On the build-up to this weekend’s FIA Formula 2 title decider at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, Mercedes junior Frederik Vesti, Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa and Sauber Academy driver Théo Pourchaire spoke to Feeder Series and selected media.

By Nida Anis

82 days after the FIA Formula 2 cars were last on track for the Monza feature race, the second-tier single-seater racing championship has returned to action. With the championship yet to be decided between Prema’s Frederik Vesti and ART’s Théo Pourchaire, the final two races of the season at Yas Marina promise to be box-office material.

Vesti’s championship quest

One of two contenders for the FIA Formula 2 title, Vesti is currently 25 points adrift of current championship leader Pourchaire – despite the Mercedes junior having won five races to the Sauber Academy driver’s one. With a mountain to climb if he wants to emerge as the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Champion, does Vesti feel any pressure?

“To be honest, I see this weekend as any other weekend,” he said. “We’re here to win, and obviously it’s the championship finale, and that’s very exciting. I think for all of us, we’re very excited – we’ve waited a long time since Monza.

“But yeah, obviously it’s a new challenge. We’re driving F1 half an hour just before [Formula 2], driving in F1 Free Practice, half an hour break, and straight into F2 qualifying,” he continued, referring to the Formula 1 FP1 session he completed in the place of Lewis Hamilton. “That is a new challenge, it won’t be easy, but to be honest I think it will be an advantage as well in some ways.”

Feeder Series asked Vesti about his preparation for the season-ending Formula 2 round during the lengthy gap between races. 

“I’ve been very busy in the Mercedes F1 simulator, I’ve done a count of 18 days this month so that’s a fair amount of work. It’s hard work there!” he said.

“But I learned a lot being there as well, part of that as well was also preparing Mexico for free practice,” he continued, referring to when he stood in for George Russell during an earlier Formula 1 FP1 session. “I think that sort of put me in the right mindset and gave me the opportunity to drive the Formula 1 car and get up to speed with that.

“I don’t feel like the break has been quite as long as it probably would have been if I didn’t drive any car since Monza. But I’m really, really excited for this weekend and I’m ready to go for it!”

Even if Vesti were to take the FIA Formula 2 title this weekend, he is unlikely to secure a Formula 1 seat for 2024. At the time of writing, 19 of the 20 drivers on next year’s grid have been confirmed, with Logan Sargeant’s future at Williams still in the balance. Would securing the FIA F2 championship make a difference?

“It’s a very difficult question to answer because it’s difficult to look into the future and know what possibilities there might have been, or will be,” he said. Despite a strong run of form earlier on in the championship, Vesti has suffered from two retirements and one DNS in the past three rounds.

“After Monza, it’s been a difficult time, because I feel like we have been the strongest car throughout the season on average, and then leading the championship since Monaco and having five wins, et cetera. So it was a really strong year but just went wrong at the end in Monza, in Zandvoort, in Spa.

“I cannot tell you whether [winning the championship] will make a difference, but for me, it will make a difference – and that’s why I’m going to go all in and go for it. The right people know what I’m capable of doing and have seen all year, so of course they will be aware of me.

“But from my side, it would mean everything to me, to win that championship.”

Consistency is key

Despite only achieving one race win this year, Pourchaire’s consistent performances have contributed heavily to his substantial lead in the championship. 

“Consistency is really the key, and it shows, but it’s important to have an F1 drive as well,” he said. “Of course, unfortunately, I will not be in Formula 1 next year.

“It’s really important to show to the Formula 1 paddock as well that I’m able to be fast, win races, get pole positions, but also keep the car on the track. Sometimes when I’m not fast, to take some little points that are important in the championship, to be clever on the overtaking, on the race strategy, to be clever there,” he continued.

“It’s a very important part to win a championship to be consistent, so we did that this year. It’s not finished, so we have to keep doing what we did this season, and I’m sure we can win it.”

With the pressure of fighting for the championship on his shoulders, will Pourchaire change his driving? 

“I think I will be driving as usual, but for sure in my head, I will be fighting for the title. I prefer to win the title than to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“I will be, of course, careful in some situations. Race starts, you know, it can be dangerous. I don’t want to make big mistakes, but in my head, I just want to enjoy it,” he said. “Enjoy it, drive, drive like I know how to drive.

“For sure this year we won only one race, which on paper seems not a lot, but it’s a feature race. I always qualify really well, so I didn’t have a chance to win a sprint race. I prefer to do what I did, to qualify well, fight for podiums in the feature race, take some good points in the sprint race,” he continued.

“I’ve shown some great consistency, no big mistakes this season, really clean on my driving which is what I really wanted to do. 

“I’m proud of this. It’s not easy to be that consistent and to be always at the front. Hopefully, for sure, I would like a second win.”

Returning to Abu Dhabi for the final time?

Neither Vesti, Pourchaire nor Iwasa are expected to return to FIA Formula 2 in 2024. Iwasa will be competing in Super Formula next year with Mugen, taking over the seat filled by Red Bull and AlphaTauri Reserve Driver Liam Lawson. Pourchaire is rumoured to make a similar move to the Japanese single-seater series.

With this potentially being the last time these three drivers compete in FIA F2, Vesti, Pourchaire, and Iwasa reflected on their time in the championship. 

“The Formula 2 championship means a lot,” Vesti said. “I remember starting in Formula 2 last year and was struggling quite a bit, but was just progressively getting better and better.

“Obviously, this year with Prema, I’ve taken it to another level. I’ve been fighting for the championship all year long, which is something I will never forget. The hard moments are very hard, but the wins are also extremely high. Especially the Monaco weekend, it’s of course my highlight – doing the pole position and feature race win is something I still remember very clearly.

“I love the F2 championship. It will be difficult to leave it on Sunday, and especially leaving Prema will be difficult,” he continued. “But it goes on, and there are only positive things on the way forward for myself. So I will take it like that and remember all the good times we’ve had.”

Iwasa shared similar thoughts. 

“With DAMS, I learned a huge amount of things and that’s why I was able to improve my performance a lot through the season this year,” he said. “Honestly, I’m already missing, F2 and the team.

“But first of all, I really want to enjoy this weekend with the team, and we should be smiling with our performance at the end of this weekend.”

For Pourchaire, racing in F2 has been a “great journey.”

“It was great, really good memories. The Monaco Grand Prix 2021 I think is the best one, for sure, but there are so many others. I’m the youngest-ever race winner in Formula 3, youngest-ever pole-sitter and race winner in Formula 2. So yeah, I won Monaco, I’m a vice-champion in F2 and F3,” he said.

“For sure it’s going to be my last race with the team in this category, but I’m going to give everything. Just not going to think about it, but I know at the end there are two titles to win,” he continued. “It’s an important weekend, but I will stay focused on the job I have to do.”

Header photo credit: Prema Racing