Two dominant wins in a row for young German 

Tobias Hegewald has won his second race of the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, after another superb lights-to-flag victory this afternoon (Sunday).

The German driver got a good start and went on to extend his lead by around half a second per lap; he eventually won the race by more than seven seconds. Andy Soucek claimed second place after seeing off the attentions of Robert Wickens midway through the 15 lap contest.

Wickens completed the podium – the Red Bull-backed Canadian’s car had to be repaired overnight following heavy damage sustained in a startline shunt yesterday, but showed little ill-effect when he battled past Alex Brundle at Eau Rouge on the first lap. Having initially lost third position to the young Briton at La Source, Wickens responded with a banzai move at the legendary corner. He went on to pressure Soucek, before settling for third and six championship points.

Miloš Pavlović took fourth after passing Alex Brundle on lap 11. Julien Jousse also attacked Brundle in the closing stages, but was unable to make a move stick. Kazim Vasiliauskas took seventh after a fantastic move past Mikhail Aleshin, the Lithuanian getting a great run across the start/finish line and completing the move on the inside at La Source.
Aleshin clinched the final point, ahead of his Red Bull Junior colleague Mirko Bortolotti. Carlos Iaconelli rounded out the top ten.
Jolyon Palmer and Jack Clarke both retired on the first lap after an ambitious move by Clarke at turn 7 resulted in a collision. Henry Surtees was also forced to retire after being hit by Germán Sánchez at the entry to Eau Rouge on lap 3. Sánchez was able to continue but eventually pulled into the pits on lap 14.
Hegewald, though, was never threatened on his way to a dominant win. The German driver has topped all six sessions at Spa this weekend. Soucek has returned to the top of the overall standings – two points ahead of Wickens and three ahead of Jousse. ‚Star of Spa‘ Tobias Hegewald is now fourth in the championship, just six points off the lead.

Tobias Hegewald said: "It has been an amazing weekend – I was fastest in every session and I came away with maximum points. The race was not easy at the start because my car felt nervous, but I took the win and now I can allow myself to focus on fighting for the championship. I have 22 points, which is not very far from the top, and I’m really keen to win it if I can. Spa is my favourite track and I love driving here – the weekend has been just perfect!"

Andy Soucek said: "I knew I could make a good start and hopefully overtake Tobias, but he has had a perfect weekend with no mistakes at all. The most I could do was brake a little bit later than Robert and get second which is good for the championship – I recovered from my penalty yesterday and I am again leading it. Hopefully Tobias will not have the same weekend at Brands Hatch!"

Robert Wickens said: "I’m happy to be back on the podium but I definitely need to do better at Brands Hatch. Another six points doesn’t hurt but obviously I would have rather got four more, but it’s still a long year."

FIA Formula Two Championship Round 6 Results – Spa, Belgium:
1. Tobias Hegewald, 15 laps
2. Andy Soucek, +6.855
3. Robert Wickens, +8.878
4. Miloš Pavlović, +14.977
5. Alex Brundle, +17.638
6. Julien Jousse, +18.158
7. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +19.601
8. Mikhail Aleshin, +20.451
9. Mirko Bortolotti, +21.111
10. Carlos Iaconelli, +27.803

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Spaniard drops to fourth place in race one

Andy Soucek has been given a ten second penalty by the FIA stewards following an incident at Les Combes on lap three of today’s (Saturday) Formula Two race at Spa-Francorchamps.

The Spanish driver overshot the corner whilst trying to attack Tobias Hegewald for the lead. His car then ran across the grass and returned to the track immediately in front of Julien Jousse. The Frenchman had to take avoiding action and lost his place to Miloš Pavlović in the process.

Having left the circuit with all four wheels and hindered another driver on his return to the track, it has been deemed worthy of a penalty by the race stewards.

Soucek has accordingly been dropped to fourth in the final classification of the race, whilst Pavlović and Jousse have been promoted to second and third respectively. The penalty leaves Soucek third in the overall championship standings.
Revised results – FIA Formula Two Championship, Spa-Francorchamps, Race One:

1. Tobias Hegewald, 11 laps
2. Miloš Pavlović, +7.896s
3. Julien Jousse, +8.619s
4. Andy Soucek, +14.149s
5. Jack Clarke, +19.406s
6. Tom Gladdis, +19.955s
7. Henri Karjalainen, +21.720s
8. Edoardo Piscopo, +27.003s
9. Mirko Bortolotti, +34.193s
10. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +36.390s                     www.formulatwo.com

German driver becomes fourth winner in five races 

Tobias Hegewald took a commanding maiden win at Spa-Francorchamps this afternoon (Saturday), ahead of Andy Soucek and Miloš Pavlović.
The race got off to a dramatic start when Robert Wickens failed to get away from the line. It looked as though the whole pack would be able to avoid him but Jason Moore collected him at speed, spreading the track with debris and bringing the safety car out for two laps.

At the restart, Soucek tried desperately to get past Hegewald but ended up running off the circuit at Les Combes. The Spaniard held on to his second place, but baulked Julien Jousse as he returned to circuit. Pavlović managed to overtake Jousse in the process and the two went on to enjoy a race-long battle.

