Photo: Andretti Autosport
Jake Hughes will miss the next two Formula 2 rounds due to a positive COVID-19 test, and will be replaced at Van Amersfoort Racing by David Beckmann.
Series rookie Hughes is currently 15th in the standings, with a best finish of fourth, while Beckmann is 22nd in the points table but has only done two rounds so far.
He was a stand-in driver for the injured Cem Bolukbasi with Charouz Racing System at Imola, then raced for VAR at Silverstone earlier this month while Hughes’ team-mate Amaury Cordeel was serving a race ban.
“After testing positive on COVID-19, we are forced to withdraw Jake Hughes from the upcoming races at Paul Ricard,” VAR announced in a Tweet.
“Jake will be replaced by David Beckmann who will, due to the tight back-to-back schedule, also race in Jake’s place at the Hungaroring. We wish Jake a good recovery.”
The Paul Ricard round takes place on July 22-24, with the Hungaroring races a week later on July 29-31.
Beckmann’s primary motorsport programme this year is as Andretti Autosport’s reserve driver in Formula E, and he was at the New York E-Prix event last weekend.
The 22-year-old raced in F2 last year with Charouz and Campos Racing, contesting six rounds out of eight and coming 15th in the standings with one podium finish claimed on his series debut. Before that he was a race-winner in GP3 and the succeeding FIA Formula 3 Championship, and first drove for VAR in the FIA European F3 championship back in 2017.