Boschung: 2023 will be my last Formula 2 season

Despite starting his first F2 race six years ago, the Swiss driver has only competed in one full season, having taken part in partial campaigns for Campos Racing, Trident and MP Motorsport over the years.

The Campos driver told Autosport that 2022 would have been his last season had he not been struck down by injury and forced to sit out several rounds.

He took his maiden F2 victory in the sprint race in Bahrain last weekend before finishing second in Sunday’s feature race.

Read more: How six years of toil led to an F2 journeyman's breakthrough win

Boschung said he has had “more difficult times than good times in F2,” but was “incredibly proud” to start his final season in the series with a victory.

Asked whether this would definitely be his last season in the series, Boschung said: “Yes, for sure. To be honest, last year was meant to be my last season. And then obviously with the neck injury, once I was healthy I had a talk with my sponsors and the team and they all said the same thing, that they believed I didn't have the chance to fully prove myself.

“I was also feeling that, because we obviously had a very good run until the neck problem, so that was really the reason why we said let's do it again this year, and this will definitely be the last one. So it is definitely the last season.”

Ralph Boschung, Campos Racing

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Though he is unsure of his plans for 2024 at this early stage, Boschung says they largely depend on his success this year, but were he unable to race, he would consider a move into management.

He also expressed interest in both IndyCar and the new LMDh prototype class of the IMSA Sportscar Championship and World Endurance Championship.

Boschung said: “I don't have a plan yet. I have some ideas. I think that a lot will depend on how my F2 season will go this year.

“There is already some doors opening, I can't really mention where or in what, but this will be totally related to my F2 season, purely on results.

“From a personal point of view, I've always been very interested to, at some point, go on the other side of the fence in motorsports. If I will not continue racing for some reason next year, going into management roles, whether it's drivers or teams.

“One day owning a team is something I've always had on my on my mind. So all of that, let's say for the long term plan is there.

“But obviously, I really want to continue racing. I still believe I have a couple of years to go as a race driver, but we shall see how the season goes.

“Hopefully, if it goes in the way that I hope it's gonna go, then I can race some really cool things next year.”

Boschung said the closest he has previously come to stopping was last year while suffering with facet syndrome, an arthritis-like spinal condition which can cause serious neck pain.

He managed one podium in Imola, finishing third in the feature race, before he began suffering with neck pain. He missed three rounds before returning at Spa, finishing third in the sprint race.

Boschung said though the problems posed a threat to his career, he was “very lucky” that his body reacted well to treatment and he was able to return to F2 after the summer break.

He said: “I did think about stopping, and the biggest time I thought about actually giving up was last year with my neck injury. That was not because I didn't believe that I can't do it anymore, or that I lost motivation, but that was purely from a health point of view.

“Doctors, very close friends of mine, even the team, they were said okay, now at this stage, it's not even worth it to say don't give up, because if I pull this too much to the limit and I keep racing when they tell me not to, it could have a huge impact on my personal life or my health in the future.

“Obviously, that puts your feet back on the ground and I was really at a time where I realised I needed to really find a way to solve my health issues and really see if it is actually possible for me to continue.

“I was very lucky that my body reacted very well to the treatments and I finally got the green light from the doctors towards the end of the year to be able to continue racing.”