Philipp Eng and Alex Brundle both retired after coming together in an incident that also involved Jolyon Palmer, whilst the trio fought for sixth place. Palmer suffered wing damage and eventually dropped down the order.

At the flag, Hegewald had increased his lead to four seconds to take his first victory of the season. Soucek was able to take a comfortable second as Pavlović came under increasing pressure from Jousse, but the Serbian defended gallantly to take a well deserved podium.

Behind Jousse came the British pair of Jack Clarke and Tom Gladdis – both drivers enjoying storming drives from 12th and 15th respectively on the grid to score top six finishes. Henri Karjalainen and Edoardo Piscopo also enjoyed similarly exciting races, making several overtaking manoeuvres on their way to seventh and eighth. Mirko Bortolotti and Kazim Vasiliauskas rounded out the top ten – narrowly missing out on championship points.

Soucek now leads the championship standings, having moved to 23 points ahead of Bortolotti and Jousse on 21. Wickens is currently fourth on 20 points. Round six will take place tomorrow at 15:05.

Tobias Hegewald said: "I’m just hoping for more of the same tomorrow! My first two weekends unfortunately weren’t so good, but hopefully now I am running better and I have put myself into championship contention. I was under a bit of pressure from Andy but I managed to get a gap and relax towards the end."

Andy Soucek said: "I tried to overtake Tobias in the early laps, at the start and after the Safety Car, but I saw he was too quick and I couldn’t match his rhythm. I had a few big moments – including going across the grass at the chicane – so I decided to settle for second and with it the championship lead. I have to apologise to Julien Jousse because he had to avoid me when I went over the grass and he ended up losing third to Miloš. I’m happy with my race and the result, but I do have to apologise for this move."

Milos Pavlović said: "I really wanted a podium today and I pushed hard to get it. Maybe I was fortunate to get past Julien in the way I did, but I took my chances and the race went well. I got a really good start and was alongside Julien Jousse going into the first corner, and after I got by him I couldn’t catch Andy so I just guided it home to third. I know I have to improve my feel for the car, but after this result I’m confident I can get there."

FIA Formula Two Championship, Spa-Francorchamps, Race One results:

1. Tobias Hegewald, 11 laps
2. Andy Soucek, +4.149s
3. Milos Pavlovic, +7.896s
4. Julien Jousse, +8.619s
5. Jack Clarke, +19.406s
6. Tom Gladdis, +19.955s
7. Henri Karjalainen, +21.720s
8. Edoardo Piscopo, +27.003s
9. Mirko Bortolotti, +34.193s
10. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +36.390s                               www.formulatwo.com

German racer leads from Andy Soucek and Robert Wickens

Tobias Hegewald has continued his superb run of form today at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, by taking a stunning maiden pole for tomorrow’s first F2 race.
The German, who has topped every session so far in Spa, set his best time of 2:08.890s shortly after a red flag period to recover Sebastian Hohenthal’s stricken car from the top of Eau Rouge.

Spaniard Andy Soucek, who has an excellent record at Spa, was second, with Canadian Robert Wickens in third – both drivers also setting their time in the final half of the session.

Julien Jousse held provisional pole prior to the red flag, but the Frenchman failed to improve in the latter stages and had to settle for fourth. Kazim Vasiliauskas took fifth, with Henry Surtees sealing an impressive day by securing sixth on the grid.

Milos Pavlovic and Alex Brundle rounded out the top eight ahead of Jolyon Palmer, who enjoyed his best qualifying performance of the season in ninth, with Philipp Eng completing the top ten.

Mikhail Aleshin didn’t take part in the session following damage sustained in an earlier free practice crash.

Tobias Hegewald said: "I’m really happy with today. I tried my best to do a good lap and I didn’t make any mistakes, so it has been a good day for me. After the red flag I was worried that I had wasted my new tyres, and I tried to save them as best as I could on the way back to the pits. After the red though I think the track was in perfect condition. It’s my favoruite circuit and I love driving here, so I’m really happy to be starting from pole tomorrow – hopefully I can finish where I start!"

Andy Soucek said: "After free practice I was a bit disappointed – it’s the first time I’ve been to Spa and not been in the top five. We made a few changes for qualifying and the new rubber made a massive difference which we hadn’t expected, so that was a nice surprise. I have a good position for tomorrow, and with Bortolotti and Aleshin down the order there is a chance to score some valuable points. It’s all about leaving Spa with at least a top three so I can go into the next round with good points in my pocket."

Robert Wickens said: "After the weekend I had in Brno I’m just glad to be back in a press conference! I got caught out a little by the red flag, and then my next lap had the potential to be better until I caught traffic, so I’m a little disappointed. However a top three is still good for the race tomorrow, and I’ll be treating the race as if it were my last – points are so critical, and in the end it could be one point that decides the champion. I’m hoping to pounce on this opportunity to score, especially as some of my championship opponents are starting down the grid."

