Verschoor sets headline time of F2 Bahrain pre-season test

The Dutch driver, who joins Van Amersfoort Racing this season, set the quickest time of the three-day test at Bahrain International Circuit during Wednesday afternoon’s running.

He topped the timesheet from reigning Formula 3 champion Victor Martins of ART, whose second fastest time in the same session was just 0.008s slower.

2022 F2 runner-up Theo Pourchaire (ART) was third quickest, setting a 1m42.165s on Tuesday afternoon.

Despite setting the quickest time, Verschoor felt there was still time to find with his new team.

“The morning was very difficult on the race runs. We still need to find our way,” he said.

“I think there are definitely things to work on. The feeling on the soft is very good and I like how the team works with the car and how we handle certain situations, but there’s still a few things to work on to get the total package.

“Of course, I’m happy to be P1, but I didn’t even feel like I got the most out of it, but it was a good lap.”

Pourchaire topped both sessions on the opening day, leading overall from Verschoor and F3 graduate Arthur Leclerc, who joins DAMS for his rookie F2 campaign.

Six drivers traded best times towards the end of the day, including 2021 F3 champion Dennis Hauger, driving for MP Motorsport, and Carlin driver Enzo Fittipaldi, but it was Pourchaire who pipped them to the top spot.

MP Motorsport’s Jehan Daruvala, who joins the team from Prema for his fourth year in F2, finished second in the morning, with Ralph Boschung in third for Campos Racing.

Theo Pourchaire, ART Grand Prix

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Prema rookie Ollie Bearman put in the most laps of the opening session, logging 37 laps.

Verschoor was quickest overall on day two, setting his test-topping time after lunch, with Martins and Hauger, in second and third.

Martins had led with a comfortable margin of 2.456s for half of the afternoon session, before he was demoted by Verschoor in the closing stages.

Frederik Vesti topped the morning session for Prema with a 1m44.234s as the field tested race runs, with Boschung and Leclerc in second and third some two seconds off the pace.

18 drivers totted up over 30 laps, with Kush Maini posting 50 laps on the board.

Kush Maini led the final day of the test for Campos Racing with a 1m42.623s set in the afternoon session, with Roy Nissany in second for PHM Racing by Charouz and Pourchaire in third.

Earlier in the day, Boschung topped the morning’s running with a 1m45.027s, ahead of Clement Novalak, who joins Trident from MP Motorsport, and Martins.

F3 graduate Isack Hadjar, who stays with Hitech for his rookie campaign, completed the most laps in one session on Thursday afternoon with 51.