Formula Two Round 2 Analysis

Best performance: Luciano Bacheta
Hard to look beyond the man who won two races, and became the first driver to win four races in a row in the history of the FIA Formula Two Championship.  Having put his car on pole for race 1, Bacheta led from start to finish, holding off a late challenge from Mathéo Tuscher to win.  For race 2 he only qualified 3^rd, but only took 3 corners to take 1^st from Tuscher. Again, Tuscher was unable to pass Bacheta for the lead, despite being faster. Mathéo Tuscher does deserve a mention for becoming the youngest driver to finish on the podium in Formula Two, and for two very credible 2^nd place finishes. Had he been more experienced, he might have made it past Bacheta, and I would be hailing Tuscher as a double-race winner. I am sure that he will be on the top step of the podium before long.


Worse performance: Daniel McKenzie
There weren't any drivers who particularly performed below expectation: Mihai Marinescu was let down by bad luck this weekend, rather than driving poorly; Dino Zamparelli performed to expectations; Max Snegirev performed as well as could be expected given that he was a new addition to the grid.  Following two strong points finishes, Daniel McKenzie will have been hoping for another strong performance at Portimão, but an inconsistent performance will have left him frustrated.  For race 1 he qualified 5^th but only finished 13^th, while in race 2 he qualified only 10^th and finished 6^th. But it is hard to criticise any driver too harshly.


Race rating: 5/10
After the excitement of Silverstone, Portimão was unable to deliver the same amount of overtaking, and the field was somewhat static, with only a couple of battles able to spice up the weekend.

Drivers' Championship

1.	Luciano Bacheta	100
2.	Mathéo Tuscher	54
3.	Christopher Zanella	42
4.	Alex Fontana	37
5.	Markus Pommer	37
6.	Mihai Marinescu	37
7.	Daniel McKenzie	30
8.	Dino Zamparelli	24
9.	Kevin Mirocha	19
10.	Hector Hurst	15
11.	David Zhu	12
12.	Victor Guerin	2
13.	Kourosh Khani	1

Bacheta the record-breaker

In race 2 today Luciano Bacheta became the first ever Formula Two driver to win 4 races in a row.  Having qualified 3^rd, it took Bacheta only 3 corners to take the lead on lap 1.  Having taken the lead, he came under pressure from 2^nd placed Mathéo Tuscher, who for much of the race was faster than Bacheta, but Bacheta managed to keep the Swiss teenager behind him to take the win.  While it had seemed that Tuscher was building for an attack on Bacheta, he allowed Bacheta to get away when Bacheta locked up, surprising Tuscher and causing him to run wide.  It was nevertheless a great performance from Tuscher, and he should be able to build upon the experience, and could well be a Formula Two race winner soon.


Behind Bacheta and Tuscher's battle for the lead, Markus Pommer and Christopher Zanella had a great battle for 3^rd position, with Pommer eventually getting the better of Zanella and pulling away.  Had the race been longer Pommer might have caught Tuscher and Bacheta to challenge them for position, but having spent so long in his battle with Zanella he was forced to settle for 3^rd.

Results of Portimão Race 2

1.	Luciano Bacheta	35:42.111
2.	Mathéo Tuscher	+1.514
3.	Markus Pommer	+2.267
4.	Christopher Zanella	+6.425
5.	Dino Zamparelli	+19.249
6.	Daniel McKenzie	+20.319
7.	Hector Hurst	+20.722
8.	Kevin Mirocha	+21.733
9.	Victor Guerin	+22.563
10.	Alex Fontana	+29.288
11.	Mauro Calamia	+32.353
12.	David Zhu	+44.624
13.	Plamen Kralev	+1:00.188
14.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	+1 lap
15.	Max Snegirev	+2 laps
R.	Mihai Marinescu	Retired
R.	Kourosh Khani	Retired

Tuscher on pole for race 2

At a stormy Portimão Mathéo Tuscher prospered, setting the fastest lap-time of the session early on before conditions deteriorated.  Heavy rains hit the track, causing the session to be red-flagged.  When the session restarted the track was wet and the other drivers were unable to beat Tuscher's time.  Christopher Zanella made it an all-Swiss front row, with race 1's winner Luciano Bacheta qualifying 3^rd.