FIA Formula Two Championship, Spa-Francorchamps, Qualifying One results:

1. Tobias Hegewald, 2:08.890s
2. Andy Soucek, +0.091s
3. Robert Wickens, +0.375s
4. Julien Jousse, +0.559s
5. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +0.923s
6. Henry Surtees, +1.435s
7. Milos Pavlovic, +1.529s
8. Alex Brundle, +1.597s
9. Jolyon Palmer, +1.631s
10.  Philipp Eng, +1.854s                                    www.formulatwo.com

German driver tops both free practice sessions

Tobias Hegewald topped both free practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, today (Friday) to take early control of FIA Formula Two Championship weekend at the legendary venue.

Hegewald led the way in the first practice session after setting a time of 2:10.110s, with a comfortable margin over Mikhail Aleshin and Alex Brundle. In the second session Aleshin damaged his car after making contact with the barriers, whilst Brundle improved to set the second fastest time ahead of Julien Jousse.

Experienced Spaniard Andy Soucek, who has taken podiums at Spa-Francorchamps in GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5, was fourth in both sessions. Behind him there were strong showings from the likes of Milos Pavlovic, Henry Surtees and Philipp Eng, whilst Robert Wickens guided his car to eighth in each session.

Championship leader Mirko Bortolotti could only manage 15^th in the opening session, but improved to tenth as practice drew to a close. On his birthday Carlos Iaconelli claimed fifth spot in opening practice, but fell to 18^th in the second session.

Tobias Hegewald said: "I am happy with the way things have been going so far today, and I just hope I can do the same in qualifying. I have driven here many times and I have a good feeling with the car and the circuit. I am sure it will be very close and I will have to fight hard in qualifying, but I am looking forward to it. This is my favourite circuit, so I am hoping for some good times this weekend.”

Alex Brundle said: "I am obviously happy to show my pace. There is still a lot of work to do for qualifying, but I am happy with the set-up and with this being such a long lap, there is always more time you can gain as a driver. I will see what I can do but I will just keep driving the car the way I am – everything seems to be working and I hope to take some points away from the weekend."

Julien Jousse: "We have worked really hard on set-up as you have to find the right compromise with the fast straights and corners here. We have worked hard and I have learnt a lot, so I am feeling quite good for qualifying. To be towards the top always feels good, but conditions will change and it will be a lot cooler late this afternoon so we will just have to see what happens."

Drivers will return to the circuit at 16:50 later today for the opening qualifying session of the weekend, with rain having just begun to fall in the Ardennes forest.

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Top five drivers seperated by just six points as F2 arrives at Spa
Rounds five and six take place this weekend at legendary Belgian venue

After a wide open weekend in Brno, the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship rolls into the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium this weekend (26/27/28 June) for rounds five and six of the season.

Mirko Bortolotti currently holds the championship lead, but with the top five drivers separated by just six points he will have his work cut out defending his position. The Italian took a stylish maiden victory in Race One at Brno, but a spin when challenging for fifth in the second race allowed his rivals to close the gap.

Experienced Spaniard Andy Soucek will be hoping to carry his winning form into Spa, after capitalising on an error by Nicola De Marco to take victory in the second race at Brno. Soucek has previously scored podiums at Spa in Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2, and will be hoping to again be challenging at the front in Formula Two.

Separating Bortolotti and Soucek in the overall standings are the Red Bull duo of Robert Wickens and Mikhail Aleshin, and Frenchman Julien Jousse. Wickens lies second in the championship courtesy of a sensational opening weekend in Valencia where he took both pole positions and both race wins, but after failing to register a points finish at Brno he will be hoping to get his season back on track here in Belgium. Aleshin meanwhile lies third after a string of top-six finishes, but he too must bounce back from a non-finish in race two last weekend.

Elsewhere it was a weekend of mixed fortunes for De Marco, who impressed in Brno by taking pole for race one and leading much of race two, before a mistake dropped him down to third. Henry Surtees also impressed with pole for race two, but suffered heartbreak after failing to get away from the start. Henri Karjalainen was the surprise package of the weekend, the Finn taking his maiden points with fourth in the opening race, whilst Armaan Ebrahim had two storming drives through the field to take sixth in both races.

Cut into the forests of the Ardennes, the sweeping Spa-Francorchamps is set to provide some fantastic racing this weekend with many of the 25 F2 drivers having previous experience of the circuit. Incredibly 17 drivers have already scored points after just four rounds of the championship, with nine claiming podium finishes.

Championship leader Mirko Bortolotti said: “I’m really looking forward to Spa – this is the first time I’ve been here, which is a bit of a disadvantage, but the circuit has a great reputation and I think we will have a good package. I’m keen to do my best on Friday and to see where I stand. I can be very happy with my start in Formula Two this season, especially my victory, but the championship is long so I have to look forward and continue winning.”

Robert Wickens said: “Spa is the kind of track that you dream of driving when you’re young – it’s a blast! It’s also good timing as it allows me to get Brno out of my system quickly. I’ll be targeting wins and podiums this weekend, and I’m confident whatever the weather does. It’s just a matter of getting things together and not making the same mistakes we did in Brno.”

