race because it was a bit
was leading! It’s never been that kind but I think today repaid me: many times before but I’ll never stop saying it, thanks to my father of a disaster! If I get a good qualifying I think I can fight again for
right now I can’t explain how good it feels to win this…” for everything he did for me: I dedicate this win to him.” the top 3 in Silverstone.”
A cold, dreary Sunday morning brought the sprint race, the for pole by half a second over the Briton, but a few hours later the win ahead of teammate Latifi, De Vries and, ominously, Leclerc in 9
end to a long back to back couple of rounds and a chance for rest of the grid was given a boost: Leclerc had be disqualified for P4 from the back of the grid.
Leclerc’s rivals to finally reclaim some momentum, with the using a non-standard part, pushing him to the back of the grid for
Rowland thought he might have turned a corner in the championship
Monegasque starting from P8: Latifi tore off into the distance the feature race and Rowland up to pole.
fight: “I think the qualifying recently has been extremely positive:
from pole position in exactly the same way Leclerc had the day But it was Markelov who made the better start to lead Rowland we came second here, only Charles was better than me, so I’m
before, while his rivals squabbled among themselves behind through turn 1 when the lights went out, building a small but quite happy. I’m second in the championship, and I’ve closed the
him. The Canadian controlled a late restart, Ghiotto limped secure lead over his rival all the way to the stops, when Rowland gap a little bit to Charles: as a team and a car the result of the 1-2
home behind him on tired tyres, and Markelov slid past Rowland pitted early and got the undercut for the provisional lead. Ahead of shows we’ve come a long way, and done a good job.”
to claim P3. them on track Albon and Leclerc renewed battle on the alternate
“I’m just really happy,” Latifi smiled later. “I was on the podium strategy: the pair were unable to maintain a sufficient gap to stop
in Barcelona and could show we were able to challenge for wins: Rowland taking the lead after their stop, albeit that Leclerc picked Sunday saw a masterclass from Matsushita, who blew into the
that one unfortunately got away from me, but we managed to up a number of positions from a well-timed safety car period on lead from P4 at the start and stayed there until the flag, controlling
get this one back!” fresh rubber. a couple of VSC restarts in the process, with Rowland using his
After the restart Markelov was clearly faster and looked to better tyres to edge past De Vries for P2 on the penultimate lap
blast inside Rowland on the front straight: unfortunately for the for a strong weekend result, albeit with Leclerc trailing them in
BUDAPEST WAS NEXT, as hot as ever ahead of the summer Russian his rival closed the gap, leaving him the option of braking P4 once again.
THAT CHANCE CAME A FEW DAYS LATER, with the British circuit break, and Leclerc was determined to ensure he left with his and getting swamped or keep going and hope for the best, with “I always have confidence with the start,” Matsushita noted
the 2nd race in the first of 2 back to back weekends, leaving the teams championship lead intact. The Monegasque was quickest in free Markelov going up the inside but finding a kerb, pitching him afterwards, “and today I knew it would be good because of the grip.
to rush across Europe to set up for an early start in Silverstone, so practice, a tenth ahead of Rowland, and dominant in qualifying across the circuit into retirement at turn 1 as Rowland grabbed the Spa and Monza are our favourite tracks, we were quite quick there
their drivers could try to break down the 49 point lead Leclerc now held last year, and I hope it will be another podium and we can continue
in the championship. The usual rain greeted them as they filed onto like that. I want to be in the top 3 this year, so I will push!”
the circuit on Thursday afternoon from the old pitlane complex, with
Leclerc leading the way once more in free practice and qualifying, the And for Rowland it was a weekend of hope: “it was starting to
latter by half a second from Rowland. get to the stage where Charles was gone and that I was fighting
for 2nd, and I didn’t want to believe that. Obviously anything can
A slightly damp track was the venue for Leclerc’s fifth win of the season, happen, and after this weekend we’re right back in there: we’re not
who led all the way apart from the pit window between strategies quite with him but we’re closing, and if we keep this pace we can
for victory by 9 seconds from Nato and Rowland, despite an oil leak challenge him to the end of the year.”
causing smoke to billow from the Monegasque’s car, prompting a brief
period of hope for his rivals before it sorted itself out.