Grid for Portimão Race 2

1.	Mathéo Tuscher	1:52.543
2.	Christopher Zanella	1:52.996
3.	Luciano Bacheta	1:53.293
4.	Markus Pommer	1:53.788
5.	Dino Zamparelli	1:53.789
6.	Kevin Mirocha	1:54.161
7.	Mihai Marinescu	1:54.297
8.	Victor Guerin1	1:54.013
9.	Hector Hurst	1:54.381
10.	Daniel McKenzie	1:54.393
11.	Max Snegirev	1:54.535
12.	Alex Fontana	1:54.998
13.	David Zhu	1:55.026
14.	Kourosh Khani	1:56.361
15.	Mauro Calamia	1:57.039
16.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	1:57.933
17.	Plamen Kralev	1:57.970

¹ Victor Guerin handed a 2 place grid penalty for dangerous driving

Bacheta keeps on winning

In the three races in the Formula Two championship so far this season there has only been one winner.  Luciano Bacheta.  The pole-sitter started well and led to the finish in order to win, with only Mathéo Tuscher getting close to him, but not able to pass him for the lead.


Starting from 2^nd on the grid, Markus Pommer did not get away well, generating too much wheel spin, and causing him to slip down to 5^th, behind Mathéo Tuscher, Kevin Mirocha and David Zhu.  Pommer and Zhu were close throughout the race and battled for 4^th position, with Pommer eventually getting the better of Zhu.


In the dying laps of the race Mathéo Tuscher was able to capitalise on Bacheta's fading tyres to close the gap between the two, getting close enough to use his overboost facility.  The Swiss teenager was not able to get past Bacheta, however, who defended his position in order to take the win, forcing Tuscher to settle for being the youngest ever driver on the podium in a Formula Two race.

Results of Portimão Race 1

1.	Luciano Bacheta	35:19.878
2.	Mathéo Tuscher	+0.309
3.	Kevin Mirocha	+16.307
4.	Markus Pommer	+19.801
5.	David Zhu	+24.106
6.	Christopher Zanella	+27.176
7.	Alex Fontana	+37.164
8.	Dino Zamparelli	+40.465
9.	Hector Hurst	+40.965
10.	Mihai Marinescu	+41.366
11.	Victor Guerin	+42.260
12.	Mauro Calamia	+42.797
13.	Daniel McKenzie	+43.311
14.	Kourosh Khani	+43.703
15.	Plamen Kralev	+49.179
16.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	+50.177
17.	Max Snegirev	+1:00.983

Bacheta on pole at Portimão

In qualifying for race 1 of the Formula Two championship held at Portimão it was championship-leader Luciano Bacheta who prospered, putting his car on pole.  It was a very close qualifying session, with Bacheta only beating Markus Pommer by just over 2-hundredths of a second.  Mathéo Tuscher, pole-sitter for race 1 at Silverstone, qualified 3^rd, while the latest additions to the Formula Two grid, Victor Guerin and Max Snegirev qualified 14^th and 16^th respectively.

Grid for Portimão Race 1

1.	Luciano Bacheta	1:34.135
2.	Markus Pommer	1:34.156
3.	Mathéo Tuscher	1:34.317
4.	Kevin Mirocha	1:34.321
5.	Daniel McKenzie	1:34.433
6.	Christopher Zanella	1:34.456
7.	Alex Fontana	1:34.533
8.	David Zhu	1:34.554
9.	Mihai Marinescu	1:34.572
10.	Dino Zamparelli	1:34.771
11.	Hector Hurst	1:34.854
12.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	1:35.120
13.	Plamen Kralev	1:35.201
14.	Victor Guerin	1:35.527
15.	Kourosh Khani	1:35.649
16.	Max Snegirev	1:35.746
17.	Mauro Calamia	1:36.084

Another addition to the Formula Two grid

Today there was a further addition to the Formula Two grid, with Brazilian Víctor Guerin being added.  Like Max Snegirev who joined yesterday, Guerin is going to combine racing in Formula Two with driving in Auto GP World Series.


15.            Víctor Guerin
Last season Víctor Guerin competed in Italian Formula Three, taking one win on his way to 8^th in the championship.  Guerin should score points on a few occasions this season, but he has never driven in Formula Two before, and therefore find himself behind the other drivers while he gets up to speed this season.