Andy Soucek said: “I have been in love with Spa since my first race here in Formula Renault 3.5, and I’m really looking forward to racing here in Formula Two. More than just my victory, I am very happy about the fact I have really closed on the top three drivers after Brno. From the first test my aim has been to win the championship, and I think Spa could set the tone for the rest of the season.”

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Spaniard claims maiden F2 victory ahead of Jousse and De Marco

Andy Soucek has won his first FIA Formula Two Championship race in Brno, Czech Republic, this afternoon (Sunday).

Front row starters Henry Surtees and Mikhail Aleshin did not get away from the line, which allowed Nicola De Marco into the lead. Soucek leapt from fifth on the grid up to second after he passed Julien Jousse around the outside at turn one.

The opening lap drama continued at turn two as seven cars were involved in a collision, which left Alex Brundle, Henri Karjalainen, German Sanchez, Pietro Gandolfi and Carlos Iaconelli out of the race. Jens Hoing and Robert Wickens were able to continue, although Wickens later retired.
De Marco dominated much of the race, before making a small mistake and dropping down to fourth on lap ten. The Italian was able to recover from the spin and re-passed Edoardo Piscopo in the closing stages to take the final podium position.

This left Andy Soucek to march on to his maiden F2 victory after a faultless display. Julien Jousse scored his first Formula Two podium, taking second at the finish, whilst it was a bittersweet moment for De Marco – the Italin scored his first F2 podium, but had looked certain to win race until his spin.

Piscopo held fourth ahead of Miloš Pavlović and Armaan Ebrahim who rounded out the top six. The fight for seventh was intense as Sebastian Hohenthal, Tobias Hegewald, Kazim Vasiliauskas and Philipp Eng swapped places at will. Contact was made between Hohenthal and Iaconelli, which dropped the Swede down to 12th. Hohenthal also later collided with championship leader Mirko Bortolotti – the Italian’s race ending in the gravel. It was Hegewald who went on to steal seventh, with Vasiliauskas clinching the final championship point.

Amazingly, 17 drivers have already scored points after just four rounds of the championship. All three Red Bull Junior drivers failed to finish the second race at Brno, but they still hold a 1-2-3 lead in the championship. Bortolotti leads Wickens by one point, with Aleshin a further four points back. Impressive results for Julien Jousse and Andy Soucek have thrust the pair back into contention towards the top of the standings, having scored 16 and 15 points respectively.

Andy Soucek said: “It was a great race. I made a good start and I was going to attack Nicola but it was too risky. I had a good fight with Julien but to get my first win was amazing. The next round at Spa Francorchamps is my favourite track, so I hope to fight for podiums or even a victory there.”

Julien Jousse said: “The race was tricky at the beginning with the cars stopped in front of me, but I got a good start anyway. The fight with Andy was very hard but it was good points for the championship and I hope I can continue like that.”

Nicola De Marco said: “I made a mistake and I am very disappointed. I had a good start and I was quick throughout the race. Normally I do not make mistakes but I did in this moment. I lost out on victory, but at least it is my first podium in Formula Two."

FIA Formula Two Championship – Round Four – Brno, Czech Republic
1. Andy Soucek, 14 laps
2. Julien Jousse, +2.165s
3. Nicola De Marco, +7.075s
4. Edoardo Piscopo, +10.044s
5. Milos Pavlovic, +11.498s
6. Armann Ebrahim, +14.426s
7. Tobias Hegewald, +18.198s
8. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +18.864s

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Italian takes commanding victory ahead of Aleshin and Eng

Mirko Bortolotti has won the opening race this afternoon at Brno, Czech Republic, and taken the points lead in the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship.
Fellow Red Bull Junior driver Mikhail Aleshin was second, whilst Philipp Eng finished third after intense battles with Carlos Iaconelli, who spun off into retirement at Turn 8 on Lap 14, and later Henri Karjalainen.

Bortolotti led the field down to Turn 1 on the opening lap, and was able to hold off an attack from Aleshin during the early stages of the race. The Italian then set about establishing a gap back to Aleshin, and went on take his maiden F2 victory in commanding fashion. Aleshin went on to take a comfortable second, as several drivers squabbled behind him for the final podium position.

Philipp Eng and Carlos Iaconelli held third and fourth early on after they both passed Henri Karjalainen. Brazilian driver Iaconelli spun out of the race whilst pressuring Eng, before Karjalainen attempted to retake third position. The Finn chased down Eng during the final laps, but Eng held on by just 0.283s.
Julien Jousse had a quiet and consistent run to fifth, whilst Armaan Ebrahim held off a charging Edoardo Piscopo to clinch sixth. Piscopo had to make his way through the field from the back of the grid after failing to get away cleanly on the formation lap – the Italian producing a series of breathtaking overtaking moves in one of the drives of the day.
Tom Gladdis was the highest British finisher in eighth, just ahead of Robert Wickens, who set the fastest lap right at the end of the race. Jolyon Palmer was in tenth, ahead of fellow Formula Palmer Audi graduate Alex Brundle.
Pole-sitter Nicola De Marco was forced to start from the pit lane, but recovered to finish 12th.
Henry Surtees and Jack Clarke were both eliminated following a startline clash, which also involved Wickens. All three drivers were side-by-side on the run down to turn one, before inevitable contact was made. Only Wickens was able to continue, and a brief safety car period was called in order to remove the stricken cars of Surtees and Clarke. Pietro Gandolfi, Kazim Vasiliauskas, Germán Sánchez and Jens Höing all retired following spins.

