A new season and a dawn of a new era in SLR Formula 2 is upon us! Very soon we enter the fourth season of SLR Formula 2 with the hope of another thrilling season to continue the growth of a incredibly under appreciated division. With the gap at the front closing, new and old names making an appearance and the inaugural season of the Formula 2 Evolution Class we already have the ingredients for yet another sensational season.
Your Champions
Reigning Champion from season three FRAHam and season one champion JamHam will once again be expected to fight for another title with this time hoping to become SLR Formula 2s first two time champion. Ham managed to claw back a forty plus points deficit to claim his first F2 title last season at the expense of brother and teammate Jam. The title would be sealed in the season finales feature race. Can only imagine Jam just missing out will make the hunger greater for his next attempt for a second title. However with very strong suggestions coming from the duo that they will both be committing to line off for the upcoming season will they now have to worry about other drivers?
The Chasers at the front
Towards the end of the season we saw the gap at the front begin to close up with the same names beginning to take more podiums and more wins at the front. With again strong suggestions Champions Ham and Jam may be turning line off this is an amazing opportunity for these drivers to make that next step up and possibly add a new name to that F2 crown. SLR Darnell finished 3rd as your best of the rest last season. With an impressive season last time round Darnell has more or less become an F2 alien along with Ham and Jam. With a couple of wins and a dozen of podiums if he yet again finds that next step he could well be a strong underdog for the season four crown. SLR Southerner for the second season in a row finished fourth in the F2 championship last season. After a slow start of getting used to racing with some assists off Southerner would improve to find robotic consistency and claim a first F2 win to end up having a shot for 3rd in the championship against brother Darnell. Just being pipped Southerner will hope that with a second season now being up to speed with his controls that he can also make that next step up to climb back above Darnell and who knows if the opportunity is there a shot at the F2 title? Could we even see a Noble vs Darnell season?
Two more drivers who have shown great speed and consistency the past couple of seasons are Raceroller and UKBeastAssassin. Raceroller would just miss out on both third and fourth to finish fifth last season. Like SLR Darnell Raceroller especially in the latter part of the season found himself on the podium numerous times and even claimed a victory…..the Scot will be the first to say it should and could have been more. With those mistakes erased and the right luck Raceroller could also find himself in a championship battle. The veteran of Formula 2 UKBeastAssassin has attended every single F2 race since the start but somehow that first F2 win has always alluded him. Surely season four it has to come? A consistent top five scorer with many podiums to his name it could well happen. Last season finished sixth 40-50 points back from the guys above don’t do justice to the lads talent in the division. Hopefully with better luck we can see the true potential from the Beast.
Best of the Rest
SLR Semm and Bennett628 are two names who have been a mainstay in F2 since they joined at the start of season two. Having been teammates for both those seasons it will be interesting to see if it will also be third time lucky. SLR Semm who just pipped Bennett to 8th moves to wheel. SLR Semm has ditched the pad and has moved to wheel. With a few weeks off from racing its given Semm the chance to practice and get up to speed however the transition from pad to wheel is massive and could even take a full season for Semm to get up to speed. What we do know is when that happens he will be back up there again once more hoping to add another victory following his first win in a wet Singapore sprint race. Bennett was voted the drivers most improved driver of the season for season three. Although finishing ninth Bennett showed fantastic consistency rarely putting a foot wrong. Despite only claiming one podium last season Bennett was a consistent points scorer always finishing just behind or occasionally in front of the guys at the front which was always a massive achievement itself as Bennett would be a division lower than the guys above. With suggestions he may also be switching some assists off if he can get up to speed quick and stay away from cruelly being kicked out the game on a regular basis we could yet again see another impressive season from the F1 season 5 division 2 champion.
The Evo (Evolution)
Class Season 4 sees the inaugural season of the Evo class. Introduced by F2 admin SLR Southerner the aim was to encourage more drivers from outside the McKeon Division and Division 1 to take part or to at least give drivers who may not be the quickest a reason and motivation to stay. Rarely finishing inside the points or not at all is always frustrating so why not make it a division where everyone has something to play for. The Evo Class does this where only drivers from Division 2 and 3 can take part. Although the points scored from the classes own points system may not count to their official F2 points tally it does count to this ‘inner championship’. The winner will get the luxury of having third choice pick of which car they’d like to drive the following season should they wish to stay. With the introduction of the Evo Class we also hope it will make the overall divisions race craft better and to give a motivation to drivers to take F2 more seriously with the hope of potential fame in the wonderful division that is Formula 2. So who knows we might have two fantastic championship battles for season 4! Watch this space!
Rookies to keep an eye on
New names appear in Formula 2 for season four and some to keep an eye on. Two of them being Crispy and SLR Dodgy. Crispy left the F2 stewarding panel to drive these beautiful cars and has started off in pre season showing some fantastic pace already looking like one of the favourites for the F2 title. The excitement has only got greater for the potential we could see from the pad goat. SLR Dodgy SLRs division three champion of last season has already put the work in with the results on show in pre season testing. Looking like a driver who could score regularly and also a favourite for the inaugural Evo Class crown. Certainly the division three champions target thats for sure. Another name to keep tabs on could be MasonGammon who showed very encouraging pace in the first pre season race at France. Brand new to Summit league racing MasonGammon has a great opportunity to make a name for himself and what a place to possibly do it.
Other new drivers and returning faces
We have more new faces though! Starting off with SLR League Owner SLR ST2OH. The veteran who has been with SLR since Noah built his ark is going to give it a go in Formula 2 which personally i cant wait to see! Mr Sunday ARL Predatorzz joins as a reserve where we hope to see a few appearances to also see how he takes to the wheel behind an F2 car. We dont just have new faces though…..we have returning! LP Smoke is back! His last appearance being Austria season 2. Having finding it difficult to initially adjust to the F2 cars of the previous game Smoke will be giving it another crack on the new game. If he can crack it we could well see him back near the top. Lets not forget the scot does have a couple of podiums and is also one of a very few drivers to have claimed an F2 pole position! The excitement was too much for OG James in the commentary box. He had to get back in those F2 cars and he has! OG James returned at the season finale last season but with a new game, practice and a hunger OG James is looking very handy based from pre season testing. Wanting to make a charge or an attempt for the inaugural Evo class season OG James could well raise a few eyebrows.
The one we miss
Of course some people leave but sadly soon after last seasons finale one was taken away. SLR Mckeon. Always a massive fan of the division it was decided that Callums Charouz F2 car from last season will be retired. For what he had done on and off track for this division the F2 admins thought it would be a perfect tribute. UKBeastAssassin his Charouz teammate for last season had been asked to fill the remaining Charouz seat which was accepted with honour. This so nobody would have to feel at a disadvantage in the constructors only being a one man team. Callum would also remain as a F2 Admin. Newly appointed Admin UKBeastAssassin would become the fourth F2 admin. With these Callum would get his wish in forever racing and being part of F2 for as long as it existed. Whilst we continue to race for Callum he will always remain a big part of SLR Formula 2.
Waiting for those revs
So its just round the corner! Season 4 is almost here where we will actually kick off the new season in SLR at Bahrain. Who will be at the top? Who will be the surprise? Who will be your Champions? All will start to be answered but first the clock keeps ticking until we hear those revs and see the disappearance of those ever dawning five red lights!
Comments