“I was a little bit scared,” Leclerc later admitted. “I was looking at the ALL EYES WERE ON THE SKY IN SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, the
screens on the straight and I saw my car with smoke behind it, I looked 1st weekend of the 2nd back to back of the season, but the expected
in the mirrors and I thought the engine would blow up – but nothing rain held off in free practice, with Leclerc laying down another
happened. After that, on the prime tyres, we were quite fast: I knew marker to his rivals despite his extinguisher engaging on track,
Norman was behind me, and when he reduced the gap to me I pushed limiting the number of laps he could run. But it arrived ahead of
again and the car was very good until the chequered flag.” qualifying for the first wet session of the year, including tests, and
11
But later that evening Leclerc and Rowland were found to have Rain was still falling when the F2 grid formed, requiring a string enough you don’t feel ready for the race, but my emotions were
too much wear on their skid planks, with disqualification the only of formation laps behind the safety car until it was clear enough in check once I jumped in the car: the rest just disappeared, and
possible answer: Markelov was now classified as the winner, to make a standing start, dropping the lap total to 23 for the race. I was ready for the race. After that, everything went my way, and
leading home a RUSSIAN TIME 1-2 ahead of Ghiotto, with Fuoco Matsushita was slow off the line, Markelov clattered into De Vries I’m really happy.”
promoted to the podium. at turn 1, with the Russian pitting and the Dutchman holding on as
Leclerc attacked Matsushita on the back straight for P2. De Vries
had a great stop to maintain his lead from Leclerc, with Rowland IF MONZA WAS A RELATIVE DISASTER FOR LECLERC by his
The wet qualifying meant the teams all had fresh tyres for the just behind the pair for half a lap before his left rear detached, usual high standards, it could have been worse: his main rival had
sprint race, and Sette Câmara put them to great use: the Brazilian bringing out the safety car. failed to score too, leaving the others to sweep up the points in
made a perfect start from P3 for the lead, as did De Vries for P2, Ghiotto got into the battle at the restart, jumping the pair for the their absence. The championship leader was back on top in free
with Ghiotto ahead of his teammate when Markelov retired before lead before running deep and cutting the chicane on the final lap: practice at the sole standalone race in Jerez, Spain, once again
pushing up to the rear wing of the Dutchman, until a heavy crash Leclerc and De Vries came together behind him, with Leclerc from Rowland, but in qualifying it didn’t all go his way: Ghiotto was
at the top of Eau Rouge for Matsushita brought out the safety car running wide and De Vries picking up a puncture, as Ghiotto pulled judged to be too close on the timesheets, with Leclerc making the
to the flag, handing Sette Câmara his first win. away from Fuoco for the win by 2 seconds, with Matsushita just call to strap on a 3rd set of tyres to claim pole from the Italian and
behind them in P3. Sette Câmara, potentially causing problems later in the weekend
“It’s a great moment, a great feeling,” Sette Câmara noted for himself.
afterwards. “We didn’t have the best of luck in the beginning of The Italian could scarcely contain his joy at the home win: “It
the season, things just weren’t going our way no matter what, but feels amazing! We’ve been working hard all through the season, The risk was taken to ensure pole at the tight circuit, for track
the team kept supporting me and things finally came around in we’ve been through difficult moments in the second half, and we advantage as much as the points, and it seemed to have worked
Leclerc was on top once again, this time with a measure of good Spa-Francorchamps. It’s a good track for me, I had my first podium definitely needed it. It was a pretty crazy race, but wet races are out: Leclerc easily contained Ghiotto at the start of the feature
fortune as Markelov was alone on a flyer in the closing minutes in a formula car here in 2015, so I’m very happy.” race, with a small mistake before the stops allowing Rowland
famous for this!” Unfortunately for Ghiotto the stewards were
until a red flag for a Sette Câmara spin halted his progress. through for P2. The trio were soon slicing through their rivals on
less happy, handing him a 5 second penalty later than evening for
fresh rubber, but a late safety car threw the advantage back to
A hole opened next to Leclerc on the grid when Latifi’s engine gaining an advantage, dropping him to P4 and handing the win to
BATTLE RECOMMENCED A FEW DAYS LATER IN MONZA, the alternate runners, now with a tyre advantage and a few laps
gave up on the way there, with Rowland more than filling it as he countryman Fuoco.