Mirko Bortolotti said: “I had a good start and a good race. I’m very happy to be in front at the moment, but there are a lot of races to go. My mentality is that there are 24 other drivers who all want to win, so I will fight and we’ll see at the end.”

Mikhail Aleshin said: “If I had just got a slightly better start then I might have tried the pass on Mirko. It wasn’t really possible but we will see next time. I was pushing the whole race, and I’m happy to have guided the car home in second.”

Philipp Eng said: “It’s great to be third. There were still two drivers in front of me so I can’t be 100% happy, but it is still nice to back up my pace from Valencia and it is always good to be on the podium.”

FIA Formula Two Championship – Round Three – Brno, Czech Republic
1. Mirko Bortolotti, 22 laps
2. Mikhail Aleshin, +4.675s
3. Philipp Eng, +12.330s
4. Henri Karjalainen, +12.613s
5. Julien Jousse, +7.391s
6. Armann Ebrahim, +26.071s
7. Edoardo Piscopo, +26.355
8. Tom Gladdis, +34.055s                                   www.formulatwo.com

Italian masters tricky wet conditions in Brno

Nicola De Marco took pole position for the first race of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship in Brno tomorrow (Saturday 20 June).

Mikhail Aleshin held the top spot in the early part of the session, before Edoardo Piscopo took over. De Marco also held the provisional pole for a brief time before a late flurry of changes in the final 15 minutes. Tobias Hegewald and Carlos Iaconelli held the top two spots at one stage, but both dropped down the order as De Marco returned to take pole in the closing stages.

Mirko Bortolotti guided his car to second on the grid to complete an Italian 1-2, whilst Finnish driver Henri Karjalainen completed the top three after making impressive progress throughout the day. After dominating the opening two practice sessions, Mikhail Aleshin will have been disappointed to have dropped to fourth as the chequered flag fell. Philipp Eng and Edoardo Piscopo rounded out the top six, with Carlos Iaconelli seventh and Tobias Hegewald eighth – still within one second of De Marco’s pole time.

Andy Soucek and Robert Wickens rounded out the top ten. Championship leader Wickens was unable to threaten the ultimate pace setters, but he will expect to fight for points during tomorrow’s 22-lap race.
The session had to be red flagged halfway through following spins for Jens Höing and Jason Moore, and when Henry Surtees went off into the gravel with two minutes remaining on the clock, the red flag brought qualifying to a close. Armaan Ebrahim, Natacha Gachnang and Alex Brundle were others that fell foul of the conditions – all three endured spins during the session.
Rain continued to fall throughout qualifying, though not as heavily as during today’s free practice sessions.

Nicola De Marco said: “I’m very happy, and I really enjoyed the wet conditions. I’ve worked very hard to get this place, especially after Valencia, so I’m really happy to have come away with such a strong result. I hope to have a good race tomorrow, and then another good qualifying and race on Sunday. I’m not sure whether I should be hoping for rain or not!”

Mirko Bortolotti said: “This is my first time here, so I struggled a bit early on. I am happy with second anyway because I didn’t think after the second session I could be starting on the front row. There is still a long way to go in the season, and there are 25 drivers, so I have 24 rivals not just one. The competition is high, so I’m just happy to start on the front row and I’m looking forward to the race.”

Henri Karjalainen said: “I’m very happy with my position, especially because in Valencia my best in qualifying was 19^th. Coming into Brno I knew I had to concentrate more on qualifying and post good laps, and I am very happy that it worked. I was certainly pushing hard, and we also made some improvements to the car which made it feel really good. I knew in the rain I could finish anywhere, so I just pushed hard and I’m very happy to be third.”

FIA Formula Two Championship – Brno – Qualifying One results:

1. Nicola De Marco, 2:03.484s
2. Mirko Bortolotti, +0.167s
3. Henri Karjalainen, +0.183s
4. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.371s
5. Philipp Eng, +0.408s
6. Edoardo Piscopo, +0.767s
7. Carlos Iaconelli, +0.883s
8. Tobias Hegewald, +0.905s
9. Andy Soucek, +1.236s
10. Robert Wickens, +1.625s                            www.formulatwo.com

Robert Wickens defends championship lead in the Czech Republic

After a hugely successful inaugural weekend in Valencia last month, the third and fourth rounds of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship take place in Brno, Czech Republic, this weekend (19/20/21 June).