Max Snegirev joins Formula Two

This morning there was another addition to Formula Two’s grid, with Russian driver Max Snegirev joining the series.  As he is also driving in Auto GP World Series he held off joining until now, and will compete in both series this season.

3.            Max Snegirev

Max Snegirev is not a rookie in Formula Two, having debuted in the championship last season, taking 14 points on his way to 18^th in the championship.  Given his experience he should be able to pick up points throughout the season, but it remains to be seen how driving in Auto GP and a lack of testing in the updated JPH1B will affect the Russian.

Formula Two Round 1 Analysis

Best performance: Luciano Bacheta

In my season preview I predicted that Luciano Bacheta would be champion this season.  At Silverstone he did me proud, winning both races in style.  While he was slow off the grid in race 1, he managed to pull of some brilliant overtaking manoeuvres to take the win.  In race 2 he was able to make a better start, passing Alex Fontana for 2^nd.  He then proceeded to make sure that Mihai Marinescu was unable to get away at the front, before making his move to take the lead on the penultimate lap.  With two race wins from two, Bacheta heads the championship going in to round 2 in Portugal.

Worst performance: Markus Pommer

It is harsh for me to name Markus Pommer as the worst performer, but this is based on how drivers performed compared to expectations.  Pommer had been one of the front runners in testing, including at free practice, but was unable to pull out the performance expected of him.  In qualifying a driver error led to him qualifying last, and while he was able to battle up to 8^th place for a points finish, it just acted to demonstrate how much better he could have done had he qualified higher up the grid.  For race 2 he only qualified 10^th, again down on what he is capable of, and he only improved to finish 7^th.  If he is to show championship-winning form he is going to need to improve at Portimão.

Race rating: 10/10

Lots of good racing for all positions, and both races featured drivers having to pass to win.  With the improvements made to the JPH1B the Formula Two car is a lot faster than it was last year, and the overboost facility acted to create some exciting moments.

Drivers' Championship

1.	Luciano Bacheta	50
2.	Mihai Marinescu	30
3.	Alex Fontana	30
4.	Christopher Zanella	22
5.	Daniel McKenzie	22
6.	Mathéo Tuscher	18
7.	Markus Pommer	10
8.	Dino Zamparelli	10
9.	Hector Hurst	7
10.	David Zhu	2
11.	Kourosh Khani	1

Bacheta dominates at Silverstone

The 2012 FIA Formula Two Championship got underway at Silverstone this weekend. In qualifying for the first race it was rookie teenager Mathéo Tuscher who impressed most, taking pole in 1:46.851, nearly 4 seconds faster than the pole time last season, showing how much the JPH1B has been improved. The top 10 drivers were all within a second of Tuscher’s pole, with Luciano Bacheta 2nd and Christopher Zanella 3rd. Markus Pommer, who had been impressive in pre-season testing, only managed two laps, spinning at Luffield, ending his session prematurely.

Grid for Silverstone Race 1

1.	Mathéo Tuscher	1:46.851
2.	Luciano Bacheta	1:47.058
3.	Christopher Zanella	1:47.113
4.	Mihai Marinescu	1:47.183
5.	Alex Fontana	1:47.257
6.	Dino Zamparelli	1:47.263
7.	Daniel McKenzie	1:47.487
8.	Hector Hurst	1:47.755
9.	Kevin Mirocha	1:47.831
10.	David Zhu	1:47.839
11.	Plamen Kralev	1:47.933
12.	Mauro Calamia	1:48.413
13.	Kourosh Khani	1:48.708
14.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	1:48.791
15.	Samuele Buttarelli	1:48.873
16.	José Luis Abadín	1:48.947
17.	Markus Pommer	1:51.181

In the first race Luciano Bacheta performed magnificently to win, despite a poor start, which saw him drop to 4^th.  Last season’s runner-up Christopher Zanella was best off the line, passing Bacheta before capitalising on a mistake by Mathéo Tuscher to take the lead.  For much of the race Zanella was able to keep his lead, despite having to hold off Mihai Marinescu for a while.  This battle for the lead allowed Bacheta, who had fought his way back to 3^rd, to catch the pair, first passing Marinescu before closing the gap on Zanella and taking the lead with a great pass at Luffield.