Italy, with an inevitably dramatic weekend in store for all of to make it pay.
and Leclerc came together at La Source and Jordan King running
over the debris to prompt a VSC for his disintegrated tyre. Leclerc the protagonists. Markelov led the way in free practice ahead Fuoco led the alternates, and was soon by countryman Ghiotto
left them all at the restart, pitted on lap 15 and emerged behind of teammate Ghiotto, while further surprises were in store in Ghiotto was livid, seething for revenge the following morning after for a podium position: on the final lap Leclerc’s tyres were also
Markelov on the alternate strategy, with the pair running similar qualifying, where Matsushita took the top spot from De Vries and a diet of coffee and little sleep left him in a determined frame of gone, slowing dramatically and getting caught up in a backmarker
times until the Russian had to pit too, coming out with fresh tyres Louis Deletraz, the first time all season the Monegasque hadn’t mind: he blitzed past a number of rivals at the start when the squabble as Rowland and Fuoco almost tripped over him at the
and mugging Rowland at the Bus Stop for P2, albeit 26.6s behind finished the session on top. lights went out. The Italian inevitably claimed the lead on lap 11 final corner, with Leclerc somehow tumbling over the line first for
Leclerc. More surprises were in store: Saturday was greeted by huge and didn’t look back, grabbing the win well ahead of Sette Câmara his 6th victory, and claiming with it the 2017 title.
storms across Lombardia, washing out the GP3 qualifying session and Fuoco.
“On the prime tyres I think we were very, very good,” Leclerc noted, “After the restart the tyres seemed to cool a little bit,” Leclerc
redundantly. “When we left the pits they were telling me ‘you’re and most of the F1 running, with the senior category’s qualifying “I think I slept three hours last night,” Ghiotto smiled afterwards. deadpanned, “and the team told me ‘last lap’ so perfect, only 1 lap
two seconds faster than everybody’ and I said ‘can you repeat delayed for hours as they waited for a gap in the clouds to appear: “We were at the stewards’ until almost midnight, then I found to do so I will push like crazy, and then they said ‘no, 1 lap more’
please?’ because I thought maybe I had misheard them! The car the F2 race was pushed back to the GP3 slot, and the junior it hard to remain calm, and it took a while to fall asleep… This and I thought another lap, okay, I can push again. But there was
was amazing all the race, and I need to thank PREMA for it.” category was relegated to Sunday morning. morning I was not 100% ready, because when you don’t sleep 2 laps more and I had absolutely no tyres left! That made things
race. Actually yesterday was a bad race for me, but we chose this
as Plan A. I was just trying to chill for the whole race, and get some
game later in the laps…”
AS A RESULT, ABU DHABI WAS ALL ABOUT THE FIGHT FOR
2ND, AND FOR TEAMS’ CHAMPIONSHIP. Leclerc had the easiest
job in the paddock, to just enjoy his final few runs and to help
PREMA claim the double, and free practice suggested he was
2017 CLASSIFICATIONS
doing just that, with Albon leading the way in the session. The
Thai driver took a gamble in qualifying, staying out for 2 laps when FINAL DRIVERS’ STANDINGS
his rivals pitted for their 2nd sets and grabbing P2, but when he
ran out of fuel on the way back it was all undone: Markelov, who
1.
DRIVERS
Charles Leclerc
TEAMS FEATURE RACE SPRINT RACE
PREMA Racing..........................5M.........2M....... 282
POINTS
13
was fastest on his first set, went even faster on his second for his
2. Artem Markelov RUSSIAN TIME..........................3M.........2M....... 210
maiden pole ahead of De Vries and Fuoco. 3. Oliver Rowland DAMS.......................................2M......................191
The Russian was expected to use his superior tyre management 4. Luca Ghiotto RUSSIAN TIME........................................1M....... 185
5. Nicholas Latifi DAMS.....................................................1M........178
to the task of winning once again, but that’s not how the feature 6. Nobuharu Matsushita ART Grand Prix......................................2M........131
shook out: Markelov made a storming start on the supersofts to 7. Nyck de Vries Racing Engineering, Rapax....................1M........114
lead De Vries on softs until his stop on lap 7, with Rowland on his 8. Antonio Fuoco PREMA Racing.......................... 1M.......................98
tail. The Briton knew he had one chance and he took it, attacking 9. Norman Nato Pertamina Arden...................................1M......... 91
at turn 8 while the Russian was worried about damaging his tyres, 10. Alexander Albon ART Grand Prix....................................................86
11. Jordan King MP Motorsport.................................................... 62
and the lead was gone. Leclerc used the alternate strategy to 12. Sérgio Sette Câmara MP Motorsport......................................1M......... 47
push up to P3, but the advantage for 2nd in the championship was 13. Gustav Malja Racing Engineering.............................................44
leaning towards Rowland. “It feels great to win the race and finish the season on a high,” 14. Sergio Canamasas Rapax, Trident..................................................... 21
Leclerc laughed in the press conference afterwards, “and I think 15. Sean Gelael Pertamina Arden..................................................17
