Analysis
Red flags mar Spanish Grand Prix F2 and F3 practice
F2 and F3 practice sessions at the Spanish Grand Prix were interrupted by red flags, foreshadowing a challenging weekend in Madrid.
The Spanish Grand Prix weekend has begun with significant disruptions during the Formula 2 and Formula 3 practice sessions, as red flags were deployed following separate incidents.
ART Grand Prix driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak crashed heavily at Turn 19 during the sole Formula 2 practice, losing the rear of his car in the high-speed section of the circuit's 'staircase' of left-right turns. His car subsequently struck the wall with the rear-left, igniting a fire, although the Thai driver quickly exited the vehicle and recovery teams responded swiftly. This incident caused a substantial loss of track time for the Formula 2 field, and it remains uncertain whether Inthraphuvasak's car will be prepared for qualifying later today.
F3 Incident Precedes F2 Red Flag
The first red flag of the day was shown during the Formula 3 practice session after DAMS driver Nicola Lacorte crashed at Turn 9. This incident occurred near the end of the session, limiting the impact on other drivers who were only denied their final laps. Lacorte's crash mirrored Inthraphuvasak's in nature, as he also lost the rear of his car before making contact with the wall.
Driver Expectations for Madrid Circuit
Drivers had anticipated numerous red flags and potential crashes throughout the Madrid weekend. This expectation stemmed from the circuit's layout, which features walls closely lining the 5.414-kilometer track. A recent Formula 3 test at the venue saw 19 red flags displayed over two days, with 11 of these directly attributed to crashes, according to Crash.net. Both Formula 2 and Formula 3 are scheduled to hold qualifying sessions on Friday afternoon, with Formula 3 conducting two sessions as part of its 'double feature' event for the season finale.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Analysis, which means this is our reading of facts that are already established. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Miika Rantanen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Crash.netcrash.net
