Data (GMT+3)

Friday
Free Practice: 13:00 – 13:45
Qualifying session: 16:55 – 17:25
Press conference: 18:30

Saturday
Feature race: 16:45 (28 laps)
Press conference: 18:05

Sunday
Sprint race: 11:20 (21 laps)
Press conference: 12:25

Note: The FIA F2 press conference takes place in the F1 press conference room.

Season Stats
100 The number of laps lead by Artem Markelov, the most of anyone in the field.
18 The number of races finished in the points by Lando Norris, the current highest.
3 The highest number of fastest laps, shared by Nyck de Vries, Nicholas Latifi, George Russell and Sergio Sette Camara.
21 The number of drivers to score a point this year – only Alessio Lorandi is yet to trouble the scorers.

Warm Up // Alessio Lorandi – Trident

It’s a brand new circuit for me in a new car, so it’s a big challenge definitely. We’ve worked quite a lot with the engineers on my side to try to be prepared technically on the simulator. It’s looking like a challenging venue because it’s very similar to a street circuit, and I hope to get the feeling for it very quickly in free practice.

I’ve had a look around the circuit and it looks like the DRS zone is quite limited; it starts quite late so overtaking there will be at a premium. I don’t think there will be a lot of that unless there’s a lot of variation in strategy. The back straight might give you a chance, but it’s difficult to follow the car in front of you. We don’t expect too much tyre wear either, so it might be a bit difficult to make it happen.

The Stakes        
Entering into the business end of the season, the FIA Formula 2 Championship heads east to the Sochi Autodrom, Russia for the penultimate round of 2018. Built on the site of the Winter Olympics Park, the drivers – especially those in championship contention – will be pushing themselves to the limit to overhaul their rivals and remain in the fight at the season finale at the end of November. With a mixture of fast, sweeping sections and tight, 90-degree corners, the Sochi circuit can punish the slightest mistake and will present a stern challenge to the 20 competitors on the grid.

In the previous round, Tadasuke Makino surged to a famous maiden win at Monza, converting an alternate strategy run in the Feature Race into victory as George Russell boosted his championship chances with an impressive triumph in the Sprint Race. Russell extended his lead in the standings to 22 points, leading with 219 points to rival Lando Norris’ 197. Alexander Albon remains in third with 176 points.

Carlin continue to possess a strong advantage in the teams’ standings, sitting on top with 339 points as ART Grand Prix have 281 and DAMS have 249.

Noteworthy

·       The race weekend at Sochi is the penultimate round of the 2018 FIA Formula 2 calendar, before the finale at Abu Dhabi at the end of November.

·       The circuit is a new venue for F2, although the former GP2 Series visited Sochi in 2014 and 2015.

·       In the previous round in Monza, Tadasuke Makino took his first F2 victory with a stunning Feature Race performance, rising from 14th to first.

·       Teammate Artem Markelov followed the Japanese driver home, cementing a RUSSIAN TIME 1-2 finish.

·       George Russell extended his championship advantage with victory in the second race, his fifth of the year.

·       Alexander Albon and Sergio Sette Camara also stood on the podium at Monza to remain mathematically in contention for the title.

·       Dorian Boccolacci clinched his first ever F2 points with a seventh-place finish in the Sprint Race in Italy.

·       Boccolacci will have a new teammate in Sochi, as Niko Kari steps up from GP3 with MP Motorsport.

·       Roberto Merhi returns to the field in place of Roy Nissany at Campos Vexatec Racing.