All eyes will be on championship leader Robert Wickens after the Canadian scooped a dominant double victory in Spain. Amongst those chasing him down will be his two Red Bull Junior colleagues, Mirko Bortolotti and Mikhail Aleshin. Both drivers scored strong points finishes in each race at Valencia and currently lie second and fourth respectively in the overall standings.

Sandwiched between them in the championship is the only other driver to have scored points in each race so far, Brazilian racer Carlos Iaconelli. After spending the last two seasons with under-achieving teams in Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2, the 21-year-old is relishing the prospect of showing his full potential in the level playing field of Formula Two.

Lithuanian Kazim Vasiliauskas and Austrian Philipp Eng will also hope to build on impressive debut weekends in F2 after demonstrating their talents with surprise podiums finishes. Andy Soucek and Julien Jousse will expect to challenge for podium positions this coming weekend after failing to reach that goal in Valencia. Jousse’s confidence is further buoyed having scored a stunning second position in the GT1 class on his Le Mans 24 Hours debut last weekend.

In the battle of the Britons, Henry Surtees currently leads the way from Alex Brundle, whilst Italian duo Nicola De Marco and Edoardo Piscopo also scored creditable points finishes in Valencia.

Drivers hoping to score their first points of the F2 season at Brno include both Jack Clarke and Natacha Gachnang. Swiss female driver Gachnang is hoping an impressive season in Formula Two will help her make history in reaching Formula One. The 21-year-old has been in talks with Adrian Campos about a test seat in the newly formed Campos Grand Prix team, who have signed up to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. Gachnang has previous links with Campos, having finished third in the Spanish Formula 3 Championship with the team last year.

The sweeping Brno circuit is set to provide some great racing this weekend with plenty of overtaking opportunities for the talented crop of 25 Formula Two drivers.

The venue was formerly the site of the pre-war Czechoslovakian Grand Prix and once measured 19 miles in length, but it has hosted the likes of MotoGP, A1GP and World Superbikes in its current layout. This weekend, F2 will partner with the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

Rob Wickens said: "I have set the bar pretty high for myself after the results I had in Valencia. I couldn’t have dreamed of the first round going any better. But, that’s the past now and I know where I need to improve and how to do it. I can’t wait for Brno – I think it will be a very exciting race!"

Mirko Bortolotti said: “This is my first time at Brno and I don’t know the track, but I’m really looking forward to it. My pace at Valencia was very good, and the fact that I was able to put pressure on Robert Wickens in Race Two is really encouraging. I will give my best as always, and if there is a chance to win I hope I can take it.”

Natacha Gachnang said: “For Brno we have a bit of experience, and we know how the car works, so points are definitely the target. For sure the prospect of a test seat with Campos adds a bit of motivation, but I have always been motivated to do my best and am always comparing myself to the fastest drivers. I am in a very positive mood heading into Brno.”

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Motorsport legends give their verdict on Formula Two’s debut

Host of celebrated guests, including FIA President Max Mosley, attend opening two races of 2009 championship

A number of key dignitaries and motor racing greats attended the opening two races of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship – including FIA President Max Mosley, FIA Formula One Race Director Charlie Whiting and Patrick Head, Director of Engineering at the AT&T Williams F1 team.

FIA President Max Mosley hosted the podium ceremony for the opening race of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship, before heaping praise on the new series. "I’m astonished with how successful the day has been," Mosley declared. "Jonathan Palmer and Williams have done an absolutely fantastic job; the championship, the racing and the whole set up is extraordinary and it has been a really great success.

"I think the championship fits precisely with the cost cutting measures that are being adopted in Formula One. The barriers to entry have just been too big and too expensive in the past, and this championship is a means for people to get into Formula One without spending a fortune. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see some drivers from this year’s Formula Two championship progress into Formula One."

Williams‘ Director of Engineering Patrick Head led the podium ceremony for the second race on Sunday, and was similarly impressed with the Formula Two operation: "I think it’s a fantastic start and a great achievement to get here. The whole setup has looked very professional, and the series is certainly one that we would look at in terms of selecting drivers.

"You have to be very careful in F1 with who you select for a test drive, because there are only three new driver test days available each year – that’s where Formula Two is beneficial, because you know there aren’t any great car advantages and it therefore comes down to the driver."

Red Bull Racing’s team advisor Helmut Marko came to monitor the progress of the three Red Bull Junior Team drivers competing in Formula Two this year, whilst past F1 and F2 greats Christian Danner and Philippe Streiff were also in attendance. Danner will be mentoring Austrian Philipp Eng over the 2009 season, whilst Streiff will mentor French compatriot Julien Jousse.

Christian Danner, who competed in Formula Two between 1980 and 1984 before progressing into Formula One, said: "I think it’s very good to have a championship like this because drivers get a very fair deal. Its great value for money and it gives you a very clear result whether you are good or not. The cars look good, they are fast, they are very driveable and the overall setup is fabulous. I can absolutely see this championship being a feeder series for Formula One in the future."