He was already thinking bigger thoughts: “the title is obviously 16. Johnny Cecotto Jr. Rapax.................................................................. 16
important for the team, and you get the status of 1 and 2 on the it’s been one of the most positive races I’ve had during the year:
17. Louis Delétraz Rapax, Racing Engineering.................................. 16
car next year, which is good bragging rights! Basically for me I on tyre management we’ve been very good today, and I feel even 18. Roberto Merhi Rapax, Campos Racing......................................... 16
wouldn’t be here without DAMS, and I feel I owe them quite a lot: happier when I look back to Friday and we were struggling: we 19. Ralph Boschung Campos Racing.....................................................11
to give them the Teams’ championship would be great, especially were one of the most competitive today.” 20. Sergey Sirotkin ART Grand Prix...................................................... 9
21. Álex Palou Campos Racing...................................................... 5
with Nicky as well being a good teammate.” And, as it turned out, on most other days too. n 22. Santino Ferrucci Trident..................................................................4
And then the news came through: Rowland and Fuoco were 23. Nabil Jeffri Trident.................................................................. 2
24. Robert Visoiu Campos Racing...................................................... 1
disqualified, the Briton for a skid block which was too thin, the 25. Lando Norris Campos Racing...................................................... 0
Italian for low tyre pressures. It meant that Markelov, with more 26. Callum Ilott Trident..................................................................0
wins, was the vice-champion, and RUSSIAN TIME were in the 27. Stefano Coletti Campos Racing...................................................... 0
very, very hard! But I’m very, very happy overall, and we just need pound seats for the teams’ title. 28. René Binder Rapax....................................................................0
to work for tomorrow on the prime tyres…” 29. Raffaele Marciello Trident..................................................................0
Albon was determined to make the most of his last opportunity FINAL TEAMS’ STANDINGS
With the championship decided it felt as though the pressure was
to impress, storming into the lead from P2 in the sprint race and
off everyone: Alex Palou led the field early on from pole in front TEAMS FEATURE RACE SPRINT RACE POINTS
building a strong gap back to his rivals: Leclerc was looking to 1. RUSSIAN TIME................................................................ 3M........... 3M....... 395
of his home fans but he was soon falling back, his tyres spent, as
finish on a high, slicing up towards his old sparring partner, with 2. PREMA Racing............................................................... 6M............2M....... 380
Markelov came to the fore, using his renowned tyre management
Markelov and Ghiotto keeping in touch but staying out of trouble to 3. DAMS............................................................................. 2M............1M....... 369
skills to blow past everyone for the win, some 12s ahead of DAMS 4. ART Grand Prix...............................................................................2M....... 226
ensure the team’s silverware. The Monegasque was quicker but
pair Latifi and Rowland, while behind them Leclerc dropped out of 5. Rapax.............................................................................................1M........ 137
couldn’t use the second DRS zone because of yellows, launched
the points on the last lap, his tyres spent. 6. MP Motorsport...............................................................................1M........109
up the inside at turn 7 on the final lap and clattering into Albon,
7. Pertamina Arden............................................................................1M........108
Asked how he’d done it, Markelov was in entertainment mode: “It’s who couldn’t contain his rival on the long straight and had to follow 8. Racing Engineering.......................................................................................87
a secret! I don’t want to say too much, but it’s a feeling I have with Leclerc across the line half a lap later, ahead of Latifi for the final 9. Campos Racing..............................................................................................17
them: I know some lessons on how to save the tyres for the whole podium of the season. 10. Trident........................................................................................................... 9
Charles Leclerc
(PREMA Racing) Nyck de Vries
Artem Markelov (Rapax)
(RUSSIAN TIME)
Matsushita, Nyck De Vries, Norman Nato, Nicholas Sérgio Sette Câmara, Louis Delétraz, Sean Gelael and
Latifi, Sérgio Sette Câmara, Antonio Fuoco and Luca Álex Palou).
Ghiotto).
Number of second place finishers: 11
(Luca Ghiotto, Nicholas Latifi, Oliver Rowland,
Alexander Albon, Nyck De Vries, Charles Leclerc,
Norman Nato, Sérgio Sette Câmara, Johnny Cecotto Charles Leclerc
Jr., Artem Markelov and Nobuharu Matsushita). (PREMA Racing)
Baku
Number of third place finishers: 9
(Nicholas Latifi, Oliver Rowland, Antonio Fuoco, Nyck
De Vries, Luca Ghiotto, Charles Leclerc, Gustav Malja,
Artem Markelov and Nobuharu Matsushita).
Number of Feature Race wins from
pole position: 8
(Charles Leclerc – 6, Artem Markelov and Oliver 15
Rowland – 1 each).
