Day 2 of the Formula 2 pre-season testing in Barcelona proved far more dramatic than the relatively quiet opening day, with multiple red flags disrupting running throughout the sessions. By the end of the day, reigning Formula 3 champion Rafael Câmara topped the timesheets, with just a tenth of a second separating the top five drivers in an encouragingly tight field.
Câmara sets the race in interrupted session
Compared to the first day, action began early on during the morning session of the Formula 2 pre-season testing. Within the first hour, the first of several red flags was brought out when Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak spun his ART Grand Prix car. The incident caused no damage, allowing running to resume shortly afterwards, but it set the tone for a disrupted session.
Once the track was clear, Roman Bilinski set the fastest time early in the session with a 1:27.507. However, times improved rapidly as John Bennett, Martinius Stenshorne, and Mari Boya improved their times. Gabriele Mini set a 1:25.346 and found himself in first place, followed by Oliver Goethe’s 1:25.025, making it a MP Motorsport 1-2.
However, the morning remained stop-start. Bennett later spun and stopped on track, triggering the second red flag of the session. Following the restart, the PREMA Racing drivers positioned themselves in second and third places, keeping the fight at the top closely contested.
Goethe improved again to a 1:23.793, but another interruption followed when his teammate Mini stopped at Turn 12, bringing out yet another red flag. The repeated disruptions made it difficult for teams to complete consistent programmes.
F3 champion Rafael Câmara set the benchmark with a 1:23.630, and a 0.026s gap between him and Alex Dunne in second place. That was until Tasanpol Inthraphuvasak set a 1:23.648, positioning himself between Câmara and Dunne. That signaled the end of the morning run.
Formula 2 pre-season testing continues with long-run focus
The afternoon began more steadily, with Nikola Tsolov setting the first representative lap of 1:30.161 as teams returned to the track on different programmes. Câmara soon returned to the top with a 1:29.544, continuing his strong form from the morning.
During the first hour, Joshua Duerksen recorded a 1:27.463 to briefly set the fastest lap of the session. However, outright pace was no longer the primary focus, as teams increasingly shifted towards longer runs and race simulations in preparation for the upcoming season.
Midway through the session, Colton Herta triggered the fourth red flag of the day after going off at Turn 4. With an hour and a half left, Duerksen improved to a 1:25.363. With five minutes left, Mari Boya went off into the gravel, triggering the last red flag of the day.
Despite the frequent interruptions across both pre-season testing sessions, Câmara’s morning benchmark of 1:23.630 remained unbeaten. With margins at the top remarkably tight and several drivers trading competitive lap times throughout the day, the second day of testing offered an early indication of what could be a closely fought Formula 2 season ahead.
