The first of two consecutive race weekends lies ahead for Campos Racing’s drivers. Arvid Lindblad and Pepe Martí will head to Spa-Francorchamps for the ninth round of the season, aiming to return to podium contention and defend the team’s lead in the FIA Formula 2 standings
With the FIA Formula 2 season packed into a series of intense back-to-back race weekends followed by breaks, Campos Racing and its Red Bull Junior Team drivers are gearing up for upcoming visits to Spa-Francorchamps and the Hungaroring. The ninth round of the campaign takes place this weekend in Belgium, before moving swiftly to Hungary just a few days later. But first things first—let’s focus on the rollercoaster that is the Ardennes.
After racing at Silverstone earlier this month, it’s now time for Spa-Francorchamps, one of the most iconic and anticipated circuits on the calendar for both drivers and fans. First opened in 1921 with a layout over 14 kilometers long, Spa has evolved over the decades into the current 7.004-kilometre version introduced in 2007.
Host of the Belgian Grand Prix from 1925 to 1970, and then uninterruptedly since 1983, the circuit also stages world-class events such as the 24 Hours of Spa and the 1000km of Spa. FIA Formula 2 has always featured Spa-Francorchamps on its calendar, and for good reason: with legendary corners such as Raidillon-Eau Rouge, Les Combes and La Source, few can resist the magic of the Walloon forest.
After eight rounds, Campos Racing sits atop the teams’ standings with 153 points, thanks to the combined efforts of Martí and Lindblad. The Anglo-Spanish duo has so far secured four victories—two apiece. Lindblad triumphed in Jeddah and Barcelona, while Martí claimed victory in Bahrain and at the Red Bull Ring.
Both drivers have also added a second-place finish to their tally. Lindblad currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 84 points, while Martí is eighth with 69. The objective this weekend is clear: to fight for podiums and continue leading the teams’ standings, while also climbing higher in the drivers’ rankings.
Free practice is scheduled for Friday at 10:10, followed by qualifying at 14:55. On Saturday, the sprint race will begin at 13:45, with Sunday’s feature race set to get underway at 10:00. All times are CEST.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): “Spa-Francorchamps is always a very special weekend for everyone because of what this circuit represents in the history of our sport. It’s the longest track on the calendar, featuring all kinds of corners, and to top it off, the forecast is predicting rain all week, which adds another layer of uncertainty. We’re approaching the weekend highly motivated, aiming to score as many points as possible and maintain our lead in the teams’ standings.”
Photos: © Dutch Photo Agency
