Monfardini Withdraws from Sprint Race

Following Durango's disqualification, the GP2 lineup will have only 23 competitors for the Silverstone sprint race. This change comes after Ferdinando Monfardini was not given the green light to participate due to his significant collision in the feature race.

An Italian driver was poised to earn additional points for the DAMS team when he lost control of his vehicle, resulting in a severe collision with the wall. This crash not only wrecked his car but also led to his hospitalization.

Even though Monfardini came away without any major harm, he was kept under observation overnight as a precaution. It was recommended that he withdraw from the competition.

Following Durango's exclusion, the GP2 lineup will decrease to 23 racers for the Silverstone sprint event, as Ferdinando Monfardini was not permitted to compete due to his severe crash in the main race.

The Italian driver was set to earn additional points for the DAMS team, but he lost control of his vehicle, crashed into the wall with significant force, wrecked his car, and ended up in the hospital.

Despite not sustaining any major injuries, Monfardini was held for observation overnight as a precautionary measure, with recommendations made for him to withdraw from the competition.

Franck Perera, a fellow team member, will take his position in the only DAMS vehicle at the rear of the starting grid, occupying the 22nd spot.

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Buemi to Replace Ammermuller Again

Sebastien Buemi is set to fill in for Michael Ammermuller once more in the upcoming GP2 Series race at the Nurburgring, offering him another opportunity to make a mark in the series.

Formula 3 Euroseries standout Buemi made a remarkable first appearance in GP2 at the Monaco race. Despite having limited experience with the car, he amazed spectators by securing a fourth-place position in qualifying and finishing the race in seventh place.

When ART Grand Prix and Red Bull determined that Ammermuller's wrist injury continued to affect his performance this season, they found Buemi to be the clear candidate to take his place.

Sebastien Buemi is set to have another opportunity to showcase his skills to the GP2 Series community as he fills in for Michael Ammermuller once more during the upcoming championship round at the Nurburgring.

Formula 3 Euroseries standout Buemi had an impressive GP2 debut at Monaco, surprising many by securing the fourth position in qualifying and finishing in seventh place, despite having limited experience with the car.

Consequently, when ART Grand Prix and Red Bull concurred that Ammermuller was still impeded by his persistent wrist injury this season, Buemi emerged as the clear candidate to step in.

While Ammermuller will miss out on racing in front of his local fans, Buemi will have another shot to showcase his skills at the Nurburgring circuit. He knows the track well from his days competing in Formula 3.

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QI-Meritus is set to compete in Asia once more. After a strong debut in last season's championship, the QI-Meritus team is gearing up to participate in the forthcoming GP2 Asia Series.

A team from Malaysia took on the last available spot, which was the 13th entry, in the GP2 Asia series for the first season last year. This occurred after Racing Engineering, a usual participant, decided not to join the competition.

As the reigning GP2 Series Champions have opted not to participate in this year's competition, QI-Meritus will replace them by entering two new drivers.

The QI-Meritus team is set to participate again in the forthcoming GP2 Asia Series after their triumphant debut in the competition last season.

The team from Malaysia took over the 13th and last spot in the GP2 Asia series for the first season last year when Racing Engineering, a usual participant, declared they would not be joining the competition.

As the reigning champions of the GP2 Series have opted not to participate in this year's competition, QI-Meritus has decided to fill their spot by introducing a new pair of drivers.

Despite being new to the GP2 series, QI-Meritus, a team typically competing in Formula Renault V6 Asia, managed to make a strong impression with their skilled drivers, Luca Filippi and Hiroki Yoshimoto.

The team ended the season ranked ninth overall, achieving their highest placement with a fourth position. However, Filippi was disqualified from a race he initially won due to a minor mistake involving the tires.

The GP2 Asia Series is set to kick off in Shanghai on October 18th and 19th, serving as a secondary event for the Chinese Grand Prix.

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De Jong avoids major injury after terrifying GP2 accident

Daniël de Jong is reported to be awake and communicating after his frightening crash at Spa-Francorchamps during the GP2 feature race on Saturday afternoon.

The driver from MP Motorsports attempted to overtake Pierre Gasly from the DAMS team during the initial stages of the race on the fast approach to Blanchiment, leading to a collision where their wheels touched.