VITAL
We gathered the best statistics Hat-Trick (Pole/Win/Fastest lap): 1
Number of podium finishers: 13 (Charles Leclerc / Baku, Feature Race).
produced by our drivers in 2017. (Oliver Rowland, Charles Leclerc, Nicholas Latifi,
Some may surprise you… Luca Ghiotto, Artem Markelov, Nyck De Vries, Antonio Number of pole sitters: 4
Fuoco, Nobuharu Matsushita, Norman Nato, Sérgio (Charles Leclerc, Oliver Rowland, Nobuharu
STATISTICS
Sette Câmara, Alexander Albon, Gustav Malja and Matsushita and Artem Markelov).
Johnny Cecotto Jr).
Most races completed in the points: 20/22
Number of race leaders: 13 (Luca Ghiotto).
(Charles Leclerc, Artem Markelov, Oliver Rowland,
Nobuharu Matsushita, Luca Ghiotto, Nicholas Latifi, Most raced distance: 3105km
Nyck De Vries, Alexander Albon, Norman Nato, (Luca Ghiotto).
Most wins: 7 (Charles Leclerc). Most podium places from Most Bonus points for fastest
Most second place
outside the top 10: 1
(Antonio Fuoco – 15th to 3rd /
laps: 6
(Artem Markelov).
TOP 10 STANDINGS EVOLUTION
finishes: 4 (Luca Ghiotto). Jerez, and Nicholas Latifi 14th to
3rd / Monza). Most races led: 13
Most third place (Charles Leclerc).
finishes: 5 (Nicholas Latifi and Most podium places without a
Oliver Rowland). win: 2 Most laps Led: 194
(Alexander Albon). (Charles Leclerc).
Most podium places: 10 (Oliver Most front row starts: 8
Most Pole positions: 8
Rowland and Charles Leclerc). (Charles Leclerc).
(Charles Leclerc – including 6 in
Most podium places from a row).
Number of different
outside the front row: 8 Most Fastest Laps: 4 winners: 10
(Nicholas Latifi and Oliver (Charles Leclerc and Artem (Charles Leclerc, Artem Markelov,
Rowland). Markelov). Oliver Rowland, Nobuharu
17
Most bonus points for Highest number of
TEAM SHEET
Newly crowned champions RUSSIAN TIME fastest laps: 6 laps led: 194
(PREMA Racing – all achieved by Charles Leclerc)
are obviously featured quite a lot, but so (RUSSIAN TIME and DAMS)
Top 3: RUSSIAN TIME and DAMS, PREMA Racing Top 3: PREMA Racing, DAMS (118),
is their fierce competition!
(5), ART Grand Prix (3). RUSSIAN TIME (89).
Highest number of races led: 13 Most laps raced: 1238
(PREMA Racing) (ART Grand Prix)
Top 3: PREMA Racing, RUSSIAN TIME (11), Top 3: ART Grand Prix, RUSSIAN TIME (1235),
DAMS (10). Racing Engineering (1223).
Most wins: 8 Most front row starts: 9
(PREMA Racing)
Top 3: PREMA Racing,
(PREMA Racing)
Top 3: PREMA Racing,
TOP 10 STANDINGS EVOLUTION
RUSSIAN TIME (6) and RUSSIAN TIME (4),
DAMS (3). ART Grand Prix and
DAMS (3 each).
Most podiums: 19
(DAMS) Most fastest laps: 5
Top 3: DAMS, (PREMA Racing)
PREMA Racing (15), Top 3: PREMA Racing,
RUSSIAN TIME (14). RUSSIAN TIME and
MP Motorsport (4 each),
Most pole positions: 8/11 ART Grand Prix and DAMS
(PREMA Racing). (3 each).
MARGIN CALL SAFETY FIRST Youngest driver to lead a race:
Sérgio Sette Câmara
(19 years old, 3 months and
4 days - Spa-Francorchamps
Smallest race win margin: Number of Safety Car periods Feature Race).
0.230s in 2017: 18
Youngest driver to score a pole
(Charles Leclerc on Oliver
Least number of Safety Car position: Charles Leclerc
Rowland - Round 10 in Jerez
periods in a round: 0 (19 years old and 6 months -
Feature Race).
(Round 11 in Yas Marina). Round 1 in Sakhir).
Largest win margin: 16.265s
(Artem Markelov on Charles Total of laps covered by the Youngest driver to score a
Leclerc - Round 11 in Safety Car in 2017: 52 fastest lap: 19
Yas Marina Feature Race). Sérgio Sette Câmara
AGE IS A NUMBER
MORE THAN WORDS
(18 years old, 10 months and
Smallest pole margin: 0.012s 24 days - Sakhir Sprint Race).