Philippe Streiff, who competed in Formula Two between 1982 and 1984 before moving to Formula One, said: "The new Formula Two Championship feels like a return to the good old days, when I was fighting in the series 25 years ago. The series is fantastic value for young drivers, and their families or sponsors, who might otherwise struggle to progress in motorsport." For 25 years Streiff was the last man to win a Formula Two race, a title that has since passed to Robert Wickens after he took two wins at Valencia.

With three sons of ex-F1 drivers competing in the 2009 championship there were several famous faces in the garages, including Martin Brundle, Jonathan Palmer and John Surtees – the only man to win world championships on two and four wheels. Ex-F1 driver Julian Bailey also came to support stepson Jack Clarke.

The second round of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship will be held at Brno on 19-21 June. Robert Wickens currently leads the series with two wins in the opening two races, with Mirko Bortolotti second and Carlos Iaconelli third.

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Red Bull Junior driver extends championship advantage

Robert Wickens took a lights to flag victory in the second race of the FIA Formula Two Championship this afternoon (Sunday) at Valencia, Spain.
Italian Mirko Bortolotti finished in second, with Philipp Eng completing the podium placings. The trio recieved their trophies from Patrick Head, Director of Engineering at the AT&T Williams F1 Team.

Wickens got a clean start from pole, but soon came under pressure from Red Bull teammate Mirko Bortolotti. Andy Soucek made a poor start from second on the grid, and was passed off the line by Bortolotti, Philipp Eng and Nicola De Marco. Soucek was back up to fourth by the end of the opening lap after making a good move past De Marco.
Bortolotti tried everything to force Wickens into a mistake, but by the middle phase of the 17 lap encounter, both drivers settled into their respective positions. Behind the Red Bull pairing, Soucek was putting Eng under intense pressure for third. The 19-year-old Austrian held strong to take his maiden podium in F2, whilst Soucek had to settle for fourth. De Marco stayed in close contention throughout and crossed the line in an impressive fifth place, having seen off the attentions of Mikhail Aleshin – the Russian completing a top six result for all three Red Bull Junior drivers.

Edoardo Piscopo drove to a fairly lonely but consistent seventh place and Carlos Iaconelli rounded out the points finishers, after making a stellar move past Julien Jousse around the outside at Turn One. Tobias Hegewald repeated the trick on the Frenchman a lap later and finished ninth, whilst Jousse hung on to take tenth.
There was disappointment for female racer Natacha Gachnang who tangled with Alex Brundle on the opening lap – Gachnang retired on the spot, whilst Brundle pitted for repairs. Jolyon Palmer was tapped into the gravel and out of the race on lap one and yesterday’s surprise package Kazim Vasiliauskas went off after making contact with Jousse in a battle for eighth place. The Lithuanian returned to the circuit at the back of the field, but was able to take the fastest lap of the race.

Robert Wickens said: "This is the best weekend of my career so far; it’s pretty much been perfect. From start to finish it has been good; we struggled a little in free practice but we didn’t lose our cool and everything fell into place nicely – it’s basically been a fairytale. It was a good race, Mirko pushed me a lot at the beginning but it was just fantastic. I can’t believe the weekend and the year have started so well."

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Canadian dominates the first race in 25 years as FIA President Max Mosley watches on

Canadian Robert Wickens, a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, has won the first F2 race to take place in 25 years after taking a commanding victory at Valencia today (Saturday).

Robert took the win and the points lead of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship after a flawless drive from pole position. Carlos Iaconelli was second and Kazim Vasiliauskas third, with the trio receiving their trophies from FIA President Max Mosley. Tobias Hegewald retired after running into a slowing Andy Soucek, causing a safety car period.

Wickens got a fantastic start off the line, followed by Soucek and Iaconelli, who were able to pass Hegewald after the German got bogged down from the start. Mikhail Aleshin was fourth until Lithuanian Kazim Vasiliauskas made a great move on Aleshin at the final turn to move into fifth before the end of the opening lap.

Hegewald passed Iaconelli for third before the race began to stabilise up front, before drama struck at the front of the field. On lap 14, a slowing Andy Soucek exited Turn 12 and an unsighted Tobias Hegewald made contact with the Spaniard. Both cars were out on the spot and a safety car was deployed.

At the restart, Wickens made another textbook getaway with Carlos Iaconelli settling behind in second. The fight for third continued as both Mikhail Aleshin and Julien Jousse pressured Vasiliauskas. Jousse made a move on Red Bull junior driver Aleshin, but the Frenchman ran wide coming out of turn two – handing fifth place to Philipp Eng. The Austrian himself then lost the position by spinning on the final lap of the race.

Jousse was able to re-collect fifth at the finish ahead of a charging Mirko Bortolotti, whilst Henry Surtees and Alex Brundle rounded out the top eight.

There were some great tussles behind as Nicola de Marco, Jack Clarke and Sebastian Hohenthal scrambled to get in the points. None of the trio could manage it, although Italian De Marco was able to sneak past Clarke for ninth place late in the race.

A delighted race winner Robert Wickens said: "It was a bit of a difficult race. I was able to get a good start and hold onto P1, but then Andy was able to put pressure on me for the opening laps so I had to push quite hard. Once I had a bit of a gap I just focussed on consistency and keeping it together."