The front of De Jong's vehicle was momentarily elevated, leading to a loss of control that caused a direct collision with the tire barrier. The car's front end became deeply embedded in the barrier, and it took a while to safely remove De Jong from the car.

A 23-year-old driver from the Netherlands was carried on a stretcher to an ambulance, which then transported him by helicopter to a hospital in Liège for a comprehensive medical evaluation.

Additional details will be provided in the future, and this article will be revised as new information emerges.

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The lineup for drivers in the 2016 GP2 Series is gradually forming as several announcements have been made recently. However, Carlin, Arden, and Status have yet to reveal their drivers.

This article will be revised when new driver announcements are made.

The lineup for the 2016 GP2 Series

DAMS team members Alex Lynn and Nicholas Latifi

Campos Racing, known for its association with Jagonya Ayam, features Mitch Evans and Sean Gelael

Russian Time Raffaele Marciello Artem Markelov

Antonio Giovinazzi and Pierre Gasly, both associated with Prema Racing.

Racing Engineering's drivers, Jordan King and Norman Nato

Sergey Sirotkin and Nobuharu Matsushita are associated with ART Grand Prix.

RapaxArthur PicGustav Malja

Oliver Rowland and Daniil de Jong are associated with MP Motorsport.

TridentLuca GhiottoPhilo Paz Armand

—

Rephrased text:

Racing teams have yet to announce their drivers.

Status Grand Prix, Carlin, and Arden International

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Trident Racing has finalized its driver roster for the 2016 GP2 Series by adding Philo Paz Armand to the team.

In 2015, a 19-year-old racer from Indonesia took part in a limited number of races in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with Pons Racing, managing to finish in the top ten only once.

In 2016, he will advance straight to GP2, joining Trident's team of newcomers, which features Luca Ghiotto, the runner-up of the 2015 GP3 season.

Team principal Giacomo Ricci expressed enthusiasm about the new partnership with Philo, stating confidence that Philo would fully showcase his talent with the support of the team.

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Sergio Canamasas is set to return to the GP2 Series this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, as he rejoins the Carlin team for the eighth double-header event of the 2016 season.

Considered one of the most seasoned competitors on the circuit, the Spanish driver secured a fifth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, which kicked off the season in May. He also achieved sixth place during the series' inaugural race in Azerbaijan, contributing to a total of seven top-ten finishes in various other events.

"I'm delighted to be back in the GP2 Series," stated Canamasas. "It's great to be driving for Carlin once more, as switching teams mid-season doesn't seem wise to me. At Spa, having a strong race setup and maintaining speed is more crucial than qualifying. With sunny weather anticipated throughout the weekend, I am optimistic about performing well in the Ardennes unless something unexpected occurs."

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FIA Formula 2 to debut in 2017

The World Motor Sport Council has announced that the GP2 Series will be rebranded as FIA Formula 2, with the change taking effect on April 15, 2017, during the event in Bahrain

Since its inception in 2005, GP2 has served as the primary feeder series for Formula 1. However, there had been speculation that it might soon be rebranded as Formula 2. This change was reportedly part of FIA president Jean Todt's initiative to restructure the hierarchy of single-seater racing competitions.

On Thursday, the FIA announced that after talks with the Formula One Group, which is now under the ownership of Liberty Media, the name change received approval.

The World Motor Sport Council has given the green light for the establishment of the FIA Formula 2 Championship starting in 2017. According to the announcement, the FIA has struck a deal with the Formula One Group to convert the GP2 Series into FIA Formula 2. This newly rebranded series will accompany the FIA Formula One World Championship on all but one of its scheduled dates.

The 2017 Formula 2 schedule mirrors that of the GP2 series, accompanying Formula 1 races across 10 events and featuring an independent race at Jerez on October 8.

The GP3 series will not see any changes in 2017 and will continue to back eight Formula 2 races, which will include the

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Ferrari F1 protege Marcus Armstrong will join the DAMS team for the 2021 FIA Formula 2 season, as he makes a move from his current team.

The driver from the Ferrari Academy has departed from ART Grand Prix and has chosen to team up with another French team, DAMS, for his second year in the series that directly leads to Formula 1.

Armstrong, who finished second in the 2019 FIA Formula 3 championship, began his first season in Formula 2 with impressive performances, securing podium finishes in two of the first four races. However, his performance declined as the season progressed, and he ended the year ranked 13th, which was below expectations.