(Charles Leclerc on Alexander
Albon - Round 3 in Monaco).
Youngest driver to take part in
Largest pole margin: 0.758s
(Charles Leclerc on Nyck de
a race weekend: Lando Norris
(18 years old and 12 days).
HIGHEST NUMBER
Vries - Round 1 in Sakhir).
CLASSIFIED Youngest driver to finish in the
OF POINTS SCORED DOUBLE FEATURE points: Santino Ferrucci
(19 years old, 1 month and 28
Charles Leclerc – 7 laps, days - 9th in Budapest Feature
Highest number of drivers Alexander Albon and Nicholas Race).
classified: 20 Latifi – 2 laps each). In a round (Driver): 45
(Sakhir Feature Race, Monza Number of teams that have
(Charles Leclerc - Round 4 in Youngest driver to win a race:
Sprint race). Baku). achieved a 1-2 result: 3
Least race leaders during Sérgio Sette Câmara
(Rapax – Monaco Sprint Race,
a race: 1 (19 years old, 3 months and
Lowest number of drivers
classified: 15
(Nyck de Vries / Monaco
In a race (Driver): 31
(Charles Leclerc - Round 4
DAMS – Budapest Feature
Race, RUSSIAN TIME Spa-
4 days - Spa-Francorchamps
Feature Race).
STAR PUPILS
Sprint Race, Artem Markelov
(Monaco Feature Race). Feature Race in Baku). Francorchamps Sprint Race).
/ Spielberg Sprint Race,
Nicholas Latifi / Silverstone Youngest driver to finish on
In a round (Teams): 65 Number of teams to have
Most race leaders during Sprint Race, Nobuharu the podium: Least number of penalties
(DAMS - Round 7 in Budapest).
a race: 5 Matsushita / Budapest Sprint achieved a front-row Sérgio Sette Câmara received by a driver: 0
(Budapest Feature Race: Race, Sérgio Sette Câmara / In a race (Teams): 49 lockout: 1 (19 years old, 3 months and (Nobuharu Matsushita,
Oliver Rowland – 15 laps, Spa-Francorchamps Sprint (DAMS - Round 7 Feature Race (PREMA Racing – Round 5 in 4 days - Spa-Francorchamps Nicholas Latifi and
Artem Markelov – 10 laps, Race). in Budapest). Spielberg). Feature Race). Norman Nato).TOP GUN
Take a look at the 2017 stats of Champions
Charles Leclerc and RUSSIAN TIME below.
UNTOUCHABLE Age: 20 years old
Nationality: Monegasque
CHARLES LECLERC
HIS WINNING SEASON IN NUMBERS…
Wins 7 Highest number of points scored in one round 45
(Round 4 in Baku)
Podiums 10
Pole positions 8/11 Highest number of points scored in one race 31
(Baku Feature Race)
Fastest laps 4
Number of races in which he scored points 18/22
Bonus points for fastest laps 4
Front row starts 8/11 Number of DNF 3
(Monaco Feature Race and Sprint Race,
Laps raced 573 Spielberg Feature Race)
Laps led 194 Number of disqualifications 2
Races led 13 (Budapest Qualifying results,
Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race)
Kilometres raced 2,918
Noteworthy 21
Kilometres led 968 Charles has led in the Drivers’ Championship from Round 1
Points scored 282 and remained untouchable until the end of the season.
ON TIME
RUSSIAN TIME
STATS OF CHAMPIONS
Points 395 Number of races with both cars in the points 16/22
Wins 6 Number of races completed in the points 22/22
Podiums 14 (It is the only team to have achieved this in 2017)
Pole positions 1 Point margin over second-placed team 15
Front row starts 4
Highest number of points scored in one round 55
1-2 finishes 1 (Round 8 in Spa-Francorchamps)
Fastest laps 4 Highest number of points scored in one race 45
Bonus points for fastest laps 6 (Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race)
Races led 11 Lowest number of points scored in one round 11
Laps led 89 (Round 7 in Budapest)
Kilometres led 452 Lowest number of points scored in one race 3
Kilometres raced 6,155 (Budapest Sprint Race)23
PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE
The F2 champion submits
to our probing questions.
CHARLES LECLERC
What is your idea of perfect happiness? example for me since I was a child, and he went When do you lie? friends are mostly funny, so I’ll say funny: I like to
Charles Leclerc: Racing on a circuit with a beach racing and taught me many things, so that’s Charles: I really rarely lie: I hate lying. Probably laugh.
quite near. probably the reason. when my trainer asks what I ate for dinner!
