The FIA Formula 2 Championship was back on track today for the seventh round of the 2024 season in Spielberg, as drivers entered the Sprint Race at the Styrian venue. Right from qualifying, Trident Motorsport drivers Richard Verschoor and Roman Staněk could not find good chemistry with the track. The Czech driver ended up in P24, while the Dutchman was 17th.
 

The grid positions compromised their chances and they were stuck in uneventful runs, far from the positions that matter. At the start, both drivers got off to a good getaway, with Verschoor clinging to P16 place and Staněk moving up to P19.  During the race, Verschoor reported problems with the bottom of his car, while Stanek suffered early oil temperature issues, which negatively impacted his pace and caused him to lose positions. Verschoor completed the Sprint Race in P20, while Staněk ranked 21st.
 

There will certainly be greater opportunities for them to perform in the Feature Race to fight back from their starting positions, as the mandatory pit stop leaves room for different strategies. However, it will be key to correct the issues that slowed their progress down ahead of tomorrow's race, starting at 11:35 AM.
 

Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager, Sprint Race Quote: “As happened in the Sprint Race last weekend in Barcelona, the result of the qualifying session compromised our chances of doing well in the opening race of the weekend in Spielberg, as there was no room for strategy without pit stops. Staněk and Verschoor did not find the right conditions to recover, but they also reported issues that the technical staff is investigating. In the Feature Race, I expect more opportunities, but we will have to make choices that can make a difference. Our race pace today was not competitive, and we will have to understand what happened to improve for tomorrow."