A 20-year-old from New Zealand, who participated in the post-season tests held in Bahrain in December with the DAMS team, is gearing up for a championship bid this year. He hopes to build on his previous success, having secured the Italian F4 title in 2017.

Armstrong expressed his enthusiasm about becoming part of DAMS, stating, "I'm thrilled to be joining the team." He explained that this partnership has been anticipated for quite some time, as both parties were eager to collaborate last season. Armstrong emphasized the competitive nature of Formula 2, noting that with just eight events, it's crucial to begin strongly with a seasoned and successful team.

DAMS boasts a rich history, particularly in GP2 and F2 racing, and is considered one of the top teams to join. Even though I've only been with them for a brief period, it's evident that they excel at maximizing individuals' potential and possess the necessary resources to provide me with everything I require.

"Our goal is to win the championship. We've talked about how finishing in second place is not what I want, and they completely agreed because they have the same goals. The competition is tough, so it won't be an easy task, but I believe that being in the right setting with an excellent team allows me to achieve extraordinary results."

Last season, DAMS fell to eighth place in the team rankings and secured only one race win, following their F2 championship victory in 2019.

Co-owners of the team, Gregory and Olivier Driot, expressed their excitement about having Marcus join DAMS. They mentioned that they have been observing his career and achievements over the years, and are pleased to be collaborating with him this season.

"This year holds significant importance for both of us. Given Marcus' past performances, it's clear that one of our primary goals is to compete for the championship titles this year."

Marcus participated as a driver for our team during the post-season test in Bahrain in 2020, where he provided valuable insights to the engineers. This experience was beneficial for him to become familiar with the team before the start of the 2021 season, and so far, the experience has been encouraging.

Marcus is entering his second season in Formula 2, and both he and the DAMS team have high ambitions. Having claimed the teams' championship back in 2019, they are eager to reclaim their position at the summit. The team is excited about kicking off the season in Bahrain.

Lewis frequently covers global Grands Prix events for Crash.net. By providing on-the-ground reports, he shares the narratives of key figures in the racing world.

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Theo Pourchaire, who finished as the runner-up in Formula 3, has been elevated to compete in Formula 2 by ART Grand Prix for the 2021 season.

At just 17 years old, the young driver shocked the F3 community by setting a record as the youngest person to ever win a race in the championship during the second event of the 2020 season, achieving this feat at the age of 16. This victory marked the beginning of a serious push for the championship title.

Pourchaire, affiliated with the Sauber Academy, secured his first-ever win and then achieved another triumph at the subsequent race in Hungary. He also earned six more podium finishes throughout the season but ultimately fell short of the championship title by a mere three points, with Oscar Piastri taking the crown.

The French driver concluded his triumphant 2020 by participating in two F2 events with HWA Racelab as the year drew to a close. This led to him securing a full-time position in the highest level of junior motorsport with ART GP, the team he previously competed for in F3.

Pourchaire expressed his delight at staying with ART Grand Prix, a team he joined for post-season F2 testing. "Last year, they allowed me to compete in F3, and now they're helping me advance towards Formula 1 through F2," he said.

My goal remains the same this year; I am still striving to reach the highest level. I am grateful to Sauber Academy, ART Grand Prix, my sponsors, and my family. I am fully prepared for the upcoming season.

"This year, I am likely to be the youngest competitor in the F2 series, so my main aim is to gather extensive experience and improve steadily over the course of the season."

Before his impressive debut season in Formula 3, Pourchaire achieved consecutive championships in the junior French F4 series. He then progressed to win the ADAC F4 title the subsequent year.

ART GP team leader Sebastien Philippe commented: "Theo has made significant strides since he first entered the world of motorsports. He won the F4 championship in 2019 and concluded last season by securing the runner-up position in F3. More than just the results, he amazed the team with his development in a challenging environment and against very tough competition."

Théo didn't have any advantages by staying in F3 for another season, so progressing to F2 is a sensible continuation of our partnership. The challenge is significant, but with his skill, drive, and eagerness to learn, I am confident he will successfully navigate this change.

Lewis frequently travels globally to cover Grand Prix events for Crash.net. By being present at these races, Lewis captures and shares the narratives of key figures in the motorsport industry.

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