Photo: Glenn Dunbar / FIA F2 Championship
Louis Deletraz has expressed confidence in his return to Carlin in Formula 2 this year ahead of what he expects to be a close Formula 2 season.
The Swiss driver drove for the team in two races in F2’s predecessor GP2, before spending the last two years in the championship with Racing Engineering, Rapax and Charouz Racing System. He finished 10th in the standings in 2018, picking up two podiums.
In pre-season testing this year Deletraz has been in the top five in eight of the 12 sessions held, was the third fastest overall at Jerez and fourth at Barcelona.
?I really enjoy working with Carlin.?Last year was great, but Carlin has a lot of experience so that?s great for me as well to be able to combine that,” Deletraz told Formula Scout.
Charouz, which ran Deletraz last year and now races under the Sauber Junior Team banner, made its F2 debut in 2018 just as a teething problem-heavy new car was introduced.
“I?ve worked with Carlin in the past. Also Stuart King is running me – I worked with him in World Series [FV8 3.5] with Fortec – so it?s like we know each other already before that so it?s great to start like this.”
?[Testing’s] gone really well, we?re quite happy. We have six days of [pre-season] testing and that?s the only time we?re testing because we go straight to racing and there are no more in-season tests.
?It?s a very important time and I?m quite pleased with the performance [runs] and then all the race stuff, practice starts ,pit stops etc., so good prep [for the season].
Deletraz is the son of former Formula 1 driver and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Jean-Denis Deletraz. The younger of the two got his first taste of F1 machinery in last November’s Pirelli tyre test with Haas. That required extra physical training, something he has continued into the off-season.
“It?s always hard to judge before the first race [how much I’ve improved], but I?ve worked hard on myself on the physical side. There was a lot happening as well with the F1 test for me, so that?s been a step up, and even more motivation to do well in F2 to chase that [opportunity to drive a F1 car].”
Joining Deletraz at Carlin is Nobuharu Matsushita, who was a four-time winner in F2 before racing in Super Formula last year. He returns to the championship with three years of experience under his belt, which coupled with Deletraz’s two makes Carlin’s line-up one of the most experienced on the grid.
“[Nobuharu]?s got a lot of experience which is good for me and for the team so we can push each other. I’m pretty sure it will be close. It has been close in winter testing and the season is long so I?m looking forward to it!”