Nicholas Latifi and DAMS were left buoyed by their performance during the second and final pre-season test for the FIA Formula 2 Championship in Spain.
Following three days of running at Jerez last week, 23-year-old Nicholas headed to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for another three days of action across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The Canadian, a multiple race winner in the championship, completed 246 laps of the circuit as he and DAMS had their final on-track running as part of the build-up to the opening round of 2019.
Nicholas, who also acts as the test and reserve driver for the ROKiT Williams Racing Formula 1 team, carried out a wide-ranging programme which included qualifying runs, race simulations, and pit stop practice.
“When we focused on our race runs we were very strong,” he enthused. “It was good to complete those race runs to give the team some positivity and encouragement.”
Nicholas finished on the fringes of the top 10 and stressed that there is much more potential to come from him and the DAMS-prepared F2/18.
“I didn’t get any meaningful laps on the option tyre, so there is more to come there,” he explained. “On day two I had to abort runs due to mistakes – the tyres and the balance of the car were never quite in the right window – and on Thursday I kept getting held up in traffic.”
“It’s not how I wanted to end with the performance running, but it’s better that it happens now – I don’t mind being slow now if it means we’re going to be quick in Bahrain! The fact is we ended with a race run, and it looked very competitive, we were very strong.”
Nicholas’s next appearance behind the wheel of the F2/18 will come when the 12-round 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship begins at the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain on 29 – 31 March.
Nicholas’s F2 campaign is supported by Royal Bank of Canada, Lavazza and Sofina.
