Formula 2 heads to Azerbaijan for the final race of the summer in Baku, before a near three month break and a return to racing action at Qatar in December.
But first comes one of the most chaotic races of the season, which will play host of the debuts of two new drivers at PREMA Racing and Trident Motorsport.
Within the space of a few hours, both Gabrielle Mini – Formula 3 runner-up, and Christian Mansell were announced as Formula 2 drivers for the upcoming weekend in Baku.
Both will receive their first taste of the machinery around a track which has played host to some of the craziest races in history since entering the calendar in 2016.
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Mansell missed out on the Formula 3 championship at the Monza finale, but was heavily involved in the chaos as Leonardo Fornaroli overtook him at the final corner to claim a podium and the championship.
His performances impressed Trident enough to warrant a promotion to replace Roman Stanek, who was 21st in the drivers’ standings.
Speaking about the opportunity in a press release, Mansell discussed the challenge of stepping up to race at short notice around a tricky circuit.
“I can’t wait to make my FIA Formula 2 debut with Trident Motorsport,” he said. “I’m extremely happy to race with this Italian team on the Baku street circuit and in the next two events before the end of the season.
“It will be a fiery debut on a challenging track like the Azerbaijani one, but I must confess I’m more excited than nervous.”
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Unlike Mini down at PREMA, Mansell will also be given the keys to the Trident car in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
It hands him some crucial extra preparation and laps in a car which can be a difficult animal to tame – especially the Pirelli rubber.
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Stanek had only scored 14 points this season, and the remaining six races will be more about learning than results, but it marks a good opportunity for Mansell to gain an edge of his Formula 3 rivals who could be on the grid with him next year.
Experience is so valuable at this level, and getting ahead of the curve could be the difference between competing for the championship and not next season.
Mini also represents a good basis for comparison, as making his debut at the same time will give fans a better idea of whether the two drivers have performed well.