The final day of Formula 2 pre-season testing in Barcelona got underway with teams immediately turning their attention to qualifying simulations during the morning session. After two days of gathering data and running various programmes, many teams used the early hours to evaluate one-lap pace and performance on lower fuel loads.
The afternoon session, meanwhile, was largely reserved for longer runs as track temperatures increased throughout the day, following a similar approach to the previous day. These runs allowed teams to better understand tyre management and race pace ahead of the upcoming season.
Qualifying simulations at formula 2 pre-season testing
As soon as the green light was out, VAR Motorsport was the first team to head out on track. The driver pairing Rafael Villagomez and Nicolas Varrone set the fastest laps, opening the timesheets with a 1:28.817.
However, Campos Racing quickly responded, with their drivers immediately breaking into the 1:25 range, with Noel Leon leading his teammate Nikola Tsolov on a 1:25.173. Later on, the Mexican driver, Noel Leon would improve his time to a 1:23.769.
As more drivers headed out on track, Joshua Duerksen put in his Invicta P3 with a 1:24.212. As a response, Tsolov set the newest fastest time and became the temporary man on top with a 1:23.654 as the benchmark. Following a minor interruption as Nicolas Varrone went off to the gravel trap, and with two more hours to go, Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak climbed up to third position with a 1:24.068.
Two almost consecutive red flags later disrupted the morning session as Rafael Villagomez went to the gravel on the final corner and Noel Leon’s Campos car stopped on track. Once the track was clear, the F3 champion, Rafael Câmara moved up to P3 with a 1:23.978. As more drivers including Dino Beganovic, Mari Boya, and Gabriele Mini started to set competitive laps, the order got shaken but Tsolov’s previous mark stood unbeaten.
After a sensational lap, Rafael Câmara beat Tsolov’s time with a 1:23.252 and became the quickest of the pre-season testing so far, ending the morning session.
Afternoon long runs continue during the final day
As the afternoon session began, both AIX Racing and Hitech were the first teams out on track. Ritomo Miyata was the first driver to set an early pace of 1:29.755. However, Alex Dunne rapidly put himself P1 with a 1:29.362.
As the session progressed, several drivers posted lap times in the 1:28 range. It was Emerson Fittipaldi, in his AIX Racing car who took the top spot with a 1:26.351. A late effort from Noel Leon put him in P2, just behind Cian Shields on P1 with a 1:26.269.
In the closing minutes of the session, Laurens van Hoepen stopped on the main straight and triggered a red flag. The track was clear immediately, but no drivers improved their timings.
Rafael Câmara sets the fastest lap of pre-season testing
At the end of the day, it was once again Rafael Câmara who went fastest in the final day of the Formula 2 pre-season testing in Barcelona with a 1:23.252. The reigning Formula 3 champion has shown promising early adaptation to Formula 2, and if these results are proof to go by, the upcoming season should be a tight one.