[laughs] What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Charles: I think it’s a mix between her looks and
What is your greatest fear?
What is your current state of mind? What do you most dislike about your appearance? what she is inside.
Charles: Snakes! They’re scary!
Charles: Very happy! I won the championship with Charles: My hair: it’s always such a mess to get it
a race to go, we’re in Abu Dhabi and it’s a great right! When and where were you happiest?
Which person do you most admire? place for a holiday! [laughs] It’s also a good place Charles: Probably any time I’m on track and it
Charles: My father. For many people the father is to race, and you can arrive with a bit less stress What is the quality you most like in a man? goes well: Jerez was one of those moments,
somebody who inspires you: he was a bit of an with the title in the pocket, so it feels good. Charles: In a man I don’t really care! [laughs] My last year in Abu Dhabi as well. When you win a25
championship it feels amazing: you put a lot of anyway, so the last championship I have won is What virtue do you most value in your friends? him because he is the one I followed: the movies I
dedication to win the title, and when you win a title Formula 2, so I would say that. Charles: Honesty. didn’t really like, but I was a huge fan when I was
there is so much happiness all around you as well, younger. And actually, many people say I look very
because obviously the team is very happy as well. Where would you most like to live? Who is your hero of fiction? much like him! [laughs]
It can sometimes be very short, but as short as it Charles: Harry Potter: I’ve always been a fan when
Charles: I am so happy with my city: Monaco is
can be, it’s very intense happiness. I was younger, and it has stayed with me! Okay, Which historical figure do you most identify
an amazing city. Probably the only 2 other places
that I really enjoy going are here in Abu Dhabi, and now a bit less, but if I have to pick one I will chose with?
Which talent would you most like to have? I went this year for the first time to Los Angeles Charles: That is very difficult to answer! I don’t
Charles: Playing football: I’m so bad at it! I’m know.
and it was an amazing experience: I loved it. I
actually quite good on the kick ups, on the
probably don’t see myself living either here or in
technical side I’m quite fine, but any time I need to What is it that you most dislike?
shoot in the goal it doesn’t go well… LA: I have everyone in Monaco, it is a small town
where everyone knows everyone else, so Monaco. Charles: Arrogance! It just makes me angry, to see
an arrogant person: I think there are no reasons to
If you could change one thing about yourself, be arrogant. And I have been racing for 15 years: I
what would it be? What is your most treasured possession? know many people! [laughs]
Charles: I don’t know! It’s a question I’ve never Charles: My Fiat 500! It’s from 1969, and it’s just a
great car! [laughs] It’s so much fun, and it’s not so
really asked myself, and you can’t really change What is your greatest regret?
yourself. I’m definitely not perfect, and any time quick but it’s very fun to drive, and actually people Charles: Probably to have not enjoyed the times
I see something in myself I don’t like I change it, look at you more than when you are in a supercar with my father enough while he was here.
but at the moment… or something like that! It’s always very fun to go
in it. What is your motto?
What do you consider your greatest Charles: I have one, but I can’t remember! [laughs]
achievement? What is your favourite occupation? It’s something like with no dedication you won’t
Charles: I guess winning Formula 2. Every year Charles: It would be strange to not answer a have the results you want: I can’t remember it in
you go a step up in your career, when it goes well driver! English… nFAN
#YourSay
ZONE
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We asked you to send us your favourite F2 memory
of the 2017 season. There were loads to choose
from. Here is a selection of them…
FOLLOW US fiaf2championshipA NUMBERS GAME
29
I
n total there were 10 different race winners P Zero Yellow softs. Over the remaining nine laps, season, with Rowland beating Markelov by 0.075 Fuoco took his win in the season’s one wet race at
during the 2017 FIA Formula 2 Championship. he passed 13 cars to win by 1.569 seconds. seconds. Monza. Three other drivers – Leclerc, de Vries and
In his remarkable debut season, Charles Ghiotto – battled for the victory in the final laps,
The result gave Leclerc the championship lead, Among Leclerc’s stand-out qualifying
Leclerc achieved the most wins with seven, and when Leclerc and de Vries collided on the last
which he would hold for 224 days consecutively performances was the one time this season that
two more than Artem Markelov, and five of the lap, Ghiotto was free to take the chequered flag,
until the final race in Abu Dhabi on November 26. the wet tyre was used to set pole position: at
Monegasque’s wins were in feature races. only to later be penalised.
