F2 Racing 2021
| 22.01.2021: Ferrari Driver Academy member Marcus Armstrong has joined DAMS for the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship, becoming the first from the Scuderia’s coveted young talent programme to race for the team. |
For 2021 the FIA Formula 2 Championship and its sister series the FIA Formula 3 Championship would actively avoid each other after a reduction to the number of rounds for each series. This was done to avoid costs, with the majority of teams in F2 also racing in F3, as well as reduce logistical costs for each series by reducing the amount of shipping required. The three-day Bahrain test line-up is confirmed by FIA Formula 2 (F2) Championship as some teams have also announced their drivers for 2021. Prior to the testing line-up announcement, Prema confirmed retention of Robert Shwartzman alongside the already announced Oscar Pisastri for 2021, as UNI-Virtuosi Racing hired Felipe Drugovich for his second F2 season from MP Motorsport.
Ferrari Driver Academy member Marcus Armstrong has joined DAMS for the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship, becoming the first from the Scuderia’s coveted young talent programme to race for the team.
Armstrong moved to Europe from his native New Zealand in 2016, winning the Italian Formula 4 title the following year as well as finishing runner-up in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship. He then made the move up to FIA Formula 3 in 2019, scoring three wins and becoming vice champion of the series before claiming two podiums in his maiden F2 season in 2020.
The Kiwi has already driven in the iconic DAMS colours during the 2020 post-season test in Bahrain in December.
The French outfit is one of the most successful in single-seater racing, particularly F2 and its Formula 1 feeder series predecessors GP2 Series and F3000.
Since the current era began in 2017, DAMS has taken 15 wins and claimed the 2019 teams’ title. In over 30 years of competition, it has also helped 32 drivers reach F1, including 2021 participants Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly and Nicholas Latifi.
Marcus Armstrong: “I’m very excited to be joining DAMS, it’s been a long time coming as there was a lot of interest in working together last season. Formula 2 is such a competitive championship and with only eight events it’s important to start on the right foot in an experienced team that’s used to winning.
DAMS has a massive history, especially in GP2 and F2 - it’s one of, if not the, best to be with. In the short time I’ve worked with the team it’s already clear they bring out the best in people and have the resources to give me exactly what I need. We are aiming for the title.
We’ve discussed that it’s not in my interest to finish second and they firmly agreed because they have the exact same targets. By no means is it going to be easy with such fierce competition, but I feel that when I’m in the right environment with a great team I can really do special things.”
Gregory and Olivier Driot, Co-Team Owners: “We are very happy to welcome Marcus to DAMS. We have been following his career and his performance for several years so we are glad to finally join forces for this season. It’s going to be an important year for both of us.
Looking at Marcus’ track record, it is obviously one of our main targets to challenge for the titles this year. Marcus drove for us in the 2020 post-season test in Bahrain and he gave some great feedback to the engineers. It was good for him to get to know the team ahead of the 2021 campaign, and everything so far has been positive.
This is Marcus’ second year in Formula 2 and he has big goals, as does DAMS. We won the teams’ title in 2019 and we would like to be back at the top. We are really looking forward to starting in Bahrain.”
DAMS, photos Dutch Photo Agency 2-3 adripaviotdesigns
Formula 2 and fellow Formula 1 support series FIA Formula 3 Championship will grow their testing schedules for 2021 after this year’s planned pre-season and in-season running was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
A calendar split means the series won’t be sharing paddocks in 2021, with a decreased number of rounds for each brought in as a cost-cutting measure.
There was only one pre-season test for both series in 2020, but FIA F3 will expand to hosting three next year.
Former Spanish Grand Prix venue Jerez kicks off proceedings on February 25/26, with teams then returning to Spain a month later at Barcelona, which hosts the season opener, on March 16/17. The third test is at the Red Bull Ring, another circuit to appear on the 2021 calendar, and takes place on April 3/4.
F2 travels out to Bahrain for its sole pre-season test over three days on March 9-11, just over two weeks before racing for the year starts at the circuit.
F2 Race Calendar 2021
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Before round two on the Monaco street circuit, there is an in-season three-day test at Barcelona on April 21-23. F2 had planned to run a test before and after its first round this year, but only achieved the former before the pandemic arrived.
Reliability concerns did mean the series held a shakedown day between the first two rounds at the Red Bull Ring though.
F2 Racing 2021 Schedule
It then hosted a three-day post-season test at Bahrain, while FIA F3 held two tests in Spain after the conclusion of its season and teams have been testing privately with old GP3 cars since then.
2021 Formula 2 Test Schedule
9-10-11 March Sakhir
21-22-23 April Barcelona
2021 FIA Formula 3 Test Schedule
25-26 February Jerez
16-17 March Barcelona
3-4 April Spielberg