Discover the key drivers and teams to keep an eye on during the F2 pre-season testing ahead of the 2025 season.
F2 Pre-Season Testing: Essential Storylines to Follow
Formula 2 is set to kick off the new season with its first race in Australia. Before the season begins, there will be three days of pre-season testing.
During this time, drivers will have the opportunity to work with their teams. It will allow them to identify their strengths and the areas where they need to focus on for the year ahead.
How F2 Pre-season Testing Works
The tests will be held in the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, still in the calendar for the Formula 2 2025 season.
The Spanish circuit, known by many drivers in the minor series, is the right test bench to put at ease the rookies. Drivers will have six hours each day, divided into two sessions.
On Monday and Tuesday, the schedule will be as follows. The morning session will run from 09:00 to 12:00 local time, followed by a two-hour break. The afternoon session will resume from 14:00 to 17:00.
However, this program is going to change on the last day. The break will be shortened by one hour, and in the afternoon they will run from 13:00 to 16:00.
The drivers will have the opportunity to test all three tyre compounds, to try both long-run performances and qualifying simulations. The purpose of the former is to examine how the car behaves with different amounts of fuel.
Teams will study the right balance to prevent excessive tyre degradation and ensure the driver feels comfortable in the car.
During a typical Free Practice session in the season, teams often prioritise qualifying simulations, especially when they have only one practice session available.
Therefore, it is important to make sure that everything works according to plan in these days of testing. Each team will have five sets of hard tires, three sets of soft tires, and three sets of wet tires.
The pre-season test will be available via live timing on the official Formula 2 website.
Drivers to Watch out During Testing
These three days of F2 pre-season testing will be crucial for identifying which drivers to keep an eye on for the upcoming season.
The grid has undergone significant changes since last year, featuring 12 drivers from Formula 3. Among them is Formula 3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, who will be joining Invicta Racing for the 2025 season.
Fornaroli is one of the key drivers to watch during these test days, alongside several other notable names from Formula 3.
Gabriele Minì, the vice-champion in F3, will continue his collaboration with Prema.
Additionally, Arvid Lindbal, a Red Bull junior driver, has made a remarkable transition from Formula 4 to Formula 2 in just two years.
It will be interesting to observe how these drivers perform during the tests and adapt to the new car.
Luke Browning and Dino Beganovic from Hitech could be strong contenders at the front of the grid, having already participated in the series for the last few rounds.
Beganovic even managed to secure a podium finish in the sprint race in Abu Dhabi.
Among the drivers who have completed a full season in Formula 2, it will be interesting to see who rises to the top of the grid.
Many are keeping a close eye on Pepe Martì, a member of the Red Bull Junior Program. He is under careful watch by Helmut Marko after a first season that didn’t meet expectations.
Victor Martins, confirmed for his third year with ART Grand Prix, will also be eager to compete with the leading group after a challenging season with the French team.
Teams to be Monitored
In 2025, the reigning Teams’ Champions, Invicta Racing, will be the center of attention during the tests and the entire season.
Will the rivalry with Campos Racing continue? Last year, the Spanish team had to settle for second place. However the duo of Marti and Lindblad could bring great results this season.
Meanwhile, ART Grand Prix and Prema Racing are looking to re-enter the competition after a challenging 2024. Both teams won a few races last year, but difficulties with the new car and internal team issues undermine their performance.
The 2025 season could mark a fresh start for them, as they now have a better understanding of the issues they faced last year.
Preparing for the Start of the Season
After Barcelona, Formula 2 will move to Australia for the season opener in 2025.
Following this, the series will return to Sakhir and Jeddah a month later. After the two rounds in the Middle East, the European leg will follow.
It will start and finish in Italy and it will last four months with eight rounds in between.
The season will end with a return to the Middle East, culminating in the final race at Yas Marina.
Main Photo
CREDIT: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
RECORDING DATE:12/08/2024