While Marinescu might have thought he was set to take 3^rd place and a podium finish, on the final lap he was passed by Alex Fontana, who made it 3 Swiss drivers on the podium.  Pole-sitter Mathéo Tuscher was punished for making a few errors in the race, and was only able to convert pole into a 6^th place finish.  Markus Pommer, despite starting from last place on the grid, managed to fight his way through the field to finish 8^th.  Iranian Kourosh Khani rounded off the point-scoring positions, meaning that he managed to take a point on his Formula Two debut.

Results of Silverstone Race 1

1.	Luciano Bacheta	38:35.237
2.	Christopher Zanella	+0.912
3.	Alex Fontana	+5.267
4.	Mihai Marinescu	+6.154
5.	Daniel McKenzie	+6.240
6.	Mathéo Tuscher	+13.249
7.	Hector Hurst	+15.089
8.	Markus Pommer	+15.433
9.	Dino Zamparelli	+16.215
10.	Kourosh Khani	+19.231
11.	David Zhu	+23.958
12.	Kevin Mirocha	+29.686
13.	José Luis Abadín	+30.807
14.	Mauro Calamia	+31.186
15.	Plamen Kralev	+40.140
16.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	+45.832
R.	Samuele Buttarelli	Retired

In qualifying for race 2 it was Romanian Mihai Marinescu who pulled out the fastest lap to take pole.  For much of the 30-minute session race 1’s winner Luciano Bacheta had the fastest time, before being beaten by Alex Fontana.  With less than 10 minutes of the session remaining, however, Marinescu went fastest, taking his first pole since his maiden win at Monza last season.

Pole setter for the first race, Mathéo Tuscher, again managed to mix it at the front, qualifying 5^th.  Markus Pommer showed the sort of performance he was expecting to achieve in qualifying for race 1, qualifying 10^th.

Grid for Silverstone Race 2

1.	Mihai Marinescu	1:46.734
2.	Alex Fontana	1:47.141
3.	Luciano Bacheta	1:47.146
4.	Daniel McKenzie	1:47.154
5.	Mathéo Tuscher	1:47.168
6.	Kevin Mirocha	1:47.313
7.	Dino Zamparelli	1:47.374
8.	Christopher Zanella	1:47.455
9.	David Zhu	1:47.501
10.	Markus Pommer	1:47.542
11.	Hector Hurst	1:47.788
12.	Samuele Buttarelli	1:48.026
13.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	1:48.220
14.	Plamen Kralev	1:48.416
15.	Mauro Calamia	1:48.800
16.	José Luis Abadín	1:49.478
17.	Kourosh Khani	1:49.579

In race 2 pole-sitter Mihai Marinescu made a clean start in light rain, as did race 1’s winner, Luciano Bacheta, passing Alex Fontana off the line to take 2^nd.  Bacheta then proceeded to keep himself in Marinescu’s mirrors and wait for his chance to take the lead.  On lap 20 of 21 Bacheta saw an opening, and used his overboost facility to pass Marinescu for the lead, holding on to take the win one lap later.  Marinescu did manage to come home in 2^nd, well ahead of Alex Fontana, who finished 3^rd for the second time this weekend.

For the second time in his debut round Mathéo Tuscher managed to score points, going one better than his performance in race 1, finishing 5^th.  David Zhu became the first Chinese driver to score points in Formula Two, taking 9^th place, only just behind race 1’s runner up Christopher Zanella.  For the second race in a row Samule Buttarelli failed to complete the distance, having retired on lap 16.

Results of Silverstone Race 2

1.	Luciano Bacheta	38:27.118
2.	Mihai Marinescu	+1.137
3.	Alex Fontana	+6.279
4.	Daniel McKenzie	+7.232
5.	Mathéo Tuscher	+8.202
6.	Dino Zamparelli	+13.461
7.	Markus Pommer	+16.943
8.	Christopher Zanella	+18.093
9.	David Zhu	+18.562
10.	Hector Hurst	+20.676
11.	Kevin Mirocha	+30.129
12.	Mauro Calamia	+37.260
13.	Kourosh Khani	+37.479
14.	Parthiva Sureshwaren	+39.053
15.	Plamen Kralev	+48.621
16.	José Luis Abadín	+1:39.053
R.	Samuele Buttarelli	Retired

Two late additions to the Formula Two grid

Just before getting underway at Silverstone, Formula Two announced two drivers joining the grid for the 2012 season, Italian Samuele Buttarelli and Polish driver Kevin Mirocha.

