- Swede preparing for maiden visit to Canada
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve plays host to Round 3 of F2 season
Dino Beganovic makes another transatlantic trip this week as the FIA Formula 2 Championship zooms in on its second consecutive round in North America, setting camp at the popular Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal for the first time.
Beganovic arrives in Canada on a wave of optimism following a strong start to the season, bagging pole position at the opening round in Australia and scoring his first podium of the campaign in the recent Miami Feature Race three weeks ago.
As the Formula 2 paddock prepares for its second all-new track in as many rounds, Beganovic is hoping to build on a commanding performance that very nearly saw the DAMS Lucas Oil driver claim victory last time out in Florida.
“Montreal is another brand new track for everyone, the first time F2 has ever been there,” says Dino Beganovic. “It’s going to be similar to Miami in that sense, a lot of unknowns and everybody starting from scratch. It resets the playing field and I really do enjoy that kind of challenge, building up from zero in terms of data and previous experience.”
In between the two North American F2 events, Beganovic has also enjoyed track time in Ferrari’s Formula 1 car, the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy member spending two days behind the wheel at Budapest last week.
“It’s been a busy few weeks and it’s heating up further with a lot of races coming up in the next two months,” says Dino Beganovic. “Canada is a great opportunity to set us up well for the return to Europe. I’m feeling confident. I’ve obviously done a lot of laps around Montreal in the sim, and it’s an interesting track. It’s basically all chicanes expect for one corner.
“The weather looks like it may play some tricks again this weekend, just like in Miami, and the track should lend itself well to racing. It’s going to be another interesting weekend, I’m sure.”
F2 running begins in Montreal on Friday with practice and qualifying. The Sprint Race will run for 28 laps on Saturday, with the 39-lap Feature Race then bringing the weekend to a close on Sunday.
TIME TABLE
FIA Formula 2 Championship
Rd. 3 – Montreal (CAN)
All times local (GMT-4)
Friday May 22
Free Practice: 10.05-10.50
Qualifying: 14.00-14.30
Saturday May 23
Sprint Race (28 laps): 14.10-14.55
Sunday May 24
Feature Race (39 laps): 12.05-13.05
LIVE TIMING / RESULTS
www.fiaformula2.com
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FIA Formula 2 Championship
After 2/14 rounds
1: N. Tsolov (BUL), Campos Racing, 35 p.
2: R. Câmara (BRA), Invicta Racing, 34 p.
3: G. Minì (ITA), MP Motorsport, 34 p.
4: L. van Hoepen (NED), Trident, 26 p.
5: R. Miyata (JPN), Hitech, 22 p.
—
6: D. Beganovic (SWE), DAMS Lucas Oil, 21 p.
