F1 Academy boss Bruno Michel arrived in the F1 Academy paddock on Saturday alongside Managing Director Susie Wolff. Michel, who also runs Formula 2 and Formula 3, took the time to give Feeder Series some of his thoughts on the weekend and beyond.

By Jim Kimberley

Two mechanical DNFs heavily affected the podium of an otherwise stagnant Race 1, but Bruno Michel was complimentary to maiden winner Emely de Heus, saying, “Very good. She’s very good! It was not such an active race because Barcelona is always a little bit difficult to overtake anyway.”

Although Michel shares the same thoughts as many fans and drivers on the Catalan track’s inability to provide action, he was unwilling to confirm whether the circuit would return for the championship’s second season.

“We’ll see. It’s too early to decide on the calendar for next year at the moment. It was important to race here because it’s a Formula One track, and we want the F1 Academy to be, as much as possible, on Formula One tracks as well.”

The words seem to match those of F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who has previously stated the new championship will align with the F1 calendar more for 2024.

Due to the catastrophic floods in the Emilia Romagna region that led to the Grand Prix’s cancellation, Michel was not attending Formula 2 and Formula 3 at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Both championships are likely to be one round shorter unless Imola is rescheduled or another event hosts F2 and F3 this year.

“It’s a very, very unfortunate thing,” said Michel, when asked about the situation. “Especially for Imola and the population more than for us, at the end of the day.

“You’ve got to be realistic sometimes, and racing is not the most important thing in this kind of situation. It is what it is, but it is very, very unfortunate for the Imola region more than for motor racing.”

Header photo credit: F1 Academy