"My car was very consistent and driveable and we made some changes before the race that went well. To be perfectly honest I would have preferred the safety car to not come out, because I had quite a healthy gap and was happy with where I was. I got a good restart though, and it’s phenomenal to get the first win. It’s a big boost in confidence – everyone goes into the first race wanting to win, so for me to do it is a great way to start the championship."

Carlos Iaconelli drove a good consistent race to take second, but the Brazilian admitted it was a tough race: "The race was not easy for anybody, but I made a good start and it went well," he said. "In the beginning I struggled with my brake balance, but I just tried to push hard and stay on track. It was quite difficult at times. I didn’t know who was behind me when Andy went off, but I managed to avoid him and from there I just tried to guide the car home."

Surprise package of the weekend so far has been 18-year-old Kazim Vasiliauskas who is embarking on his first full season of car racing: "I’m really surprised because I started from P9," Vasiliauskas admitted. "My start was good and on the first lap I managed to pass some drivers on the inside and outside, and tried to chase down Hegewald. Then in the middle of the race I had some luck when Hegewald and Soucek had an accident, but I was fast as well."

"I had a lot of nerves after the safety car, because I only had one boost and thought I might struggle into the first corner, but after that I was a little bit faster and the race went well."

FIA President Max Mosley said: "I thought the first race was excellent. The whole Formula Two set up is so professional, but what was most impressive was that all the cars were so reliable. It was also very impressive during qualifying to see 15 drivers from 12 nationalities separated by less than one second.

"I think the championship fits precisely with the cost cutting measures that are being adopted in Formula One. The barriers to entry have just been too big and too expensive in the past. This is a means for people to get into Formula One without spending a fortune, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see some drivers from this year’s Formula Two Championship progress into Formula One."

Championship leader Wickens will also start tomorrow’s F2 race from pole position and the remaining 24 drivers will be fighting hard to make sure the Canadian does not score a clean sweep of victories on the opening weekend of the season.

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Surtees tops final F2 test – Soucek shines in the wet

Mixed weather conditions for Formula Two field at Silverstone

Henry Surtees set the quickest lap time in the final pre-season test for the FIA Formula Two Championship in mixed weather conditions at Silverstone today (Monday).

The 18-year-old’s flying lap of 1:38.920s was set as the grouped sessions came to a close early in the afternoon, shortly before heavy rain brought an end to anyone’s hopes of going faster for the remainder of the day.

Red Bull junior driver Mikhail Aleshin held top spot for much of the late morning, but was pushed down to second following Surtees‘ lap. Julien Jousse also grew in confidence with the car as the day progressed and the Frenchman was satisfied with third fastest overall.

Sebastian Hohenthal had an impressive run to fourth, whilst Rob Wickens, Jolyon Palmer and Andy Soucek were separated by just 0.088s in fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. Jack Clarke maintained eighth position at the session’s end, whilst Philipp Eng and Carlos Iaconelli made a late surge into the top ten.

Times were expected to tumble later in the afternoon as drivers were permitted to use new Avon tyres and the ‚overboost‘ button for the first time. However, the heavy rain in Northamptonshire prevented drivers from finding the ultimate limits in their respective Williams JPH1, but it did provide them with some valuable running in wet conditions.

The F2 cars ran with bespoke rain tyres for the first time and an interesting battle developed as drivers swapped fastest times in the testing conditions. Mirko Bortolotti’s benchmark time of 2:02.974s looked set to be good enough until Andy Soucek and Jason Moore traded blows towards the end of the day. It was Soucek who ultimately set the afternoon’s fastest lap – a 2:02.502s, which was just 0.008s ahead of Formula Palmer Audi champion Moore.

Mirko Bortolotti held on to third, whilst Milos Pavlovic, Julien Jousse and Philipp Eng rounded out the top six.

Henry Surtees said: “It was quite an impressive day for us. I knew I was there or thereabouts in terms of pace, but I didn’t know how close to the front I could be. I was able to make some positive changes to the car, including quite a big set-up change shortly before my best lap. I could feel that I was on a pretty good lap and it was really pleasing to see that I had gone over a second faster than anyone else. Of course, the hard work starts in Valencia but it is still good for the confidence to finish on top here.”

Mikhail Aleshin said: "We were able to find some good time in the car, but really I was not that interested in the times. My focus was on setting up the car and we are learning things not just for Valencia, but for other circuits too."

Julien Jousse was another driver happy with his progress: "I am really starting to get a good feeling in this car. For sure, the wind made things quite difficult today but the grip is still really good and the engine is impressive."

Andy Soucek commented: "The wet afternoon session went very well. You have to be very precise with all your inputs, it is like you have to have traction control in your foot, but it was fun – once you finish on top it always is! I am slightly disappointed that I did not try new tyres in the morning session, as I am 100% sure I could have been fastest then as well, but overall this has been a very good test in terms of what I learnt for the race in Valencia. We made some set up changes which all worked, and I’m confident now that I can be running at the front in Spain.

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