Future stars set for pre-season tests at BIC

TDT | Manama

More than 50 of motorsport’s future stars will be taking to the track next week at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir for three days of official pre-season testing in Formula 2 and Formula 3. The tests will be held from Sunday to Tuesday between 9am and 7.45pm each day. According to the official entry lists, there are 22 drivers representing 11 teams in Formula 2, with another 30 for 10 teams in Formula 3. Headlining the participants in both series are Mick Schumacher and David Schumacher. Mick is the son of legendary Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher and he will be testing in a Formula 2 car. David is the nephew of Michael Schumacher and son of ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher. He will be testing in Formula 3.

The tests are a part of both series’ preparations for the start of their 2020 seasons, which will be held in support of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at BIC from March 19 to 22. Mick Schumacher will be a part of PREMA Racing alongside teammate Robert Shwartzman. Also set to take to the track are Sean Gelael and Dan Ticktum of DAMS, Guanyu Zhou and Callum Ilott of UNI-Virtuosi, Marcus Armstrong and Christian Lundgaard of ART Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda and Jehan Daruvala of Carlin, and Jack Aitken and Guilherme Samaia of Campos Racing. The rest of the Formula 2 testing roster includes Louis Deletraz and Pedro Piquet of Charouz Racing System, Nobuharu Matsushita and Felipe Drugovich of MP Motorsport, Artem Markelov and Giuliano Alesi of BWT HWA Racelab, Roy Nissany and Marino Sato of Trident, and Nikita Mazepin and Luca Ghiotto of Hitech Grand Prix. In Formula 3, David Schumacher will be testing with Charouz Racing System.

Joining him on the team are Niko Kari and Igor Fraga. Others are Oscar Piastri, Frederik Vesti and Logan Sargeant of PREMA Racing; Max Fewtrell, Liam Lawson and Dennis Hauger of Hitech Grand Prix; Theo Pourchaire, Alexander Smolyar and Sebastian Fernandez of ART Grand Prix; Lirim Zendeli, Devlin DeFrancesco and Oliver Caldwell of Trident; and Enzo Fittipaldi, Jake Hughes and Jack Doohan of HWA Racelab. The field is completed by Richard Verschoor, Bent Viscaal and Lukas Dunner of MP Motorsport; Calan Williams, Federico Malvestiti and Matteo Nannini of Jenzer Motorsport; Clement Novalak, Enaam Ahmed and Cameron Das of Carlin Buzz Racing; and Alexander Peroni, Alessio Deledda and Sophia Floersch of Campos Racing. The Formula 2 drivers and teams will have the first chance to sample the new 18-inch Pirelli tyres—acting as a first step towards Formula 1 making the same change for 2021—during their three-day test. Formula 3 will make use of the state-of-the-art floodlights at BIC to allow for separate sessions to take place each day. The tests will mark the first-ever action in Bahrain for the Formula 3 championship.