The new season of Formula 2 begins on April 7 in Bahrain, and a new car this year will have a turbo engine like F1 and be faster than its predecessor – meet the new F2 car which will be faster and closer to F1 than ever before.
Formula 2 returned to the racing scene in 2017 after the FIA decided to rename the GP2 Championship in F2 and thus complete the Formula 1 ladder as there are already a number of F4 and F3 championships in which drivers compete after karting.
Sometimes the Formula 2 cars were far slower than Formula 1, but today it is no longer the case, so drivers have the opportunity to feel the very demanding centripetal forces in the curves that will prepare them for F1.
Last season F2 cars were slower than the F1 for approximately ten seconds per lap, which makes them fastest racing cars behind Formula 1 – pole position time in Barcelona was 10 seconds slower, in Silverstone they were 12 seconds slower, in Monaco seven seconds and in Abu Dhabi 11 seconds.
The Formula 2 cars have the same Pirelli tyres as the F1 cars used in 2016, they have a DRS mechanism and they will have a halo protection as well as F1 cars in 2018.
The Formula 2 engine is still made by French manufacturer Mecachrome, but the 4.0-liter V8 will be replaced with the 3.4-liter V6 engine with a turbocharger with 620 HP, 8 more than before. The minimum weight including driver is 720 kg, 32 kg more than 2017 due to heavier engine and halo protection.
The chassis is still being developed by the Italian manufacturer Dallara, who also works with Haas F1 team, and the new car is 162 mm longer with almost the same width and height as predecessor. Nose is lower than in 2017 for safety reasons, as in Formula 1, and looks like the nose of the 2015 Ferrari F1 car SF15-T.
FORMULA 2 2018. – TEHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
• Overall length: 5224 mm
• Overall width: 1900 mm
• Overall height: 1097 mm (including FOM roll hoop camera)
• Wheelbase: 3135 mm
• Overall weight: 720 kg (driver on-board)
Engine
• V6 – 3.4 litre single turbo charged Mecachrome engine.
• Rated to 620 HP @ 8750 rpm.
• Fly by wire accelerator system.
• Rebuild after 8000 km.
• Maximum Torque 600 Nm.
Performances
• Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h, 2.90 sec
• Acceleration: 0 – 200 km/h, 6.60 sec
• Maximum speed: 335 km/h (Monza aero configuration + DRS)
• Max. braking deceleration -3.5 G
• Max. lateral acceleration +/- 3.9 G
Safety standards
• Full FIA F1 2017 safety standards.
• Halo F1 specification.
Monocoque and Bodywork
• Survival cell – Sandwich Carbon/aluminium honeycomb structure made by Dallara.
• Front and rear wing – Carbon structures made by Dallara.
• Bodywork – Carbon – Kevlar honeycomb structures made by Dallara.
DRS
• Same functionality of DRS used in Formula One.
• Hydraulic activation.
Gearbox
• 6-speed longitudinal Hewland sequential gearbox.
• Electro-hydraulic command via paddle shift from steering wheel.
• ZF SACHS Carbon clutch.
• No on-board starter, anti-stall system.
• Non hydraulic ramp differential.
Fuel cell
• FIA Standard.
• Premier FT5 125 litres.
Electronic features
• Magneti Marelli Marvel SRG 480 ECU/GCU including data logging system.
• Magneti Marelli PDU 12-42 power supply management unit.
• CAN data acquisition pre-equipment.
• Beacon receiver.
Suspension
• Double steel wishbones, pushrod operated, twin dampers and torsion bars suspension (F) and spring suspension (R).
• Adjustable ride height, camber and toe.
• Two way (F) / Four way (R) adjustable Koni dampers.
• Adjustable anti-roll bar (Front/Rear).
Brakes
• 6 pistons monobloc Brembo callipers.
• TBC carbon-carbon brake discs and pads.
Wheels and tyres
• F1 2016 standard wheel dimension.
• O.Z. Racing.
• Magnesium rims
• 13” x 12” front F1 2016 standard wheel dimension.
• 13” x 13.7” rear F1 2016 standard wheel dimension.
• F2 specific Pirelli slick / wet tyres.
Steering system
• Non assisted rack and pinion steering system.
• XAP steering wheel with dashboard, marshalling display, gear change and clutch paddles, marshalling & VSC display.
Camera equipment
• Roll hoop, nose cone and face shot camera pre-equipment.
PHOTO GALLERY
2018 F2 CALENDAR
Nr | Date | Track |
1 | 7 Apr | Bahrain |
2 | 8 Apr | Bahrain |
3 | 28 Apr | Baku |
4 | 29 Apr | Baku |
5 | 12 May | Catalunya |
6 | 13 May | Catalunya |
7 | 25 May | Monaco |
8 | 26 May | Monaco |
9 | 23 Jun | Paul Ricard |
10 | 24 Jun | Paul Ricard |
11 | 30 Jun | Red Bull Ring |
12 | 1 Jul | Red Bull Ring |
13 | 7 Jul | Silverstone |
14 | 8 Jul | Silverstone |
15 | 28 Jul | Hungaroring |
16 | 29 Jul | Hungaroring |
17 | 25 Aug | Spa-Francorchamps |
18 | 26 Aug | Spa-Francorchamps |
19 | 1 Sep | Monza |
20 | 2 Sep | Monza |
21 | 29 Sep | Sochi |
22 | 30 Sep | Sochi |
23 | 24 Nov | Yas Marina |
24 | 25 Nov | Yas Marina |