23.          Samuele Buttarelli

Young Italian driver Samuele Buttarelli joins Formula Two from Auto GP, having competed in the series last season, taking two wins on his way to 8^th in the championship.  Having never driven the Formula Two car before this weekend, it could be difficult for him to get up to speed, as the other drivers on the grid have more experience, but his Auto GP record suggests that he is here on merit.  Had he had the time to learn the car, wins could have been a possibility, but perhaps points are a better aim for this season while he gains experience.

24.          Kevin Mirocha

Last season Kevin Mirocha drove in GP2 for Ocean Racing Technology, having a difficult season in which he was somewhat hampered by a shoulder injury before being replaced by Brendon Hartley.  Mirocha did get a brief chance to test the Formula Two car in 2009, but the car has been developed since then, so it may take him some time to learn the car.  Should manage a few point finishes over the course of the season.

2012 Formula Two Preview

From its name you might conclude that Formula Two was the last step on the road to Formula One.  You would be wrong: Formula Two is a shadow of the series that existed between the 1960s and 1980s and provided a route into Formula One for drivers such as René Arnoux, Keke Rosberg and Carlos Reutemann.  Since being resurrected in 2009, no Formula Two driver has made it to Formula One, either directly or indirectly.  That will change at some point, as there have been some talented young drivers passing through Formula Two’s ranks, with the prize for winning the championship being a test with Williams F1 team, while the second and third placed drivers will receive GP2 tests, and all three receive an FIA Super Licence necessary to compete in Formula One.  As a result, it is surely only a matter of time before the Formula One teams take on a Formula Two graduate, and this will raise Formula Two’s profile on the motorsport ladder.

One of Formula Two’s great advantages over other junior series is its costs.  While it is difficult to gather exact costs for other series, it is generally believed that a season in GP2 can cost upwards of £2 million and around £600,000 for Formula 3 Euro Series.  By comparison, a season in Formula Two costs only £225,000.  This cost reduction is made possible by being a single-make series without teams, having the series promoter (MotorSport Vision) prepare the cars

This season the Formula Two car, the JPH1B, has been upgraded to improve grip and handling.  For 2012 the car has new carbon fibre brakes, as well as switching from Avon to Yokahama tyres.  These upgrades are expected to make the cars faster by around two seconds a lap.

Here are the drivers who are signed up to compete in this season’s Formula Two championship:

2.            James Cole

Last season was Cole’s debut in Formula Two, and he scored 6 points on his way to 20^th in the championship.  2009’s British Formula Ford champion, Cole should improve on last season’s performance now that he has experience at this level.

I predict – 9^th

4.            Luciano Bacheta

Despite only entering four races in last season’s Formula Two championship, Bacheta managed to score points in each race, an impressive result, and testament to how quickly the Romford-born driver is able to learn a new car.  Bacheta has been 2006 T Cars champion, third in 2007’s Formula Palmer Audi championship, and was runner-up in Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup in 2010, and is one of the BRDC’s rising stars.  Given that he seems to learn series fairly quickly, he could be in with a chance of this season’s title.

I predict – 1^st

5.            Parthiva Sureshwaren

Parthiva Sureshwaren is something of a veteran in Formula Two, with this being his third season in the series.  Despite this, Sureshwaren has only ever scored one point in Formula Two, this coming in his first season, so if he manages to score points he can count this season as having been successful.

I predict – 18^th

7.            David Zhu

The first Chinese driver in Formula Two, Dai Wei Zhu, also known as David, is a graduate of Formula Pilota China’s first season.  As well as driving in Formula Two this season, Zhu will act as an ambassador to raise the profile of Formula Two in China.  Scoring points would probably be a good result for him this season.

I predict – 11^th

8.            Plamen Kralev

Bulgaria’s top driver, Plamen Kralev was something of a latecomer to motorsport, beginning in 2007 at the age of 34.  For the last two seasons he has been driving in Formula Two, scoring two points.  There is no denying that Kralev has been a fantastic ambassador for motorsport in Bulgaria, but his performances have been less than stellar.

I predict – 16^th

9.            Mihai Marinescu

Returning for his third season in the number 9 car, Marinescu took one win at Monza last season on his way to 5^th in the championship.  Marinescu drove in the GP2 Final in Abu Dhabi at the end of last season, so he might have been hoping to attract enough sponsorship to get a drive in GP2 for this season, but instead he is back in Formula Two.  If he continues the improvement he has shown he could be a title contender.