Spa-Francorchamps (unsurprisingly). His pole-
He guaranteed himself the championship 50 days
But it was one of his two sprint race wins that winning margin of 0.668s in Belgium was the
earlier, when he won the feature race in Jerez by
stands out in particular from a tyre perspective. biggest of the year as he demonstrated his skill in
just 0.23 seconds over rival Oliver Rowland after a Ghiotto did strike back the next day with a sprint
the difficult conditions.
To take his maiden F2 win in Bahrain, he unusually close battle on the medium and soft tyres. race victory on the medium tyre in dry conditions.
made a pit-stop in the middle of the sprint race. Underlining the competitiveness of F2, seven It was an important contribution to RUSSIAN
From position six on the grid, starting on the P Zero As well as impressive race performances, Leclerc of the 10 teams won races, with eight of them TIME’s teams’ championship success, as was the
White medium tyre, he worked his way into the shone in qualifying, claiming pole position eight achieving podium finishes. There were seven fact that Ghiotto scored points in all but two races.
lead and opened up an advantage of 9.4 seconds. times out of a possible 11. He was actually fastest drivers who won one race: Luca Ghiotto, Nicholas Team-mate Markelov claimed the two points for
in nine qualifying sessions, but was excluded at Latifi, Nobuharu Matsushita, Nyck de Vries, fastest lap more times than anybody else, in six
Then, on lap 14, he headed for the pit-lane, with the Hungaroring for a technical infringement. This Antonio Fuoco, Norman Nato and Sérgio Sette races, demonstrating his ability to extract the best
his PREMA team switching his medium tyres for created the smallest pole position margin of the Câmara. from the tyres. n#HitMeWithYourBestShot
WE CAN BE HEROES Everyone races to win: it’s just a fact. But the number of winners in a season is always small, limited by the number
of events, who is competing in them, and where they’re starting from. For 2017, here are our Race Winner Photos:
31
STREET SPIRIT
All of the teams have spirit: it’s written into their DNAs. It For 2017, here are the
changes from team to team, and sometimes from year to nominees of the Team
year, but when you see it, you know it. Spirit Awards:33
UP NEXT 2018 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP
CALENDAR
T
he 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship after the final test of the year, and at the same T* 06-07-08 March* Le Castellet Circuit Paul Ricard FRANCE
calendar will consist of twelve rounds in track, ahead of the second flyaway race weekend of T* 21-22-23 March* Sakhir Bahrain International Circuit BAHRAIN
total, all supporting the Formula One World the season, in Baku, Azerbaijan. In May the teams
Championship. New for next year will be will open their European accounts in Barcelona, 1 06-07-08 April Sakhir Bahrain International Circuit BAHRAIN
Le Castellet in France, 1 of 8 rounds to be held followed two weeks later by Monte Carlo. 2 27-28-29 April Baku Baku City Circuit AZERBAIJAN
in Europe, with 4 flyaway events to complete the
Le Castellet will be the start of the busiest period 3 11-12-13 May Catalunya Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya SPAIN
calendar, including new venue Sochi in Russia.
of the season, with 4 rounds in 6 weeks: France 4 24-25-26 May Monte Carlo Circuit de Monaco MONACO
The teams will get their first chance to put the all- will be followed by Spielberg and Silverstone over 5 22-23-24 June Le Castellet Circuit Paul Ricard FRANCE
new car, the F2 2018, through its paces at a 1 day 3 consecutive weekends, with a 2 week breather 29-30 June - 01 July Spielberg Red Bull Ring
6 AUSTRIA
shakedown in Magny-Cours before receiving their before Budapest closes out July.
7 06-07-08 July Silverstone Silverstone Circuit GREAT BRITAIN
second vehicle for the 2 pre-season tests (in Le
Castellet and Bahrain, both race locations in 2018) The teams will have a well-deserved summer 8 27-28-29 July Budapest Hungaroring HUNGARY
to put their squads, and drivers, through their break before another set of back to back races, in 9 24-25-26 August Spa-Francorchamps Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps BELGIUM
paces ahead of a long season of racing. Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, before flying to
10 31 August - 01-02 Sept. Monza Autodromo Nazionale Monza ITALY
Sochi to round out September and the traditional
The second season of the championship will kick- season finale taking place once again at Yas Marina 11 28-29-30 September Sochi Sochi Autodrom RUSSIA
off at the Bahrain International Circuit just 2 weeks on November 23-25. n 12 23-24-25 November Yas Marina Yas Marina Circuit ABU DHABI UAE
* denotes test onlyYou can also read
