Protagonists in front of the home crew
Next weekend, the FIA Formula 2 Championship will face its tenth round of the season at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, the first round after the summer break. The Brianza circuit represents one of the most anticipated events on the calendar and, for Trident Motorsport, it takes on an even more special meaning as it is the home race for the Italian team, with operational headquarters in Ossona.
After a particularly positive weekend at the Hungaroring, in which it scored nineteen points, Trident Motorsport arrives in Italy with the aim of once again having a competitive weekend. In Hungary Laurens Van Hoepen took third place in the Sprint Race and came close to the podium in the Feature Race, finishing fourth. John Bennett completed both races with a comeback performance, taking a point in Sunday's race.
The double points placing obtained in the Feature Race confirmed the team's good momentum, capable of expressing a competitive pace with both single-seaters. The information collected at the Hungaroring therefore constitutes a solid starting point in view of the trip to Brianza, where Van Hoepen and Bennett will be called upon to confirm the positive results that emerged before the summer break.
Monza offers profoundly different characteristics compared to the Hungaroring. Known as the Temple of Speed, the Italian track is one of the fastest on the entire calendar and requires a specific set-up, characterized by a reduced level of aerodynamic load to allow the single-seaters to reach very high top speeds on the long straights. The lap is punctuated by the three chicanes and the Lesmo and Parabolica bends, which at the same time require precision in braking, stability on entry and a good speed.
Finding the right compromise between aerodynamic efficiency and car behavior in the more driven sections will be one of the fundamental aspects of the team's work over the weekend. In Monza, qualifying will also be of particular importance. The high speeds and the play of the slipstreams can significantly influence the performance on the flying lap, while in the race the overtaking opportunities, although present, require careful preparation and effective management of the attack and defense phases. For this reason, it will be essential to be able to get a good starting position, so as to tackle both the Sprint Race and the Feature Race in the best way.
Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager Trident Motorsport: "Monza is a particularly important event for Trident Motorsport. We arrive at the home race with the aim of being protagonists in front of our public. During the summer break we had the opportunity to carefully analyze what emerged in the first part of the season and prepare for the final phase. Like every year, it will be special to be able to race in front of so many friends, partners and fans who will support us. Our objective is to run a competitive weekend and give continuity to the results obtained in the first phase of the championship".
The on-track activity of the FIA Formula 2 Championship will start on Friday at 10:00 with the free practice session lasting 45 minutes. Qualifying sessions are scheduled on the same day, starting at 2.55pm. Saturday will be the turn of the Sprint Race at 2.15 pm. The Feature Race, which will conclude the weekend in the Brianza region, will start on Sunday at 9.45am. The activity on the track will be fully broadcast live by Sky Sport F1.