The Monaco Grand Prix weekend is only just behind us, but the next weekend is already on the horizon.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is the location for the sixth round of the Formula 2 Championship and the fourth round of the Formula 3 championship. With the Monaco weekend still in everyone’s mind. Teams already need to be focused on this upcoming weekend. Drivers know every inch of this track, making it very competitive. The limit must be found to gain time. Everybody in the F1 sphere knows this track so well, as this circuit is a beloved pre-season test location. Drivers who do well here are generally the best drivers of the series. Last year, in F2 Felipe Drugovich swept the weekend and in F3, Victor Martins won the Feature Race while David Vidales won the Sprint Race. The circuit has some modifications, for older F1 viewers, the layout has changed back to its original. Without chicanes in the last sector.
Formula 2
Frederick Vesti arrives in Barcelona as the F2 championship leader with 89 points. Closely followed by Theo Pourchaire at 84 points. Ayumu Iwasa is third with 69 points. The top three is some ways ahead of the rest of the field. Kush Maini in fourth has 49 points. Looking ahead to the weekend, it’s going to be a very close. Last year, the gap in qualifying between Jack Doohan and Juri Vips was 0.023s. However, qualifying doesn’t mean everything in Barcelona. Drugovich won the feature race from tenth on the grid. With that in mind, Doohan could be one of the favorites for this weekend. The Australian was on pole last year and finished second in the Feature Race.
Vesti undoubtedly is another favorite in Barcelona. The F2 championship leader won the Feature Race in Monaco and will look to extend his lead. His title challenger Theo Pourchaire has scored three F2 Feature Race podiums in a row, but will look to be on that top step for the second time this year. Iwasa has won the most races this season so far, two Sprint Race victories and a Feature Race win in Melbourne. As always in F2, perhaps someone else could surprise. That’s the fun of Feeder Series.
Prediction: Pole: Frederick Vesti – Feature Race winner: Jack Doohan
Formula 3
Gabriel Bortoleto remains on top in the F3 championship standings with 73 points. The Brazilian has a margin of 17 points to Monaco F3 Feature Race winner Gabriele Mini in second place. Gregoire Saucy sits in third with 47 points, and Dino Beganovic has one point less in fourth place. Bortoleto has won two feature races this season and is a favorite this weekend. The Brazilian driver failed to score points only once this season so far. The same can be said for Mini, the Hitech Pulse Eight driver only failed to score points in the Monaco F3 Sprint Race. The Italian driver hopes to carry his momentum into this weekend. Saucy will look to find some momentum after an average weekend in Monaco. The Swiss driver, won in Barcelona the Formula Regional European Championship.
Prediction: Pole: Gabriele Mini – Feature Race winner: Gabriel Bortoleto
Weekend Schedule (All Times EST)
Friday, June 2nd
- Formula 3 Practice Session – 03:55AM – 04:40AM
- Formula 2 Practice Session – 05:05AM – 05:50AM
- Formula 3 Qualifying Session – 09:00AM – 09:30AM
- Formula 3 Qualifying Session – 09:55AM – 10:25 AM
Saturday, June 3rd
- Formula 3 Sprint Race (21 Laps or 40 mins + 1 lap) – 04:30AM – 05:15 AM
- Formula 2 Sprint Race (26 laps or 45 mins + 1 lap) – 08:15AM – 09:05AM
Sunday, June 4th
- Formula 3 Feature Race (25 Laps or 45 mins + 1 lap) 03:55AM – 04:45AM
- Formula 2 Feature Race (37 laps or 60 mins + 1 lap) 05:25AM – 06:30AM
All Support Races are broadcast on F1TV, ESPN+ and Sky Sports F1