I predict – 3^rd

10.          Alex Fontana

Fontana is the reigning champion of European F3 Open (the old Spanish Formula Three) and will make his debut in Formula Two this season.  The Swiss driver has been showing good form in testing, and now that he is a proven champion he should have the mettle to pick up race wins and even challenge for the title.

I predict – 4^th

11.          Kourosh Khani

This season Formula Two has a very multinational grid, and Kourosh Khani is no exception, representing Iran on Formula Two’s grid this season.  A graduate of Formula Renault 2.0, Khani will hopefully pick up some points and raise the profile of motorsport in his native Iran this season.

I predict – 15^th

12.          Mathéo Tuscher

Mathéo Tuscher is shockingly young – still only 15 – and already a champion, winning Formula Pilota China last season.  This season he steps into Formula Two, and it will be very interesting to see how quickly he is able to adapt to the car.

I predict – 10^th

13.          José Luis Abadín

Last year José Luis Abadín’s Formula Two season was broken up by suffering gastroenteritis, causing him to miss the race at the Nürburgring, and financial problems, causing him to miss the rounds at the Red Bull Ring and Monza.  Seemingly he has sorted out his budget for this year and lines up again on the Formula Two grid.  Given that he only managed one point last season he might expect to have another difficult season.

I predict – 13^th

14.          Mauro Calamia

Young Swiss driver Mauro Calamia drove in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps last year where he finished 10^th.  The 20-year-old got his first taste of Formula Two in the tests at the end of last year.  Given that he failed to top the charts then, and has performed averagely in other series, he might struggle to get into the points positions often.

I predict – 14^th

18.          Dino Zamparelli

One of the more exciting drivers joining Formula Two this season, Dino Zamparelli is the reigning Formula Renault BARC champion.  His result earned him a place as a finalist in the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, which recognises young British driving talent.  A talented driver, Zamparelli could well pick up some wins this season.

I predict – 5^th

19.          Christopher Zanella

When Christopher Zanella joined Formula Two last season he had a great debut and was actually leading the championship following the second round of the series.  Following that high, however, Zanella failed to win again, and after the fourth round at the Nürburgring he did not even finish on the podium.    As a result it is difficult to predict how Christopher Zanella will perform this season.  If he uses his experience and performs like he did in the early stages of last season he will be champion.  If his form from the end of last season continues as he struggles for confidence he will be stuck in midfield.

I predict – 8^th

20.          Daniel McKenzie

In 2009 Daniel McKenzie was British Formula Three’s National Class champion, but his move to Formula Renault 3.5 last season did not bring success, as he failed to score a single point.  His performances in pre-season testing suggest that he will perform better in Formula Two and could challenge for wins.

I predict - 6^th

22.          Axcil Jefferies

This season Axcil Jefferies will become the first African driver to compete in the new Formula Two championship.  With it having been two years since he last drove competitively and Formula Two being a higher level than he has previously competed at, Jefferies might struggle to make the points regularly.

I predict – 16^th

27.          Markus Pommer

While his career to date may not suggest that Markus Pommer will blow the rest of the field away in Formula Two, in pre-season testing Pommer has regularly been top of the timings charts, and if he can carry this form into the season proper he will definitely be challenging for the title.

I predict – 2^nd

35.          Hector Hurst

Considering that last season was Hector Hurst’s first season out of karting he was remarkably competitive against drivers who had more experience in open-wheelers.  That said, perhaps instead of moving straight into Formula Two Hurst would have benefited from a second season in Formula Renault BARC, where he might have been able to use his experience to compete for the title.  While I can’t blame him for jumping at the opportunity to race in Formula Two, I think he might find it difficult to match the more experienced competitors in the series.

I predict – 12^th

48.          Dean Stoneman

We are very lucky just to have Dean Stoneman on the grid this season.  The 2010 Formula Two champion, Stoneman seemed to be on the up-and-up and was looking forward to making his debut in Formula Renault 3.5.  Then he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and instead of racing, Stoneman’s life became about making a full recovery.  Thankfully Stoneman is now able to get back to competing, and will return to Formula Two.  It remains to be seen how Stoneman will perform after his illness, which prevented him from training much of last season, but it’s great to see him return.

I predict – 7^th